Cheesy Dutch Oven Bread

Cheesy Dutch Oven Bread (07/09/09)


I had seen a recipe for Dutch Oven Bread a while ago, and I finally decided to make it today. I had a big chunk of Muenster cheese leftover from another recipe, so I decided to create my own bread and see how it turned out. And here it is!

You will need:
1 cup water
1 tsp yeast
1 stick (8 TBSP) margarine
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
4 cups all purpose flour (bread flour works too)
1 cup shredded cheese (I used muenster)

1. Combine water (110 degrees) and yeast in mixing bowl until the yeast is dissolved.
2. Melt margarine and combine with yeast mixture.
3. Mix in garlic powder and salt until dissolved.
4. Scoop in 4 cups of flour and mix until fully moistened.
5. Add in cheese.
6. Mix bread until a windowpane can be achieved. (This is when you can pull off a small chunk of the dough you’re kneading and stretch it gently to see if it is somewhat translucent. If you can do this without it tearing, it’s ready.) I used my stand mixture and it took about 12 minutes on level 2.
7. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let it rise until double in size (1-4 hours).
8. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
9. Grease a dutch oven pan with olive oil and place dough in pan.
10. Cut an 'X' in the dough to allow it to bloom.
11. Bake for 30 minutes with the cover on, then another 15-30 with the cover off. I sprinkled more cheese on top of the bread during the last 5 minutes of baking. I placed a cookie sheet under the pan to prevent the bottom of the pan from burning. If the bottom of the bread is too dark when it's done baking, just slice it off.
Enjoy!!!

*After tasting this bread, I was quite pleased, considering I just threw stuff together with no idea how it would turn out. However, there are a few changes I would make. I think I would use a stronger flavored cheese, maybe a sharp cheddar instead. The muenster was good, but Mike and I both thought it lacked flavor. I think I would also increase the amount of garlic powder, probably to 4 tsp instead of 2. I wish the bread had risen more, but from previous uses of the yeast I have, I think my yeast is going bad, so that would explain the lack of rising. I will definitely be making this bread again!