Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

Ingredients for the Dough

1/2 cup (113 grams) sourdough starter, ripe (fed) or discard
3 cups (361 grams) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (optional – check notes!)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 large egg
5 tablespoons (71 grams) butter, softened
2/3 cup (152 grams) lukewarm water

Ingredients for the Filling

1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (to brush on the dough)
1/2 cup (74 grams) raisins

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all the dough ingredients, then mix and knead (by hand, stand mixer, or bread machine set on the dough cycle) until you get a soft and smooth dough.
Place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1.5 to 2 hours, until it’s almost doubled in size. (Note: If not using instant yeast, let it rise for 3 hours.)
In the meantime, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
Once the dough has risen, deflate it gently and place it onto a work surface that has been lightly greased so it doesn’t stick.
Roll out or pat the dough into a rectangle shape measuring approximately 6 inches by 20 inches.
Brush the dough with the egg and water mixture (Note: you may not need the entire mixture!) and sprinkle it evenly with the filling and the raisins, leaving one short edge bare for about the last 1 inch.
Starting with the short end that is covered with the filling, roll up the dough to form a log shape. Pinch the ends to seal, and pinch along the long seam to close it.
Place the loaf of dough, seam side down, into a lightly greased loaf pan measuring about 9 inches by 5 inches. Cover and allow to rise for about an hour, until it’s crested about 1 inch higher than the rim of the pan. (Note: If not using instant yeast, you can let it rise in the fridge overnight, bringing it to room temperature for an hour before you bake it.)
Bake, in an oven preheated to 350F / 180C for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after the first 15 to 20 minutes, until the top crust turns golden brown, and the inside reads at 190F / 88C on a digital thermometer.
When done baking, remove the bread from the oven and gently loosen it from the edges of the pan. Turn it out, and brush the top with butter if desired, to give it a soft smooth crust. Allow to fully cool before slicing.

My Notes

I didn’t have instant yeast, so I used 193 grams of fed active starter (100% hydration), 321 grams of flour, 112 grams of water, and all the other amounts as stated in the recipe. I did the first rise at room temperature in a covered bowl for 3 hours, with 2 folds done right in the bowl during that time. Then I rolled it out, filled it, (using the entire egg & water mixture, which was a messy mistake I will not make again), formed it, and put it into a silicone loaf tin, to rise in the fridge overnight.
I took it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for an hour before baking it as per the recipe (including the tenting) plus an extra 10 minutes. I didn’t have raisins in the house, so I skipped those, but will make sure to include them the next time I make this!
We enjoyed the bread, and it was firm enough to use in the toaster. My dough was quite wet and tricky to roll, so maybe next time I’ll add a bit more flour so it’s more like cinnamon roll dough.