Cheese and Herb Bread

After I did the white bread I went a little nutty for homemade breads, I got this major sense of satisfaction from baking my own bread. Just getting it to rise, seeded this inane sense of purity. We should all bake bread from scratch, by hand, if for no other reason than it’s therapeutic significance – think of all the money we could save on not having therapist. All that kneading and pummelling of the dough, either pretending it’s someone’s head or metaphorically all the stress you have been feeling and then just beat the living day lights out of it. The longer you pummel the nicer your bread, so bonus’ all round, one you get to beat the object of your disdain for ages without getting arrested for GBH, ABH or whatever the new abbreviation maybe, and secondly you get deliciously satisfying bread at the end of it…… WINNER!!!!

 

Cheese and Herb Bread

4cups/500g unbleached white flour, plus extra for dusting

¾ cup/90g mature cheddar cheese

1/3 cup/30g grated fresh parmesan

2tsp dry mustard (powder)

2tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 ½ tsp salt

¼ oz/7g sachet quick rise active yeast

½ tsp golden caster sugar

1 ½ cups/350ml hand hot milk

Olive oil for greasing

Beaten egg for glazing

2tbsp grated cheddar cheese for sprinkling

 

 

1. Activate the yeast, place the yeast in a small bowl with a ½ tsp of sugar and a little hot water, mix well to combine all the yeast and sugar together and then leave to one side.
2. Place all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well to evenly combine all the ingredients, make a well in the middle and add the yeast mixture and the milk. Mix into a soft dough.
3. Pour a little olive oil onto kitchen paper and grease a large bowl and enough cling film to cover the dough, place the dough into the greased bowl and cover with the cling film. Place the dough in a warm spot to prove, it should rise to about double size, taking about an hour to an hour and half.
4. Once risen punch down on the dough and knead again for 2-3 minutes, shape into a round and place onto a lightly floured baking tray, cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for a second time, this should only take 20-30 minutes this time.
5. Glaze the dough with the beaten egg, cut a shallow cross on top and sprinkle with the grated cheese ensuring some gets into the grove of the cross. Bake in your oven for 10 minutes at 230˚C/450˚F then reduce the heat to 200˚C/400˚F, and bake until the loaf is well risen, about  20 minutes.
6. If you find the loaf is browning to quickly cover it in foil to help reduce browning. Leave to cool on a wire rack once done.