Three Cheese Bread

Ingredients

500 grams bread flour

350 grams water, room temperature

2¼ teaspoons (one packet, 7 grams) instant yeast

10 grams salt

140 grams of 3 grated cheeses

Preparation

In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, water, yeast, and salt. Knead on low speed or by hand for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and sticky.

Add 100 grams of the cheese to the dough and continue to mix or knead on low speed until a smooth, tacky, but no longer sticky dough forms, 10-15 more minutes.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and allow to rise, covered with a damp towel, until doubled in size, about 1.5 to 2 hours.

On a lightly floured surface, gently punch down the dough into a general rectangular shape. Fold one side to the center, then the other side over that. From the short end, roll the dough up into a ball, then use your hands or a bench scraper to shape the ball into a tight round.Place the ball of dough, smooth side down, in a floured proofing basket or a colander lined with a lint-free tea towel (floured). Allow the dough to rise again until puffy and doubled, 1-1.5 hours.

While the dough is proofing, preheat a Classic Dutch Oven in the oven at 500°F (260℃) with the lid on.

When the dough is proofed and the oven is preheated, place a 9 inch Kana Parchment Paper Round over the dough and flip it out of the basket. Carefully lower the loaf into the hot Dutch oven. Sprinkle the remaining 40 grams of cheese over the top, then score the bread in an X shape to encourage more oven spring.

Bake with the lid on for 20 minutes, then remove the lid, drop the oven temperature to 425°F (220℃) and bake for another 15-20 minutes, uncovered, until the internal temperature of the loaf is above 200°F (95℃) and the outside is nicely browned. If you do not have a thermometer, you can check the bread by tapping on the bottom of the loaf--if it sounds hollow, it is fully baked. If it sounds dense, continue to bake for a few minutes.

While it’s best to cool bread completely before slicing, it’s hard to resist this one right out of the oven. Allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing for best results.