It’s a throwback movie on the menu this week. I grew up watching – and loving – Disney’s Kronk’s New Groove. The food in it always looked so good, even the weird stuff. My raisin milk bread recipe is a take on the raisin bread baked lovingly by Kronk and Ms. Birdwell. Personalised oven gloves at the ready, let’s get baking.
Contents
The Bake
Whilst I love creating recipes that are inspired by films and TV, there is something so incredibly satisfying about recreating food that actually features in these movies and TV shows.
Plus, once you start, it can be a little difficult to stop. Recipes like my Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood apple pie, my Encanto arepas con queso and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone birthday cake are proof!
Sometimes the original source material leaves more to the imagination that one would like when recreating a treat that features in a film.
My own Lembas Bread recipe from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a prime example of recreating a well known recipe where the details in the original text are minimal to say the least.
Thankfully, Kronk’s New Groove has an entire scene focused on the making of raisin bread (alongside some disco dancing).
My raisin milk bread is inspired by the raisin bread baked by Kronk and Ms. Birdwell for their chipmunk troupes.
During this scene, Kronk and Ms. Birdwell are both trying to make raisin bread for the kids in their chipmunk troupes after a difficult day.
Raisin bread! The one sure fire way to cheer up a chipmunk.
Kronk discovers the theft of his eggs, which leads to a confrontation about stolen raisins. It’s a whole thing.
Then, out of the darkness comes the light. Disco lights, to be precise.
From this scene, it is clear which specific ingredients are used in this raisin bread. Namely, flour, raisins, eggs and milk.
So, I decided to use my Big Hero 6 melon pan base dough recipe as a guide for my Kronk’s New Groove inspired raisin bread. It’s a milk bread with an egg, so why make it complicated?
The other recipe I consulted was my Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban chocolate and honey bread, as this is also a milk bread with eggs, just on a slightly larger scale.
As this is milk bread with raisins, I lowered the amount of sugar added to the dough slightly to balance it out.
It’s honestly a super simple, really easy raisin bread recipe that tastes exactly how you’d imagine it when seeing a loaf in the movie.
I made four loaves out of this recipe because I wanted to aim for a similar size to the raisin milk bread loaves handed out to the kids in the movie. If you’d prefer one big loaf, then simply skip the step that involves dividing the dough into portions.
Honestly, you could divide the loaf up in two, three, four. As long as it’s pretty equal, you’re good to go.
Yeah, the rising time needed means it takes a little while to make. But, it’s mostly waiting time which you can fill by doing other things.
Making bread is a therapeutic process. I often find I am able to make bread and get a lot done at the same time without feeling like I’m overloading myself.
Top Tips
- Avoid over-flouring your work surface when needed. It can lead to a drier dough. Trust that the dough will come away from the surface it may stick to as you work with it.
- You’ll know your dough will be ready and the gluten well developed after kneading when the surface is smooth, and it springs back halfway when you gently press on it. It should feel a little bouncy once it’s ready.
- If your house is typically a little cold, place your dough in an airing cupboard or in the oven (turned off) to isolate some warmth and allow the dough to rise well. Just make sure to check it once an hour has passed! Over proving can affect the end result of your bread.
- If you don’t have strong bread flour, you can certainly use plain/all-purpose flour. Just be mindful that the texture of the bread can differ, but it will still be delicious.
- This recipe makes four decent sized bread loaves, but you can easily make one big one, two slightly bigger ones and so on. Feel free to divvy the dough up into however many loaves you want to make. Just be mindful that the smaller your loaves are, the less baking time they will need.
- If you want to add some spice to your raisin milk bread, I recommend adding a tsp or two of ground cinnamon. Cinnamon and raisins together is a delightful combo.
- Some bakers will argue it’s better to add any extras to your dough before the second rise, but I have found it’s better to add it when you’re making the dough (before the first proving session). You can choose what you want to do! If adding before the second proving session, knock the air out of the dough and knead the raisins into the dough as best you can before shaping. Avoid overworking the dough as much as possible.
This raisin milk bread recipe is perfect if you’re looking to recreate Kronk’s raisin bread straight from Kronk’s New Groove. Light, fluffy, delicately sweet. If you’re a chipmunk in need of cheering up, have a go at making this lovely treat and eat it as part of your Kronk’s New Groove movie night or themed party. Enjoy!
Happy baking, happy eating!
