Cheddar & Cracked Pepper Bread
I don’t bake bread often, but this is one of my favorite bread recipes. I made it today and plan on serving it with this Toscana Soup that I have cooking on the stove as we speak. The two make a perfect combo if you ask me!
3 cups bread flour
1 package Rapid Rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Margarine or butter, softened
1. Mix 1 cup flour, the yeast (dry) and salt. Heat margarine, water and milk until very warm (125 to 130ºF). Add to flour mixture; beat on low speed until moistened, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in cheese, pepper and remaining flour until smooth. Scrape batter from side of bowl. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
2. Generously grease 2-quart casserole or loaf pan, 9 × 5 × 3 inches. Stir down batter by beating about 25 strokes. Spread evenly in casserole. Cover; let rise 30 to 45 minutes or until double.
3. Heat oven to 375º. Place loaf on low rack so that top of casserole is in center of oven. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until loaf is brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Immediately remove from casserole to wire rack. Brush top of loaf with margarine. Serve warm or cool; cut into wedges with serrated knife.
Makes 1 loaf
Very nice recipe Tom
Have a great weekend, Margot
I tried this recipe and must say that I really liked it! Very good indeed!
I am such a bread lover. This looks delicious. I've printed it out. Thanks
I have a question, which may sound stupid, but what is the difference between regular flour, bread flour and cake flour? I've seen different types in several recipes. Also, is there a way to substitute or make bread (or cake) flour from regular flour?
That is not a stupid question at all.
Hope this info helps…
All-purpose or plain flour
This flour is a blended wheat flour with an intermediate gluten level which is marketed as an acceptable compromise for most household baking needs.
Cake flour
This is a finely milled flour made from soft wheat. It has very low gluten content, making it suitable for soft-textured cakes and cookies. The higher gluten content of other flours would make the cakes tough.
Wheat varieties are called "clean", "white", or "brown" if they have high gluten content, and "soft" or "weak flour" if gluten content is low. Hard flour, or "bread" flour, is high in gluten, with a certain toughness that holds its shape well once baked. Soft flour is comparatively low in gluten and so results in a finer texture. Soft flour is usually divided into cake flour, which is the lowest in gluten, and pastry flour, which has slightly more gluten than cake flour.
Yes, this is indeed some good info and has helped answer quite a few of my questions! I even now know why my cakes don't turn out the greatest; you can bet the next time I bake a cake I will be using cake flour, for sure!
I made this recipe yesterday and the bread would not rise. I thought it was because my yeast was old. I bought new yeast and made it again today and it still didn't rise. I'm going ahead and bake it, but I'm very disappointed with the loaf size.
My bread flour is new so I know it's not the flour. Any clues?
Barb
This sounds delicious. Would you recommend mild cheddar, sharp cheddar cheese, extra sharp cheddar cheese, or something else? I really like the sharp stuff but I'm wondering what you'd think of suing really sharp cheddar for this recipe. Thanks!
Oh i love this, thank you!!
Oh, and lovin the Toscana Soup, i am a soup fanatic, lol