FoodWage
Cheddar Jalapeño Bread
Ingredients for servings
-
3 cups bread flour
-
0.25 tsp instant yeast
-
1.5 tsp fine grain sea salt
-
15 g distilled white vinegar
-
85 g beer pilsner works well
-
198 g water
-
1 cup diced extra sharp cheddar cheese
-
0.3333 cup(s) finely chopped jalapeño (including ribs and seeds)
-
3 tablespoons shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
-
1 tbsp sliced jalapeños
for toppings
Directions
Combine flour, yeast and salt. Pour vinegar, beer and water over the dry ingredients, then, using a fork, mix thoroughly until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for 18 - 24 hours. The dough should double in size.
Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle with a little extra flour. Using your hands, gently pat the dough into a rectangle.
Sprinkle with flour as needed if the dough is sticking. Distribute 1/2 of the diced cheddar and jalapeño over the surface of the dough. Gently fold the dough over itself like folding a letter. Turn 90 degrees, gently pat to a rectangle, distribute remaining cheddar and jalapeño, and fold again.
Shape the dough into a ball by pulling edges into middle. Place dough in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper, then lift and lower into a cast-iron dutch oven. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise for 2 hours.
Set an oven rack to the middle position. Uncover the dough, sprinkle the surface with a little flour, and using a sharp knife, make 2 slits across the top of the dough in an X shape about 1/2-inch deep.
Cover the pot with its lid, and place in the cold oven. Heat the oven to 210°C, and when this temperature has been reached, let cook for 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes have elapsed, carefully remove the lid, sprinkle the toppings evenly over the loaf and continue to bake until the loaf is a deep brown (about 30 minutes longer).
Using the parchment overhang, carefully remove the bread from pot, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely (about 2 hours).