The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

ABED Soft Cheese Bread

BLHNYC's picture
BLHNYC

ABED Soft Cheese Bread

Hi Everyone-

I enjoyed reading the posts (and looking at the photos!) of ABED's Soft Cheese Bread. I am planning on making it this weekend and have a few questions for those of you have baked it:

What type of beer do you recommend using?

Did anyone use chives instead of onions? The other posts mention that the onions are overpowering but I think I would like to add something and not leave it plain.

Reinhart suggests not grating the cheese because it gets absorbed into the bread but from the photos posted it looks like some of you did that. Did it come out fine? Would you have rather cubed it?

 

I would appreciate any of your thoughts about it. I have made the crusty cheese bread and it was delicious. I am looking forward to bringing this to a party where chili is being served.

TIA-

Beth

dosidough's picture
dosidough

I made this 2 weekends ago for a football game potuck where there was also chili involved. Great combo everyone loves it so you'll get raves!

I used a Lite beer which is all I had on hand but I think something more assertive would have been much better, I'm thinking Heinekin, Beck's, St Pauli Girl; dark beer would be interesting too, but I mostly wanted the cheese (used extra sharp cheddar) and had no time for extra shopping.

I used chives because I loved the way it looked in the book. I've made this quite a few times and always use chives. They give a nice delicate onion flavor that supports the cheese but doesn't overwhelm. And they add that lovely extra visual interest. I use dehydrated onions in PR's Wild Rice and Onion loaf (have you tried that one?....fabulous bread!).

Have a great time at the chili party, and .... Bake on!
Dosi

BLHNYC's picture
BLHNYC

Thank you so much. This was really helpful. I will use a darker beer- but not too dark. I am glad you mentioned using extra sharp cheddar. I think that was what I used for the crusty cheese bread but couldn't remember. I used chives in that too and it was great.

Thanks!

noonesperfect's picture
noonesperfect

I make this bread every week or two - I use an imported beer (Orangeboom) that has a nice mild flavor, but I use Yancey's Fancy Buffalo Wing Cheddar as the main cheese (really inexpensive at Costco).  I use 1/3 of that, with 1/3 gouda or something similar and 1/3 Asiago or Manchego.  I grate 1/2 of each cheese and chunk half of each because I like the texture the grated cheese provides, but I also like the big bite of cheese the chunks provide.  I also use chives, and sometimes I add bacon.  I've been known to add jalapenos too.

As long as you're going to be killing your diet anyway, you may as well go all out.

 

brad

BLHNYC's picture
BLHNYC

Thanks Brad!

Your variations sound great! All of them sound like they would be perfect with chili. I love the idea of mixing grated and cubed cheese. I'll probably try that.

Do you bake free form loaves? Have you tried the Kranz method that someone else posted photos of?

Beth

noonesperfect's picture
noonesperfect

I use the Kranz method in a pan for this particular loaf - I like the texture, the distribution of the cheese, and the crumb best that way.  I have made free form loaves as well, but make sure you put down some parchment to catch the bubbling cheese - it is a pain to clean up otherwise.

 

brad

Janknitz's picture
Janknitz

What days do you bake this and what time do they come out of the oven????  I'm coming over ;o)