Cheese & Black Pepper Loaf

Nov 18

Ahh yes, the coveted cheesy loaf. I’d say this is one of my signature bakes! You can use a wide range of flours for this one - the ingredient list below is just my preference. The flavors that come together are truly unbeatable.

For this bake, you’ll want to have some good quality sharp cheddar and black peppercorns on hand. I am a devoted Cabot Cheese gal, so that’s what you’ll find me using. I love their 2 or 3 year aged cheddars. In terms of peppercorns, if you have whole peppercorns that you can grind, great! If not, the pre-ground stuff will work just fine. My favorite whole peppercorns are from Mad Spice Co.

Bread Ingredients

280g bread flour (70%)
80g whole wheat (20%)
40g spelt flour (10%)
308g water (77%)
80g ripe starter (20%)
16g salt (4%)

Fillings:

At least 1 cup shredded or tiny cubes of cheddar
1 tbsp black pepper (or more if you’d like)

Instructions

Note: these instructions are pared down to assume a basic knowledge of the sourdough process. If you’re new to sourdough, follow my master recipe first!

Mix the starter into the water and thoroughly mix with a whisk. Pour the it into the flours and mix until you see no dry bits of flour. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, sprinkle the salt on top and pinch it into the dough with lightly wet hands. Pull the dough around to create a smooth ball. Let rest for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes perform one round of pull/folds. Cover and let rest for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, it’s time to laminate the dough and add the fillings. Lightly wet a work surface and your hands. Turn the dough out and gently stretch it taut across the surface, taking care not to tear the dough. Once you have a large-ish rectangle shape, sprinkle the cheese and pepper evenly across the surface. Fold 1/3 of the dough up and onto itself as if you’re folding a letter into 3. Do the same thing on the other side. Then, roll the dough up and place it back into the bowl. Cover and let rest 45 minutes.
Perform coil folds after 45 minutes. Take note of how the dough feels. The rest of the bulk fermentation will depend on the temperature in your kitchen. You may need to do anywhere between 2 and 5 coil folds, each separated by 45 minutes. If the dough feels strong, no need to go crazy with the folds - simply let it sit and ferment until it has increased in volume by about 20-30%.

Instructions continue below.

Above, a baked cheesy loaf. Below, laminating cheese into the dough and rolling the dough up after lamination.

7. Prepare a resting basket or banneton with a well-floured linen (ideally rice flour). Turn out the dough and pre-shape. Let it sit for just a minute and then add some surface tension before flipping it over and placing it seam side UP into the banneton. Cover, & place it into the fridge for the night.

8. In the morning pre-heat the oven to 475F with a heavy dutch oven pot inside. Turn the dough out onto parchment, score, and bake inside the dutch oven for 30 minutes with the lid on, 10-15 minutes with the lid off.

9. Remove the dough from the oven, let the bread cool on a rack for at least an hour if you can. Then slice into it and enjoy!

Sourdough can be sliced and placed into a sealed container at room temperature for a day or two. If you still have some left after that, move the container into the fridge. Take a piece out and toast it when you want some! You can also freeze the sliced sourdough.

I’d love to see your creations! Tag @nokneadtoworry on Instagram.