The Recipe
Ingredients
Raisin milk bread:
- 600g [3¾ cups] strong white bread flour
- 30g [2 tbsp + 1 tsp] caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 14g [4 ½ tsp or 2 sachets] fast action dried yeast
- 60g [2 oz] unsalted butter
- 140ml [5.25 oz] milk
- 1 large egg
- 140ml [5 oz] water
- 200g [7 oz] raisins
- Oil for greasing
Makes: 4 loaves
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Baking time: 20 – 25 minutes
Method
Raisin milk bread dough:
- Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with your oil. Set aside.
- In a small heatproof bowl, melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds until completely melted. Set aside.
- Sieve the flour into a large clean mixing bowl. Add the salt, sugar and yeast. Make sure the yeast and salt do NOT touch yet.
- In a heatproof bowl or jug, warm the milk in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds. You want it to be warm to the touch, but not hot.
- Mix your dry ingredients in the bowl until evenly distributed. Make a well and add the melted butter, milk and water. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl and then add to the mix.
- Add the raisins in now and work into the dough briefly.
Kneading:
- If using a standing mixer with a dough hook attached, knead the dough on a medium speed for around 5-10 minutes. Your dough will be ready when it is smooth, shiny, less tacky to touch and bouncy.
- If kneading by hand, bring the mixture together into a shaggy ball of dough using a wooden spoon. Then, tip out onto a clean and lightly floured surface. Avoid adding too much flour as you knead – use a scraper or large knife to pull the dough away from the surface as needed.
- Knead by hand for around 10 minutes. The gluten in your dough will be well developed once the dough is smooth, shiny and bouncy. If you press your finger into the dough lightly and it springs back half or most of the way back, it’s ready.
- Place your ball of dough into your lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film/plastic wrap/beeswax paper and leave to prove for 1 hour, until well risen and doubled in size. This will depend on the temperature of your kitchen. If your kitchen feels quite cold, place the bowl of dough in an airing cupboard or in the oven (turned off) for more isolated heat.
Shaping:
- Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper/baking parchment and set aside.
- When your dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a clean and lightly floured surface. Knock the air out by kneading it very briefly.
- Divide your dough equally into four pieces using a sharp knife.
- Roll the dough in on itself and tuck the edges underneath, making a smooth oval shape. Pinch the dough to secure it.
- Place two loaves on one lined tray, and the other two on the other lined tray. Make sure to leave enough space for them to enlarge.
- Cover the loaves and leave them to rise again for around 45 minutes. Feel free to place them back in the oven (turned off) or airing cupboard if needed.
- After 30 minutes, preheat your oven to 200°C [350°F] or 180°C fan.
Baking:
- After around 45 minutes, retrieve your loaves of dough. Using a sharp knife, score two lines diagonally across the top of each loaf.
- Bake on the middle shelves for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden brown. You’ll know when your loaves have finished baking if you hear a hollow sound when you tap on both the tops and undersides of the loaves. Or, when they feel dry all around and are a deep golden brown colour.
- Once baked, transfer your loaves to a wire rack to cool completely.
These incredibly tasty raisin milk bread loaves are best enjoyed on the day of baking, but will last another day or two if kept in an airtight container. You can top the raisin bread with butter, cheese or your favourite sweet spreads! They can be frozen for up to 3 months; simply defrost at room temperature overnight before consuming. Enjoy!
The Film
Yeah, The Emperor’s New Groove was great. Like a lot of the films I grew up with, it’s one that I go back to as an adult and find that it’s just as good, if not better than I remember.
But, Kronk’s New Groove just hits differently. It’s rare to find a sequel measuring up to its predecessor… oof, I’m going to have to say it: I like Kronk’s New Groove more than The Emperor’s New Groove.
An unpopular opinion? Perhaps. But, we’re entitled to them, friends.
Don’t get me wrong, I think The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) is an all around entertaining movie. It’s loosely inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s folktale The Emperor’s New Clothes, originally published in 1837. With a few *minor* changes, of course.
Kronk’s New Groove shines a light on a secondary character, this time with his own story front and centre.
Kronk is a great supporting character in The Emperor’s New Groove, if a bit of a movie trope. He brings a different level of humour and pace to the film, so it was fun to see him get his own movie!
Even Kuzco let Kronk have his moment to shine in his own film… most of the time.
The main premise of Kronk’s New Groove (2005) is the desire for Kronk to finally achieve a thumbs up from his Dad; to be told by his father that he is proud of him and what he has achieved in his life.
Upon finding out that his father is on his way to visit, Kronk goes into panic mode, remembering all of the things that he told his father he had achieved. Things that were true at varying stages of his life, but that he is no longer experiencing.
