[video] golden raisin & fennel bread

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This is my first video - hooray! It is, in my estimation, "ok" -- but you have to understand that this was a one-man show -- I did every bit of this on my own. Anyway, it was a time-consuming recipe to tackle on the first try. I'm probably going to do something quicker for the next one!

By the way, the bread really is good. If you have the time, I'd suggest giving it a try...

16 oz. bread flour (divided) (about 3 1/3 cups)
1 tsp. active dry yeast (divided)
2 tsp. honey
16 oz. water (divided)
1/2 c. golden raisins
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 TB fennel seeds
olive oil for greasing the proofing bowl

In a bowl, combine 5 oz. (about 1 cup) bread flour, 2 teaspoons of honey, 1/4 teaspoon of yeast, and 10 oz. water. Whisk to combine, cover with plastic, and place in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.

Combine the raisins and the remaining 6 oz. of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1 minute. Place in the refrigerator along with the pre-ferment.

After 12 hours, remove the pre-ferment from the fridge and combine with the remaining flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes or until it is just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 20 minutes. Add the salt and turn the mixer to medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid stand mixer). Knead for 8-10 minutes. Add the fennel seeds and knead until they are thoroughly mixed in.

Place the dough into a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a draft-free area for about an hour and a half (dough should double in size). After the dough proofs, pull it out of the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flatten the dough with your knuckles until it is about a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Drain the raisins well and scatter them over the flattened dough. Make a tri-fold in the dough (like folding a letter) and then do it again. Cover the dough with a dampened kitchen towel and let it rest for ten minutes.

Shape the rested dough into a ball and gently roll it on the counter between your palms until it gets smooth and taut. Place it on a piece of parchment, cover with a moistened towel, and let it rise again for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 400 F with a pizza stone or an unglazed Mexican quarry tile set on the middle rack. After the dough has finished proofing, spritz or brush is with water and slash a square into the top with a sharp knife.

Place the dough (still on the parchment) onto the preheated stone. Bake it for 50-55 minutes. It will be very brown and crisp. Let it rest on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing into it and serving with butter or olive oil.