So how do you store bread made with cheese baked inside?  Can you just leave it on the counter?  If so for how long?  Til it just gets moldy?  Or do you have to worry about the cheese going bad?  Or does that not matter since it has been cooked?  Haven't read about this anywhere that I can remember and I am one of those people who errors on the side of caution when food safety is concerned.

"Cheese Bread" is a rather drab description of this strongly flavored bread, so I decided to give it the name of the cheese I used.  

The overall formula (which includes a stiff levain) is:

Bread flour - 100%

Water - 60%

Olive oil -  5%

Salt -  1.5%

Yeast -  1% (or half that amount if you plan to retard the bread overnight)

Parmesan cheese -  20%

Half the cheese is cubed and half grated, then added to the dough after it has been mixed to moderate gluten development.

I was unable to retard the dough overnight because of lack of refrigerator space.  

The bread was wonderful lightly toasted and served with a breakfast egg.  It would be a terrific accompaniment with spaghetti, as well as broiled with a bit of garlic, olive oil, sliced tomatoes, and maybe a dash of fresh mozzarella.  

Am betting it will also make excellent croutons and bread crumbs.

This is a great recipe for a special occasion and the quality of the cheese you use will have a major effect on the result.  

Only one caveat:  it will make one very lousy PB&J!

Savory cheese bread

I have been wanting to make Hamelmans Cheese Bread again for a while. When I saw the post a few days ago from gothicgirl on Bacon Cheddar bread it got my juices moving and here we are.

I decided to stick with my usual Pain au Levain from "Bread" and modify it substantially to suit my tastes. One thing I really like about Hamelman is that he gives you bakers percents so you can size the batch any way you want. I decided to make 4 loaves in bread pans of roughly 1.5 Lbs each after baking. So, I made a 7 Lb batch and cut it into quarters. I can bake 4 loaves in pans all at one time so for me it is better to get them in and out with little chance of over proofing the second set.

I just returned home from delivering the other 3 loaves. They smell heavenly with the bacon and herbs/garlic infused in the oil. This is not a lean diet friendly mix. With the bacon, cheese and a little bacon fat and a subtle amount of ground rosemary and garlic it tastes as good as it smells.

I thought I would include some shots of the DLX Hook in action. I use the Hook almost exclusively for all my mixes. I find it easier to use, requires less attention and far easier to clean up. This is a 7 Lb batch of 60% hydration dough. The bacon and cheese were incorporated at the end after the gluten was moderately developed. Hamelman calls for half of the cheese to be shredded and remainder cubed. The oil went in with the dough ingredients. I did cut back on the salt due to the bacon and cheese. I scaled back to 1% from the recomendation of 1.5%. It's just right for me.

I pretty much followed the formula except for the additions noted above. Another first rate bread from Jeff Hamelman's Bread. The Pain au Levain is my go to daily bread. It's a good solid base for many experiments and I what to expect.

Eric

Dough with bacon just added

Cubed and shredded

Almost forgot to take this pix

There is 1 Lb of crispy bacon (pre cooked weight) in 4 loaves and 13 Oz of Cheddar.

Hi all -

I haven't posted lately though I still visit everyday to keep up on what's going on. I just had to share a recipe I made for a family get-together yesterday that was a huge hit. It is the King Arthur recipe for Gruyere Bread. It is essential a yeast bread where the starter is made the night before and the dough the next day. It couldn't have been easier and it is so tasty and is beautiful when it comes out of the oven. I have practiacally none left. Here's the link to the recipe:

 http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/landing.jsp?go=DefaultRecipe&recipe_id=1206466909400

 When my bread came out of the oven it looked almost exactly like the photo with the recipe - an unusual occurance for me =). Paired with a grilled steak and tossed salad - it was a very satisying meal. Homemade Mexican Vanilla Ice cream and warm chocolate expresso sauce on top - I'll be working this meal off my waistline for a week but it was worth it. The dough, by the way, is one of the best and easiest I've ever worked with. If you're looking for a change from the traditional garlic bread that is served with steaks - try this one - it's a keeper!

Hope everyone is having a great long week-end - we all deserve it!

 Trish