Cinnamon Raisin Bread (Vegan)

Need a change from cereal for breakfast? Why not make a delicious bouncy loaf of cinnamon raisin swirl bread? It's fantastic alongside your morning coffee, particularly if you toast it and spread on some vegan butter.

Please do note that while this recipe doesn't take a lot of hands-on time, there are 3 different rises, totaling over 2 hours before baking, so make sure to plan accordingly.

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Makes 2 @ 9 inch loaves

BREAD INGREDIENTS

- 1 envelope / 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

- 2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk of your choice (warmed to about 110 F)

- 2 lbs 2 oz (about 6 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

- 1 stick / 1/2 cup / 113 grams vegan butter, room temperature, cubed; plus more for pans

- 1/2 cup sugar

- Egg replacer equivalent to 2 eggs (I use Ener-G)

- 2 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

- 1 cup raisins

- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

FILLING INGREDIENTS

- 1 1/2 cup sugar (this will be very sweet - reduce as desired if you have less of a sweet tooth)

- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

TO FINISH

- about 4 tablespoons aquafaba or neutral-flavored oil

METHOD

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or other large bowl, stir yeast into warm milk, then add flour, butter, sugar, egg replacer, and salt. If using a stand mixer, attach dough hook and mix on low until the ingredients come together, then raise speed to medium-low and mix until the dough is very smooth and pulling away from the side of the bowl (about 6 minutes of mixing total). If you don't have a stand mixer, use a spatula then your hands to combine ingredients and knead until the dough is very smooth and elastic.

2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 9 inch round. Sprinkle dough with cinnamon and raisins, then knead until they are just incorporated. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk.

3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a round. Time to give the gluten a workout! Fold the dough by reaching underneath the top of the dough and pulling it up until it is tense (but not ripping), then press down to the lower third of the dough. Repeat this starting from the bottom of the dough, then on the left and the right. Tap the dough gently to remove excess flour as you do so, if needed. Then flip the dough over so your folds are facing down and place back into your bowl. Cover the bowl and allow it to rise until doubled in bulk again (40 minutes - 1 hour).

4. Make filling by combining sugar, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl.

5. Return dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide in half. Roll out one half to a 12 by 10 inch rectangle. Brush with aquafaba or oil (go easy if you're using oil, you just want a bit to help things stick), then sprinkle on half of the filling, leaving about 1 inch uncovered on the edge of one of the shorter (10 inch) sides. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

6. Butter 2 @ 9 x 5 inch loaf tins and set aside. With the bare inch of dough facing you, fold in about 1 inch on both long sides of the dough. Then, roll from the top of the dough towards you, pressing softly as you go to form a tight log. Once finished, roll the seam back and forth to seal, and place (seam side down) into one of the prepared loaf tins. Repeat with second loaf. Cover loosely and let rise until the dough just reaches above the top of the tin, about 30 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 425 F. Brush the top of the dough with aquafaba or a little oil, and transfer the loaves to a cookie sheet to make them easier to move, if desired. Bake for about 45 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the internal temperature of the bread is at least 190 F, up to 205 F. This dough browns quite quickly, so keep an eye on it as you may need to tent it with tinfoil partway through cooking.

8. Allow to cool completely on a rack before slicing. This bread will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and also freezes well.

Breakfast perfection.