By popular demand: cheese bread! This is seriously good stuff. If you love cheese, you will love this bread. You will be tempted to eat it in quantities far beyond the point of prudence.
The recipe was originally published in the May 2004 issue of
Cook's Illustrated and came to me via
Mary. She included the preceding text "because it's funny," and I have done the same. Commentary in square brackets is from me.
-Cheese bread-Run-of-the-mill cheese bread is at once dry and greasy, with fleeting cheese flavor. We were after something different: a rich, moist loaf topped with a bold, cheesy crust.
Goal: Unlike pizza, wherein bread dough is merely topped with cheese, a true cheese bread involves a more intimate relationship, going well beyond the quick blind date in which the two ingredients are merely thrown together and then heated. Good cheese bread displays a subtle balance of flavor and texture, with neither party getting the upper hand.
Problem: Most of the recipes tested offered the worst of both worlds: dry bread and no cheese flavor. The breads elicited comments from tasters such as "cardboardy," "tough," and "totally devoid of cheese flavor."
Solution: Use all-purpose flour with whole milk and sour cream for a clean, creamy flavor and rich, moist texture. Just 3 tablespoons of butter adds richness without greasiness, and using less fat makes the texture heartier and less cakelike. A single egg gives rise and structure without an overly eggy flavor. As for cheese, mix small chunks (rather than shreds) of Asiago or cheddar into the dough. Just 4 ounces adds plenty of flavor without weighing down the bread. For added cheesy flavor (and a crisp, browned crust), coat the pan and sprinkle the top of the loaf with shredded Parmesan.
If using Asiago, choose a mild supermarket cheese that yields to pressure when pressed. Aged Asiago that is as firm as Parmesan is too sharp and piquant for this bread. If, when testing the bread for doneness, the toothpick comes out with what looks like uncooked batter clinging to it, try again in a different--but still central--spot; if the toothpick hits a pocket of cheese, it may give a false reading. The texture of the bread improves as it cools, so resist the urge to slice the loaf while it is piping hot. [The temptation will be great.] Leftover cheese bread is excellent toasted; toast slices in a toaster oven or on a baking sheet in a 425-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes, not in a conventional toaster, where bits of cheese may melt, burn, and make a mess.
Ingredients3 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded on large holes of box grater (about 1 cup)
3 cups (15 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes [Mary recommends ¼-inch cubes "to better distribute the cheese," and I concur], or mild Asiago, crumbled into ¼- to ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1¼ cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten lightly
¾ cup sour cream
Preparation1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 5 by 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly in bottom of pan.
2. In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper to combine. Using rubber spatula, mix in cheddar or Asiago, breaking up clumps, until cheese is coated with flour. In medium bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, egg, and sour cream. Using rubber spatula, gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (batter will be heavy and thick). Do not overmix. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; spread to sides of pan and level surface with rubber spatula. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly over surface.
3. Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick or skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes; invert loaf from pan and continue to cool until warm, about 45 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.
[An 8-inch loaf pan will work, too, but the bread will require about 60 minutes to bake and will rise impressively over the rim of the pan. You should therefore place foil on the bottom of the oven to catch melted cheese, lest you set off your smoke alarm repeatedly due to scorched cheese and be required to open the window and set up a fan in your kitchen to blow the smoke out.]
Freezing Instructions:
To freeze the bread, wrap the cooled loaf tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil and place in the freezer; it will keep for up to three months. When you’re ready to serve the bread, place the frozen, wrapped loaf on the middle rack of a preheated 375-degree oven and heat for eight to 10 minutes, until the loaf yields under gentle pressure. Remove the foil and return the unwrapped bread to the oven for five minutes to crisp the exterior. Take the bread out of the oven and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes to make slicing easier. Enjoy.
Bonus Variation: Quick Cheese Bread with Bacon, Onion, and Gruyère[I've never tried this, but it sounds good, if sinful.]
1. Cut 5 slices bacon (about 5 ounces) into ½-inch pieces and fry in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate and pour off all but 3 tablespoons bacon fat from skillet. Add ½ medium onion, minced (about ½ cup), to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes; set skillet with onion aside.
2. Follow recipe for Quick Cheese Bread, substituting Gruyère for cheddar, adding bacon and onion to flour along with cheese, and omitting butter.
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