The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Onion-Curry-Cheese Bread from The Cheese Board Collective Works

GSnyde's picture
GSnyde

Onion-Curry-Cheese Bread from The Cheese Board Collective Works

At the risk of sneers from the lean dough purists, one of my fondest bread memories is of the Onion-Curry-Cheese Bread from The Cheese Board Collective in Berkeley.  When I was a gradual student in the late '70s, walking through what has since become known as "The Gourmet Ghetto" (Cheese Board, Chez Panisse, Pig-by-the-Tail charcuterie, Lenny's Butcher and a great fishmonger whose name escapes me, all within two blocks), I would know from a hundred yards away that this delectable savory bread had just come out of the oven.  And I would make a bee-line.  The warm loaf in the grease-spotted bag made a satisfying lunch for a hungry carbotarian.  

So when I came into possession of a glob of David's sourdough starter, and decided to try bread-baking, it didn't take me long to decide I had to find the recipe. It didn't hurt that my Cheese-loving East-Bay-native wife encouraged the quest.

So I searched the web for the recipe, and found that The Cheese Board has published a cookbook, which--by pure coincidence--my wife gave me for my birthday.  And, yes, the Onion-Curry-Cheese Bread is right there.  They say it's the first bread they ever made.

It's a yeast leavened bread with a very low hydration dough (to account for the moisture in the one full pound of cheese that goes into three smallish loaves). The whole process only takes about 4 hours from start to finish.

Here's a picture of the dough (fresh yellow onions, curry powder, salt, black pepper, bread flour, water, yeast and a mix of cheeses).

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And formed (sorta) into boules.

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And the finished product.

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Now, I admit, this is not a "nice looking" bread, but it's inspirational if you are a vulcanologist.  Its chaotic explosiveness makes the perfect contrast to Brot Backer immaculately formed and perfectly baked challah, posted this evening (http://www.thefreshloaf.com/blog/brot-backer).  But the smell of the curry, onions and cheese as it bakes, and the moist spicy bread with gooey bits of melted cheese and crispy bits of carbonized cheese makes one close one's eyes in ecstasy anyway.  Warning: we do not recommend toasting this bread in a toaster.

This is the first non-sourdough I've tried, and it successfully captured the remembered flavor and texture of happy days past.  One of the three loaves is pretty well gone already.

All I can say is "Cheeses loves us!"

Glenn

Comments

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Has to be Yummy, Glenn, though not visually entertaining. I Guess few more bakes will get you there.

Nice bake

 

SourdoLady's picture
SourdoLady

Your cheese bread looks really awesome! Thanks, also, for the new word--carbotarian--because I definitely am one!!

I love the humor in your posts. You always make me laugh. I'm glad you joined our group!

GSnyde's picture
GSnyde

As I've said before, until I have gathered some useful baking wisdom to share here, the least I can do is try to be entertaining.

I should add that this bread is not supposed to be visually attractive in a Platonic Ideal Bread sort of way.  The loaves I baked look very much like the ones The Cheese Board Collective has been making for decades, except theirs are a bit taller.

Glenn

LindyD's picture
LindyD

If they tasted good, that's what really counts.

However, I think yours would have been taller had you tried Bro David's boule shaping technique.

A tighter skin with a couple of well place cuts would have directed the rise upward.

Think of a fat lady with and without a girdle.  Or maybe not.

GSnyde's picture
GSnyde

Lindy--

Nice visual.

The problem is the lady's girdle was pierced with cubes of cheese.  No way to get a tight sheath.  I tried. And I'll try next time.  Smaller pieces of cheese would make it easier to get a tight sheath, but would reduce the volcanic explosions.

I'll trade oven spring for oven ooze with this recipe.

Glenn

shansen10's picture
shansen10

looks very visually inspirational to me; not every loaf has to be picture perfect!

Can't wait to try it!

Sue

wayne on FLUKE's picture
wayne on FLUKE

new term to me, but pretty funny, if you think about it.

 

wayne

GSnyde's picture
GSnyde

I spent four years in a one-year Masters program.  But living in Berkeley was an education in itself.

Glenn

shansen10's picture
shansen10

Do you mean to say that, if you put the fat lady in a girdle, she would sing?

Sue