Cheese Bread
Cheese bread is a delicious take on a traditional loaf of bread. Because it is filled with different kinds of cheeses, it has a lovely marbled cheesiness on the inside. It is a lovely side dish to all your meals!
In this blog post, you will learn how to make cheese bread.
What is Cheese Bread?
Cheese bread is a type of bread that is either baked with cheese incorporated into the dough or has cheese layered onto the top of the bread. The bread can vary depending on the type of cheese that is used in the dough. Cheese bread can be served as a side dish, snack, or even breakfast. Pair it with this Tomato Soup or Butternut Squash Soup.
What Cheese Should I Use?
The best cheese to use for cheese bread really depends on the flavour and texture that you want to achieve. However, certain cheeses melt better and have a stronger flavour than others.
Best Cheeses to Use
- Cheddar Cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Parmesan Cheese
- Gruyere Cheese
- Monterey Cheese
- Asiago
Combining Cheeses is the best way to balance flavour and textures. The cheeses that I prefer to combine are mature cheddar and mozzarella because they melt well. Secondly, the stronger cheddar flavour and milder flavour of mozzarella blend well together.
How to Make Buttermilk
Buttermilk can be purchased in a store; however, sometimes it can be forgotten and other times you would rather just make a good enough substitute at home!
To make buttermilk at home merely take 1 cup of milk (whichever percentage you prefer) and add 1 tbsp. of lemon juice to the milk. Whisk together and let stand until you notice that it is beginning to curdle. For this recipe below you need 1/2 c. of buttermilk so only mix in 1/2 tbsp. of lemon juice into the 1/2 c. of milk.
How to Make Cheese Bread
In a large bowl, add your buttermilk, yeast, and sugar. Let sit on the counter covered with a clean tea towel to let the yeast activate. Once activated, add the melted butter, egg, salt, garlic powder, and one cup of bread/strong flour and mix together. Add your second cup of flour and mix in, and once the second cup is in, add the third cup of flour and mix. (It can be hard to see a dough forming here because of all of the flour and it will not form a good ball if you are just mixing with a silicone or wooden spoon. I just pour the mixture onto my work table and begin kneading, and it will turn into a dough ball with some elbow grease.)
Pour the dough onto a floured work table and knead. When you are finished kneading, you should have a smooth ball of dough. Tuck the sides under the dough to form a ball and place into a medium bowl and coat the dough in a thin layer of olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic cling film and a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place. This is your first rise.
When the dough has risen, punch down to let out the air. Pour the dough onto your floured work table and roll the dough out into a rectangle. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese onto the dough surface leaving a 1/2″ space on the sides empty.
How to Twist the Dough
Place the cheese log on its seam on your work table. Take a sharp knife and cut the log down the middle forming two pieces of dough. Do your best to keep the cheese from spilling out.
Take your two pieces of dough and wrap them around each other like a rope. Pinch the end seams together and place in a greased loaf pan. Stuff any of the cheese that fell out back into the cheese dough. Cover with the tea towel and let sit for a second rise.
Once the second rise is completed, remove the tea towel and brush the butter wash onto the top of the cheese bread. Lastly, place the cheese dough into the oven and bake. Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the loaf pan.
Do I Have to Twist My Cheese Dough?
I would say yes. If you do not cut your cheese dough in half and twist it, then the dough is at risk for completely melting in the middle and not baking properly in the middle. You will be left with a crispy crust, but an uncooked soft, melted middle. By cutting the dough in half and twisting it together, it ensures an even bake and a nice cheese marbling in the centre of the bread.
Ingredients
Yeast: yeast is the leavening agent that causes the cheese dough to rise.
Buttermilk: buttermilk adds tanginess to the dough and keeps the dough moist. The buttermilk helps to tenderize the bread which makes it softer.
Sugar: sugar feeds the yeast which helps to activate it.
Butter: butter adds richness and flavour to the dough.
Egg: the egg adds structure to the dough.
Salt: salt enhances the bread and which keeps it from being bland.
Garlic Powder: garlic powder gives the bread a delicious garlicky taste.
Bread/Strong Flour: bread flour has a higher protein content which gives the bread more chewiness. Because of this, it lets the gluten develop well making the bread have a good rise.
Mozzarella Cheese: mozzarella cheese adds gooey pockets of cheese throughout the bread. It has a milder flavour than other cheeses.
Cheddar Cheese: cheddar cheese has a sharper cheesy flavour. This kind of cheese melts well then.
Parsley: parsley adds a fresh pop of colour and an herby flavour.
Tips
- Make sure to cut your cheese dough in half and twist it before the second rise. This will ensure even baking, and it will make the dough look more interesting once baked.
Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 7 g packet instant yeast
- 1/2 c. buttermilk
- 2 tbsp. sugar granulated
- 1/2 c. 100g butter, unsalted
- 1 egg medium
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 3 c. bread/strong flour
- 1 c. mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 c. mature cheddar cheese shredded
Butter Wash
- 1/4 c. butter unsalted and melted
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. parsley
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add your warmed buttermilk, sugar, and yeast and whisk together. Cover with a clean tea towel and let sit for yeast activation for about 5 minutes.
- Once the yeast has activated, add the softened butter, egg, salt, garlic powder, and 1 cup of the bread/strong flour. Mix together. Once it is mixed together, add another cup of flour and incorporate that into the dough. Lastly, add the last cup of flour. (It can be hard to see a dough forming here because of all of the flour and it will not form a good ball if you are just mixing with a silicone or wooden spoon. I just pour the mixture onto my work table and begin kneading, and it will turn into a dough ball with some elbow grease.)
- Pour the dough onto a floured work table and knead for 5 minutes. At the end of five minutes, you should have a smooth ball of dough. Tuck the sides under the dough to form a ball and place into a medium bowl and coat the dough in a thin layer of olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic cling film and a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
- When the dough has risen, punch down to let out the air. Pour the dough onto your floured work table and roll the dough out into a 12”x7” rectangle. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese onto the dough surface leaving a 1/2" on the sides empty.
- Roll your dough into a log and pinch the ends together to form seams to keep the cheese inside of the dough.
- Place the log on its seam on your work table. Take a sharp knife and cut the log down the middle forming two pieces of dough. Do your best to keep the cheese from spilling out.
- Take your two pieces of dough and wrap them around each other like a rope. Pinch the end seams together and place in a greased loaf pan. Stuff any of the cheese that fell out back into the cheese dough. Cover with the tea towel and let sit 30 minutes for a second rise.
- Once the 30 minutes rise is completed, preheat your oven to 350℉/180℃/Gas Mark 4.
- Melt the 1/4 c. of butter in the microwave and mix in the garlic powder and parsley. Brush the butter wash onto the top of cheese dough. Place the cheese dough in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the loaf pan.