Jalapeno Cheddar Loaf
I had originally tried to make this a pull-apart bread, a la monkey bread, but it turns out savory monkey breads are pretty hard to make, and it ended up just turning into a loaf. Nonetheless, this bread is perfect for things like grilled cheese, or even just as a side for dinner.
This recipe is a modified version of the Peasant Bread recipe, but this time it’s seasoned and savory and also kneaded. For a more classic white bread, go check out that recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 cups luke-warm water
- 1/3 cup honey
-
1 tablespoon “Slap Ya Momma” cajun seasoning
- the “Hot” blend works best
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
- A dash of onion powder
- A dash of ground white pepper
- 1 8oz block of sharp cheddar
- 5 large jalapenos
Special Equipment
- 2 bread pans
- A stand mixer would make the job easier, but is not required
Steps
- Dice three of the jalapenos, and set aside.
- Slice the remaining two jalapenos, and set aside.
- Grate the block of cheddar, preferably using a fine grater, and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, thyme, onion powder, white pepper, and cajun seasoning.
- Add the water, dijon mustard, and honey to the dry ingredients.
- Mix until just combined
- Add half of the diced jalapenos, and 1/3 of the shredded cheddar to the dough, and mix for another minute
- Add the other half of the diced jalapenos, and another 1/3 of the cheddar to the dough, and continue mixing until cheese and peppers are thoroughly incorporated
- Knead for five minutes
- In a greased bowl, let dough rest for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size
- After dough has rest, preheat oven to 425°F
- Grease your bread pans, and lightly coat with flour
- Cut dough into two equal-sized pieces, and place each piece in one of the loaf pans
- Top each loaf with the sliced jalapenos and remaining cheddar
- Leave dough to rest another 25 - 30 minutes
- Once finished resting, bake on the middle rack at 425°F for 15 minutes
- Reduce heat to 375°F and continue baking for another 18 minutes
- Remove from oven and place the pans on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes
- Remove loaves from pans, and allow to continue cooling on wire rack
Storing
- Store bread in a bread box, or a mostly-sealed bag to allow some airflow
- Good approximately 1 week