The film moves in a nonlinear fashion, as Kronk recounts the stories of him finding these things in his present state of… freaking out.
As is the case with most Disney films, Kronk realises what’s most important in his life. He comes to understand just how blessed he is and just how valued he is by those around him.
With a generous dusting of humour sprinkled throughout, of course.
We love to see it.
Kronk’s New Groove was directed by Saul Blinkoff, Elliot M. Bour and Robin Steele. If you watch closely, you’ll see a couple of those names pop up during a cheeky Kuzco focused fourth wall break.
Writers include Tom Rogers; Tony Leondis, Michael Lucker and Michael LaBash, as well as a few uncredited names that I will give due credit to: Mark Dindal, David Reynolds and Chris Williams.
Film and TV fans alike will likely recognise Kronk’s unmistakeable dulcet tones.
Patrick Warburton has one of the most recognisable voices in the industry. If you’re like me and grew up with Kronk’s New Groove on VHS, it’ll be Kronk that you think of first when you hear Patrick Warburton speak in any role.
Alongside him were British icon Tracey Ullman, the legend herself Eartha Kitt, David Spade, John Goodman, Wendy Malick, John Mahoney, John Fielder, Patti Deutsch, Jeff Bennet, Michaela Jill Murphy, Eli Russell Linetz, and more.
Kronk’s New Groove is a film that makes me feel nostalgic. The days of VHS in general make me feel that way. So, what better way to celebrate this than to recreate a treat right out of this movie?
Recipe Card
Kronk’s Raisin Bread | Kronk’s New Groove
Ingredients
Raisin milk bread:
- 600 g [3¾ cups] strong white bread flour
- 30 g [2 tbsp + 1 tsp] caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 14 g [4 ½ tsp or 2 sachets] fast action dried yeast
- 60 g [2 oz] unsalted butter
- 140 ml [5.25 oz] milk
- 1 large egg
- 140 ml [5 oz] water
- 200 g [7 oz] raisins
- Oil for greasing
Instructions
Raisin milk bread dough:
- Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with your oil. Set aside.
- In a small heatproof bowl, melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds until completely melted. Set aside.
- Sieve the flour into a large clean mixing bowl. Add the salt, sugar and yeast. Make sure the yeast and salt do NOT touch yet.
- In a heatproof bowl or jug, warm the milk in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds. You want it to be warm to the touch, but not hot.
- Mix your dry ingredients in the bowl until evenly distributed. Make a well and add the melted butter, milk and water. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl and then add to the mix.
- Add the raisins in now and work into the dough briefly.
Kneading:
- If using a standing mixer with a dough hook attached, knead the dough on a medium speed for around 5-10 minutes. Your dough will be ready when it is smooth, shiny, less tacky to touch and bouncy.
- If kneading by hand, bring the mixture together into a shaggy ball of dough using a wooden spoon. Then, tip out onto a clean and lightly floured surface. Avoid adding too much flour as you knead – use a scraper or large knife to pull the dough away from the surface as needed.
- Knead by hand for around 10 minutes. The gluten in your dough will be well developed once the dough is smooth, shiny and bouncy. If you press your finger into the dough lightly and it springs back half or most of the way back, it’s ready.
- Place your ball of dough into your lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film/plastic wrap/beeswax paper and leave to prove for 1 hour, until well risen and doubled in size. This will depend on the temperature of your kitchen. If your kitchen feels quite cold, place the bowl of dough in an airing cupboard or in the oven (turned off) for more isolated heat.
Shaping:
- Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper/baking parchment and set aside.
- When your dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a clean and lightly floured surface. Knock the air out by kneading it very briefly.
- Divide your dough equally into four pieces using a sharp knife.
- Roll the dough in on itself and tuck the edges underneath, making a smooth oval shape. Pinch the dough to secure it.
- Place two loaves on one lined tray, and the other two on the other lined tray. Make sure to leave enough space for them to enlarge.
- Cover the loaves and leave them to rise again for around 45 minutes. Feel free to place them back in the oven (turned off) or airing cupboard if needed.
- After 30 minutes, preheat your oven to 200°C [350°F] or 180°C fan.
Baking:
- After around 45 minutes, retrieve your loaves of dough. Using a sharp knife, score two lines diagonally across the top of each loaf.
- Bake on the middle shelves for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden brown. You’ll know when your loaves have finished baking if you hear a hollow sound when you tap on both the tops and undersides of the loaves. Or, when they feel dry all around and are a deep golden brown colour.
- Once baked, transfer your loaves to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
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