What if I told you could make a PERFECT loaf of crusty on the outside and pillow-soft on the inside with NO kneading.  This Artisan Cheddar Bread is outstanding, and no matter how many loaves of bread I’ve made over the years, there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of having created the scent and flavors and textures of an ideal, homemade loaf of bread. When I pull that piping hot loaf out of the oven, I always think, *I DID THIS! Gosh, I’m amazing.* :o)

The dough you make up makes two loaves of bread, so you create one for dinner, refrigerate the remainder and make it later!  In my mixer bowl, I add the following ingredients:

3 c. warm water

1 1/2 T. yeast

1 1/2 T. sugar

1 1/2 T. salt

6 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. Cheddar cheese cut into small chunks

(If you want, you can also add in 1/2 c. of pickled, chopped jalapeños if you’d like to spice things up a bit!)

Mix all together just until the flour is incorporated and the dough is wet and sticky. No kneading needed! Cover the bowl with a clean dishtowel and let it sit on the counter for 2 hours.

To make one loaf, separate approximately half of the dough and put the remaining half in the fridge, covered in plastic wrap for up to a week.

Fold the dough in half and let it rest for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, put the dough onto a heavily floured lint-free dishtowel and fold the towel over the top and let it sit in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

An hour and a half in, preheat your oven to 450 degrees and put an empty cast iron dutch oven with lid into the oven to heat up for twenty minutes.  As carefully as possible, set your risen dough into the screaming hot Dutch oven (try not to worry too much about it’s shape — just be as gentle as possible).  Cover the pot with the lid and bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven to a wire rack and try really hard to let it cool for at least fifteen minutes before cutting into it.

Artisan Cheese Bread

 

Print

Prep time

2 hours

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

2 hours 30 mins

 

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, this Cheddar Artisan Bread may be the easiest most amazing bread you've ever had. No kneading needed!

Alison: That Which Nourishes

Recipe type: Bread

Cuisine: American

Serves: 2 loaves

Grocery List

• 3 c. warm water
• 1½ T. yeast
• 1½ T. sugar
• 1½ T. salt
• 6½ c. flour
• 1½ c. Cheddar cheese chunks
• (optional) ½ c.chopped jalapeños

Here's how...

1. To a mixer bowl, add water, yeast, sugar, salt, flour, and cheese chunks (this is where you'd add jalapeños if you'd like). Mix them all together just until the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky. Cover the mixing bowl and let it sit on the counter for 2 hours.
2. To make one loaf, take half of the dough and put the remaining half of the dough in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for up to a week.
3. Fold the dough in half and let it rest for 10 minutes.
4. Put the dough onto a heavily floured lint-free dishtowel and fold the towel over the top and let it sit in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
5. An hour and half in, preheat your oven to 450 degrees and put an empty cast iron dutch oven with lid into the oven to heat up for twenty minutes.
6. Carefully set the risen dough into the hot dutch oven. Put the lid on and bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the loaf from the dutch oven to a wire rack, and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

3.5.3236

Many, many thanks to But Mama, I’m Hungry for this fabulous recipe that my family has enjoyed for years!