Maple-Oatmeal Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Dough:

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) boiling water

1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup (3 ounces) maple syrup, or honey

1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat flour

1 2/3 cups (7 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (1 ounce) nonfat dry milk

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons instant yeast

Filling:

1 large egg white

2/3 cup (5 ounces) packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons (5/8 ounce) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the boiling water, oats, butter, salt, and maple syrup or honey into a medium bowl, stir, and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.  

Mix the remaining dough ingredients with the oat mixture, and knead - by hand, mixer, or bread machine - until you've made a soft, smooth dough.  Place the dough in a lightly-greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 1 hour; the dough should be doubled in bulk.

Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.  Gently deflate the dough - it will be sticky, so oil your hands - and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.  Pat and roll it into a long 8x24-inch rectangle.

Prepare the filling: combine the egg white, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Spread the filling over the rolled-out dough.  Starting at a short end, roll the dough up, gently tucking in the edges to contain the filling as you go along.  Seal the seam, and pat and smooth the roll into a 9-inch log.  Place it in the prepared pan.  

Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow it to rise until it has crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 1 1/4 to to 2 hours.  Near the end of the bread's rising time, heat the oven to 350° F.

Uncover the pan and set it on a parchment-lined baking pan, to catch any potential filling overflow. Bake the bread for 50 to 55 minutes, tenting it loosely with foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning.  The bread is done when it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 190° F. Remove it from the oven and, after 5 minutes, loosen the edges and turn it out onto a rack.  Brush with melted butter, if desired; this will keep the crust soft.  Cool the bread completely before slicing.

Makes one 9x5-inch loaf.

From Whole Grain Baking by King Arthur Flour