Cheddar Jalapeño Sourdough Bread Recipe
This Cheddar Jalapeño Sourdough bread combines the tangy flavor of traditional sourdough with the rich, creamy sharpness of cheddar cheese and a spicy kick from fresh jalapeños. The bread is naturally fermented, offering complex flavors and a chewy texture with a crisp crust, making it an excellent choice for sandwiches or as a flavorful accompaniment to any meal.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (excluding starter feed and overnight chill)
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes active + 14-18 hours including fermentation and chilling
- Yield: 12 servings (1 large loaf) 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Starter
- 100 g Sourdough Starter (active and bubbly)
- 100 g Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 100 g Water (room temperature)
Dough
- 1000 g Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 720 g Warm Water
- 20 g Salt (non-iodized)
- 200 g Cheddar Cheese (cubed, full-fat)
- 2 pcs Jalapeños (seeded and diced)
Instructions
- Feed your starter: Mix 100 g of flour with 100 g of water to feed your sourdough starter. Cover and let it ferment for 6-8 hours until it becomes bubbly and active.
- Mix the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 720 g of warm water with 100 g of the bubbly sourdough starter. Add 1000 g of flour and stir until no dry flour remains. Cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour to autolyse.
- Add salt: Sprinkle 20 g of salt over the dough. Gently fold to incorporate the salt evenly. Allow the dough to rest another 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold: Over the next 2 hours, perform four sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals to develop gluten structure and strengthen the dough.
- Incorporate mix-ins: Carefully fold the cubed cheddar cheese and diced jalapeños into the dough ensuring even distribution without deflating the dough too much.
- Bulk ferment: Cover the dough and let it rise until it increases in size by about 50% and becomes airy. This usually takes about 4-6 hours depending on room temperature.
- Shape and chill: Lightly flour a clean surface, turn the dough out, and shape it into a round loaf. Place it in a banneton or bowl and refrigerate overnight for 8-12 hours for a cold retard fermentation.
- Preheat and bake: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes to ensure it is evenly heated. Place the chilled dough into the hot Dutch oven, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Finish baking: Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and bake the bread uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes to develop a deep golden crispy crust.
- Cool: Transfer the baked bread to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 1 hour to set the crumb before slicing.
Notes
- Use full-fat cheddar cheese for the richest flavor and best melting texture.
- Adjust jalapeño quantity for milder or hotter spice levels.
- Be sure to use non-iodized salt to avoid hindering fermentation.
- Allow the dough sufficient time to rise and ferment for optimum sourdough flavor.
- Cooling the bread completely before slicing prevents a gummy texture.
- Use a Dutch oven or a heavy lidded pot to replicate a steam oven environment and achieve a crisp crust.
Keywords: sourdough bread, cheddar cheese bread, jalapeño bread, artisan bread, fermented bread, spicy bread, homemade bread
