This is a common challenge due to rolling the dough out too thin and/or topping the dough with butter. Pat the dough into a 16x8-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with some of the egg/water (1 whole egg + 1 T. water), and pat the filling onto the dough. Beginning with a short edge, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the side seam AND ends closed (to keep the filling from bubbling out), and place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.

There are a couple things that can help:

1. If you handle the dough with oiled hands while patting it out onto an oiled work surface, or better yet, a Silpat - which doesn't require any oil or flour, there is enough oil on the dough surface from your hands to help hold the cinnamon/sugar/raisin mixture - no additional butter needed on the dough surface.

2. A King Arthur Flour tip is to brush the dough with a beaten whole egg + 1 T. water (just enough to dampen the dough).

The fat in the layers, when you add butter or margarine, actually keeps the dough separated, while the protein in the egg helps fuse the dough together.

Even using the egg/water treatment, you can still expect some separation, especially where the sugar is thick and it gets molten enough while hot during baking to steam the bread layers apart, but not nearly as prevalent as when butter or margarine is used.

Hope that helps you out.

-Grainlady

Here are two recipes I have that do not require rolling/folding up.

Buttermilk Raisin Bread
Source: Kristin Eschenheimer
Yield: 2 loaves

1 cup raisin 1/2 cup
1-1/2 cups buttermilk 3/4 cup
1 package active dry yeast 1/2 pkg
1/4 cup sugar 1/8 cup
2 eggs 1 egg
1 stick butter, melted 1/2 stick
5 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 1/2 to 2 3/4
1-1/2 teaspoons salt 3/4 t
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 t

Add the raisins to buttermilk in saucepan and heat until warm then cool until lukewarm. Add yeast and sugar; let stand 5 minutes or until yeast is dissolved.

Slightly beat eggs in large bowl. Add the melted butter and stir in buttermilk/yeast mixture. Stir together the dry ingredients and add by thirds to yeast mixture, beating well after each addition.

Knead on floured board about 8-10 minutes then place in oiled bowl and brush with oil. Cover bowl with towel and let rise for an hour or more or until doubled.

Divide dough in half and let it rest for about 15 minutes before shaping into two loaves. Place in greased 8" loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled (about an hour) Bake at 400ðF for 25 to 30 minutes.

Mrs Proctors Raisin Casserole Bread
Yield: 8 servings

2/3 C. hot water
1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 C. shortening
1/2 C. very warm water
2 pkg. yeast
1 egg, beaten
3 1/4 C. sifted flour
1 C. raisins

Mix together hot water, sugar, salt, shortening; cool to lukewarm.

Measure 1/2 C. very warm water into mixing bowl. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Stir in lukewarm water mixture. Add egg, flour and raisins. Stir until well blended, about 2 minutes.

Let rise in warm place, free from drafts, about 50 minutes or until more than doubled in bulk. Stir down. Beat vigorously about 1/2 minute.

Turn into greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Bake immediately, uncovered in a hot oven at 400 degrees about 45 minutes. While warm spread with powdered sugar glaze if desired.

Thanks a lot for some very helpful suggestions and recipes. Hope I can just toss in some cinnamon too.

Pink

Use caution adding cinnamon to yeast bread dough. Too much cinnamon (as well as nutmeg, allspice and cloves) can be detrimental to yeast growth, which is why it is typically applied to the dough surface.

It is suggested to limit it to amounts below about 1/4-teaspoon per cup of flour in the recipe. Cinnamon also acts as a preservative and inhibits mold growth and aflatoxin production - which are good things.

-Grainlady