Cheddar Jalapeño Bread
A savory homemade bread loaded with sharp cheddar cheese and fresh jalapeños. This artisanal loaf features a crispy crust and tender interior, combining the rich flavors of two kinds of cheese with a spicy kick from both seeded and unseeded jalapeños.
Ingredients
- •1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- •1¾ cups warm water
- •4 cups all-purpose flour
- •1½ teaspoons salt
- •¼ cup olive oil
- •5 tablespoons chopped fresh jalapeño
- •5 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar
- •1½ ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano
- •1 large egg
- •1 piece stand mixer
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Stir together yeast and 1 tablespoon warm water in a small bowl; let mixture stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If it doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
5 min
- 2.
Mix together flour, salt, oil, yeast mixture, and remaining 1 3/4 cups warm water in bowl of mixer at low speed until a soft dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 3 minutes more. Add jalapeño, 1 1/2 cups Cheddar, and 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and mix until combined.
5 min
- 3.
Scrape dough down side of bowl (all around) into center, then sprinkle lightly with flour. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) to keep a crust from forming and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Alternatively,let dough rise in bowl in refrigerator 8 to 12 hours.)
150 min
- 4.
Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and gently form into a roughly 11- by 8-inch rectangle with floured hands.
5 min
- 5.
Fold dough in thirds (like a letter) with floured hands (dough will be sticky), pressing along seam of each fold to seal.
5 min
- 6.
Put dough, seam side down, in an oiled 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Cover pan with same clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until dough completely fills pan and rises above it slightly, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
75 min
- 7.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
15 min
- 8.
Brush loaf with egg, then sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Cheddar and remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano down center of loaf.
5 min
- 9.
Bake until bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen loaf, then remove from pan to test for doneness.
60 min
- 10.
Return bread (not in pan) to oven and turn on its side, then bake 10 minutes more to crisp crust. Cool completely on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
100 min