CINNAMON RAISIN SWIRL BREAD
Dough:
1/2 cup (113g) sourdough starter discard
3 cups (361g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons aquafaba
5 tablespoons (71g) soft vegan butter or shortening
2/3 cup (152g) lukewarm water
1/2 cup (74g) raisins
Filling:
1/4 cup (50g) coconut sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1-2 tablespoons vegan butter or shortening
Instructions:
To make the dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough.
Place the dough in a lightly greased container, and allow it to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it's just about doubled in bulk.
While the dough is rising, make the filling by stirring together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.
Roll and pat the dough into a rough rectangle approximately 6" x 20".
Brush the dough with the butter and sprinkle it evenly with the filling, leaving a bare strip about 1" wide along one short edge; this will make the log you're about to roll easier to seal.
Starting with the short end that's covered with filling, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the ends to seal, and pinch the long seam closed.
Transfer the log, seam-side down, to a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan. Cover and allow the bread to rise until it's crested about 1" over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour.
Bake the bread in a covered Dutch oven, set in a cold oven. Set the oven temperature to 425°F. Once it reaches temp, set the timer for 20 minutes. Remove lid and continue baking uncovered for 12 minutes.
Remove the bread from the oven, and gently loosen the edges. Turn it out of the pan, and brush the top surface with butter, if desired; this will give it a soft, satiny crust. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
