Whole-Grain Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Make bread dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine water, milk, and sugar or honey, then whisk in yeast until dissolved. Add egg and oil and whisk until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, grains, and salt, then add this to the yeast-egg mixture. Mix with a machine using a paddle attachment at the lowest speed for 1 minute or by hand using a large spoon for 1 minute. The dough will be wet and coarse. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

If using a mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix the dough on medium-low for 2 more minutes. By hand, do the same with your spoon. The dough will seem firm and more smooth, ideally supple and sticky. If it's still very wet, add more flour, a spoonful at a time. If excessively stiff, add a little more water. Continue to mix with dough hook or by hand for 4 minutes.

Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Knead a few times, then form the dough into a ball and let it rest, covered by the empty bowl upended over it, for 10 minutes. Repeat this process—kneading a few times, then resting for 10 minutes—two more times.

Proof dough: Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl with room for dough to at least double. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for 60 to 70 minutes, until doubled in bulk. Dough can also be fermented overnight or up to 4 days in the fridge.

Prepare filling: Combine the sugar, cinnamon, raisins or currants, and flour in a food processor or blender, processing until the fruit is chopped.

Fill bread and form loaves: Turn dough out onto a floured counter and divide it into two equal pieces. Roll each into a long, thin rectangle, about 16-x-8 inches. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and water mixture. Sprinkle half the filling evenly over the egg. Roll the dough into a log, starting with a short edge. Gently press the side seam and ends closed, and place the log in a lightly greased loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Proof bread again: Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour at room temperature, or until it has crowned about 1-inch over the rim of the pan, about 45 to 60 minutes. About halfway through, heat oven to 350°F.

Bake bread: For about 40 minutes, rotating the loaf once for even color. When done, it will sound a bit hollow when tapped and the internal temperature will read 190°F.