First, in a small bowl measure out the raisins and soak in warm to hot water.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, measure out the sourdough starter, water, and brown sugar. Mix this up until the starter is dissolved in the water. Next, add the flours and with a spoon, Danish dough hook or the dough hook of the stand mixer, mix the dough until it is just combined. It will be a slightly shaggy dough. Let rest (fermentolyse) for 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes, add to the large bowl, the raisins (drained well), butter, egg, cinnamon, and salt. Knead on low for 8-10 minutes.

Transfer your dough to a tall sided container that will be easy to watch for when the bulk fermentation is done. I love using my 8-cup glass measuring cup, but a bowl could also work.

Cover with a bowl cover or tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes you can perform your first set of coil folds. Get your hands slightly wet and grab each side of the dough and pull the dough up. (The dough will stretch but you don’t want it to rip.) Complete this turning the dough a quarter turn for each fold.

Let the dough rest and do 2-3 more coil folds and rests.

After the coil folds are complete let the dough rest until bulk fermentation is complete.

At 70-72 degrees I let the dough double in size before shaping it.

When the bulk fermentation is complete dump the dough out onto a clean work surface and using your hands or a bench scraper take and shape the dough into a ball creating tension as you work BUT not ripping the dough.

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes then complete the final shaping.

While the dough is resting you can make the optional cinnamon sugar filling. Take a small bowl and combine the softened butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Mix well and set aside.

After the 10-minute rest flip the dough upside down and gently stretch it out into a rectangle. If you are adding the swirl, spread it out on the dough, being careful to stay an inch or two from the edge of the dough.

Next, from the bottom (short side) of the rectangle fold up a quarter of the dough then fold the sides in on top and roll the dough up creating tension but not ripping the dough in the process.

Pinch the sides of the dough and flip into a floured Batard banneton seam side up.

Let the dough rest for another 10 minutes.

The next morning about a half hour before you plan to bake your loaf, preheat the oven to 500 degrees with the Dutch oven inside the oven.

Remove your loaf from the fridge and flip it out onto a piece of parchment paper. Make any scoring designs you want (I like the traditional wheat head) then cut in the expansion score starting from the top and going to the bottom of the loaf. Hold your bread lame at a 45-degree angle. After I cut the initial score, I take the blade of the bread lame and run it just under the top layer of dough on the left side of the expansion score…this is optional.

Place the loaf in the Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven. Reduce the heat to 450 degrees and bake for 25 minutes with the lid on.

After the 25 minutes remove the lid and finish baking for 12-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool before slicing.

Enjoy when mostly cooled but still a little warm. If you try to cut the loaf of bread too soon the texture will be wrong. Enjoy on its own, with butter or toasted with butter and cinnamon sugar.