Sourdough Cheese bread

This recipe has not yet been perfected. The goal is to make a flavor-filled cheesy sourdough bread with a crispy exterior.

Requirements

• Active sourdough starter (takes about a week to make)
• hot pad for raising dough
• enameled cast iron dutch oven (sides greased and bottom lined with a silicon mat)

Prep

• 24 hours prior to baking: Remove sourdough start from fridge and let it warm up and activate (4-5 hours)
• Feed the starter and let it activate again
• Take 4 tbsp of butter out to let it warm up to room temp

Ingredients

• 100g active sourdough starter
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 cup milk or almond milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Note: I added an extra 1.25 cups of flour

Directions

• Add sourdough starter, milk, egg, sugar, salt, and garlic powder to your stand mixer bowl
• Turn mixer on low, allow ingredients to mix, and then start adding the flour one cup at a time
• Adjust mixer speed to medium, then add the softened butter 1 tbsp at a time
• Mix for about 10 min. the dough should not stick to the sides of the mixer bowl. It should pass the windowpane test (Grab a small ball of the dough and stretch into a square. It should stretch thin enough to see through without breaking)

First Rise 8-12 Hours

• Place dough in a greased bowl and cover. Place bowl on the heating pad (set to about 100f) and allow it to rise 8-12 hours
• On a clean work surface(lightly dusted with flour if necessary), roll the dough out into a rectangle shape
• Sprinkle the cheese over the dough and then roll very tightly so the cheese doesn't fall out
• With a sharp kinfe, cut the dough in half lengthwise, leaving about 1.5 inches uncut and one end
• Twist the roll of dough 180 degrees and pinch the ends together to seal in the cheese
• Place dough into your prepared dutch oven

Second Rise 2-4 Hours

• Make sure to put the lid on the dutch oven and place it on the heating pad. Allow to rise for 2-4 hours until doubled
• Preheat oven to 350
• Optional brush with egg yoke
• Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on and then another 25 min with the lid off
• Allow to cool, slice and serve