Rosemary Cheddar Bread

This simple yeast-based bread is easy for even the most novice of bakers to make, and wonderfully flavourful. Easiest to make if you have a stand-mixer, but doable by hand as well.

Course Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine British, Canadian, European, Miscellaneous

Keyword cheddar cheese bread, cheesy bread, easy bread recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 1 30

Total Time 2 15

Servings slices

Calories 127kcal

Ingredients

450 g all purpose flour or bread flour (see note)
150 g whole wheat flour
450 ml water at room temperature
2 tsp instant yeast (see note for alternatives)
9 g salt
75 g cheddar cheese plus a little more for the top
1 tsp fresh rosemary minced
olive oil

Instructions

Combine the dry ingredients, cheese, and rosemary in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. (See note below for hand-kneading instructions).
Turn your mixer on to a relatively low setting and add the water a little bit at a time. Once all the water has been added, increase the speed of the mixer slightly. Allow the mixer to knead the dough until nearly all of the dry flour has been incorporated and the dough forms solid ball.
If after about 2 minutes your dough is still a little shaggy or some of the flour won't incorporate, add 1 tsp of water. Repeat as necessary.
Coat the sides of a large bowl with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, then cover and set aside. Allow the bread to proof until doubled (approximately 1 hour, though this may vary depending on temperature, etc.).
Transfer the dough to a silicone baking sheet (my preference) or lightly floured baking sheet.
Imagining your dough as a square, stretch each of the four sides up and into the center of the dough one at a time to form a tight ball. Pinch the newly formed central seam together, then flip the dough over so the seam side is down.
Shape the ball of dough into your desired shape. I usually do a long oval, but you can do a round boule, etc,
Proof the dough for an additional 20-30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C), with a rack in the lower third. If you have a pizza/bread stone, I recommend using it.
Using a razor or very sharp knife, score the surface of the bread. Sprinkle the extra cheddar cheese over the loaf.
Transfer the dough to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the outside is a golden brown. Cool finished loaf on a rack for ~1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Flour Note - I use white and whole wheat all-purpose flours. You can use bread flours, or add ~ 1-2 tsp of vital wheat gluten to all purposes flours if you're concerned your flour is too soft (i.e. low in protein).

Yeast Note - I generally use instant yeast, but active dry works just as well. You will need to proof active dry yeast in warm water before using it, so take this into account.

Rosemary - You can omit the rosemary if you like. You can also substitute 1/2 the quantity of dried rosemary, but I recommend grinding or very finely chopping it, as it can be quite hard and unpleasant in soft bread.

Cheese Variations - I use a strong/old cheddar, but you can use other relatively dry and sharp cheeses as well. Consider gouda, Emmental, Italian hard cheeses, etc.

Hand-Kneading - If you don't have a stand mixer, you can hand-knead this bread. It can be a little sticky, so I recommend oiling your hands with a bit of olive oil before kneading.

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