Here's 2 recipes for champions of the humble yet divisive raisin

Raisins are one of the most divisive foods. Some love them; others think they don't belong in anything.

Raisins are at the centre (literally) of the eternal butter tart debate. But some feel just as strongly about raisins in muffins, cookies, scones and cinnamon buns. Some were turned off raisins at an early age, having experienced the little red boxes of dry, cardboard-y raisins that showed up in lunch boxes and Halloween bags. Others are annoyed by mistaking them for chocolate chips or dislike their texture.

Interestingly, most raisins come from the same variety of grape. Most start off light and darken as they dry. Golden raisins are dried in a different way and treated with sulfur dioxide, which keeps them lighter and retains more fruit flavour. 

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If you do bake with raisins, remember that they'll try to reconstitute themselves back into grapes in whatever they're in, so ensure they're not too dried out. If they are, they'll absorb even more moisture from the dough or batter they're in.

Of course, this can be a good thing if you're adding raisins to a grainy salad or couscous — if you add them to the warm grains, they'll plump up with the steam as it cools and absorb any excess moisture. If you do have dried out raisins, cover them with boiling water or other liquid (juice or alcohol, like brandy, wine or kirsch), until they're plump and soft. Then pour off any excess liquid before using them in your recipe. 

Kugelhopf

This sweet breakfast bread from the Alsace region of France comes from French Canadian baker Giselle Courteau's new cookbook, Duchess at Home. It's a rich, buttery, not-too-sweet dough that's loaded with raisins (add even more, if you like). And while it seems fancy, it's not at all difficult, but it's still special enough to pull out for the holidays. Similar to Italian panettone, she writes, kugelhopf is made with the distinct Alsatian flavours of kirsch and orange and is gently sweet and soft in texture.

Adapted slightly (I really just added my own wording and slight adaptations) from Duchess at Home. Note: I didn't have any kirsch, and my raisins were already fresh and plump, so I skipped the soaking raisins step and it still worked just fine.

Ingredients

Raisins:                        
¾ cup raisins 
2 tbsp kirsch liqueur 
2 tbsp water   

Pre-ferment:
2⁄3 cup milk, warmed
½ cup all-purpose flour 
3 tsp active dry yeast
15 whole peeled almonds
                        
Dough:                        
2 cups all-purpose flour 
1⁄3 cup icing sugar
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs                    
2 tsp orange blossom water or 1 tsp orange extract (optional)
zest of 1 orange
½ cup + 2 tbsp butter, cubed, at room temperature (plus extra, for brushing the pan)
icing sugar, for dusting

Method

Place the raisins in a small bowl or container with the kirsch and water. Cover and set aside overnight. The raisins should plump up and absorb most of the liquid.

To make the pre-ferment, place the warm milk in a stand mixer bowl and mix in the flour and yeast. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and set aside for about 20 minutes.

Once the pre-ferment is ready, fit the bowl on a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the flour, icing sugar, salt, eggs, orange-blossom water and orange zest and mix on low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Gradually add the butter, a few cubes at a time. Once all the butter has been added, turn the mixer up to medium and continue mixing for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, shiny, elastic, and has pulled away from the side of the bowl.

Drain off any excess liquid from the raisins and stir into the dough by hand. Cover and set aside to proof in a warm area for 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled in size.

While the dough is proofing, prepare your kugelhopf mould. Brush the mould generously with softened butter, making sure to get it in all the grooves. Place an almond in the bottom of each groove.

Once proofed, transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead briefly to remove any air bubbles. Using the end of a rolling pin, make a hole in the centre of the dough. Place the dough ring into the mould, gently pressing it down into all the grooves.

Fill a shallow pan or 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the hottest water you can get out of your tap (not boiling) and place it on the bottom surface of your oven. Place the kugelhopf on an oven rack and close the oven door.

Let the kugelhopf proof in the oven for 1½ to 2 hours, until doubled in size. Try not to open the oven door for the first 45 minutes, as you want the steam to create a humid environment inside the oven.

Once proofed, remove the pan of water and the kugelhopf from the oven. Arrange your oven racks so that the kugelhopf will sit in the centre of the oven with no rack above it (as it may puff up). Preheat your oven to 390 F (200 C), then put in the kugelhopf and immediately reduce the temperature to 350 F (180 C). Bake for 45 to 55 minutes (35 to 40 minutes if using a bundt pan), until the top is a dark golden brown.

Let the kugelhopf rest for 15 minutes and unmould onto a cooling rack. If any of the almonds have detached, place them back in the grooves on top of the kugelhopf. Dust the top with icing sugar.

Serves 12.

Quinoa, Chickpea and Apple Salad with Raisins 

Ingredients

½ cup quinoa
¼ cup golden or sultana raisins 
1 19 oz (540 ml) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
1 big handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped 
½ cup crumbled feta (or as much as you want) 
1 tart-ish apple or ripe pear, chopped 
½ cup toasted walnuts or almonds 

Dressing:
¼ cup canola or olive oil 
2 tbsp rice vinegar or lemon juice 
1 tsp honey 
¼ tsp curry paste or powder

Method

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Drain well and set aside to cool. Add the raisins as it cools. The raisins will plump up as they absorb any excess moisture.

Add the chickpeas, parsley, feta and apple and drizzle with dressing. (To make the dressing, shake all the ingredients up in a jar.) Toss, then sprinkle with toasted walnuts or almonds right before serving.

Serves 4 to 6.