Description
Easy, no-knead Dutch Oven bread with cheddar cheese and everything bagel seasoning will have you enjoying delicious homemade bread anytime!
Ingredients
- 3½ cups (445 grams) bread flour
- 1¼ cups (156 grams) whole wheat flour
- 4 teaspoons (12 grams) kosher salt (use less salt if mixing in a salty cheese such as Asiago)
- 2¼ teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
- 1 cup (80 grams) shredded semi-hard cheese (see note below), such as sharp cheddar, or a hard cheese, such as Asiago, optional
- 3–4 tablespoons (45 grams) everything bagel seasoning plus more for sprinkling on top, optional
- 2 cups (480 grams) warm water (105°F / 41°C to 110°F / 43°C)
- Rice flour or semolina flour, for dusting
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together bread flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and yeast. Add cheese and everything bagel seasoning, if desired, stirring to combine evenly. Affix the paddle attachment to the stand mixer and begin beating the mixture at medium-low speed (2 on a Kitchenaid mixer) while streaming in 2 cups (480 grams) of warm water until a sticky dough forms, about 30 seconds. If you do not have a stand mixer, the dough can also be mixed by hand using a wooden spoon
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Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray or coat lightly with vegetable oil. Place dough in the bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a clean dishcloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75° / 24°C) until doubled in size, 1½ to 2 hours. After the dough has doubled in size, cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap (impermeable membrane) and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight (8-10 hours)
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Remove dough from the fridge and turn it out onto a heavily floured work surface. Using floured hands, lightly press dough into a 1-inch-thick oval. Grab bottom edge, and gently stretch and fold bottom third over to center. Stretch right side out, and fold right third over to center; repeat with left side. Finish by folding top third over previous folds. Roll loaf away from you, and using both hands, cup dough and pull it toward you to seal. Turn dough 90 degrees, and pull again, repeating the process until a tight, smooth ball (boule) forms. If needed, pinch seam on bottom together to seal. Place dough, seam side up, in a banneton (proofing basket) dusted with rice flour or a medium bowl lined with a kitchen towel that’s been heavily dusted with rice flour. Loosely cover dough with a clean dish towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F / 24°C) until puffed, 1 to 1½ hours
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When dough has 30 minutes left to rise, place empty Dutch oven with lid in cold oven then preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). A 6- to 7-quart round or oval Dutch oven is recommended
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Once dough has puffed up, dust a piece of parchment paper with rice or semolina flour, and turn out dough, seam side down, onto parchment. Brush top of the loaf lightly with bread flour (I like to use my hand to rub the flour over the top of the dough so it’s lightly coated). Using a spray bottle filled with water, spritz the top of the dough lightly then sprinkle the dough with everything bagel seasoning, if desired. Using a lame, razor, or very sharp kitchen knife, score the bread into desired pattern. Carefully remove hot Dutch oven from oven; remove lid, and place dough, on parchment, carefully into Dutch oven. Cover with lid, and place back in oven
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Immediately reduce oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the lid, and bake until top of loaf is dark brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of loaf registers 200°F (93°C), 25 to 30 minutes more. Immediately remove loaf from Dutch oven using parchment to lift the bread out, and let cool completely, at least 2 hours, on a wire rack before slicing or storing
Notes
- I recommend buying blocks of cheese rather than preshredded cheese, as preshredded cheese is often coated in potato starch and natamycin (an antimold agent). These compounds can affect the way the cheese melts and is distributed in your bread loaf, so when shopping, reach for the block or wedge rather than the bag
- Store completely cool loaf in a bread box, reusable wrap such as Beeswax, or a plain paper bag
- If you have sliced the loaf, place cut side down on a cutting board for 1-2 days to keep the bread from drying out. After 1-2 days, place in a bread box, beeswax wrap or paper bag
- I do not recommend storing in the fridge, as this will dry out the bread
- To freeze, slice the bread, place slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least an hour. Add frozen slices to a freezer-safe plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Frozen bread is best reheated in a toaster oven
- Category: Bread, No Knead Bread, Dutch Oven Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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