THE AROMA WHEN THIS BREAD is baking is tantalizing, with a combination of yeast and cheese filling the kitchen. It’s reminiscent of Welsh rarebit and cheese fondue. This turned out to be one of the most versatile recipes in this book. At the end of the recipe I’ve given many variations that include some of my favorite combinations with Cheddar, as well as other cheese choices that I’ve found successful the many times I’ve made this bread.
MAKES 2 LOAVES
2 tablespoons/30 g ground chia seeds
2¼ teaspoons/7 g active dry yeast
1 tablespoon/13 g granulated sugar
1¾ cups/425 ml whole milk, heated to 110° to 115°F/43° to 46°C, divided
1½ cups/237 g brown rice flour
½ cup/60 g millet flour
½ cup/62.5 g tapioca flour
½ cup/64 g cornstarch
¼ cup/17 g nonfat dried milk powder
1 teaspoon/2 g unflavored gelatin or agar powder
1½ teaspoons/13.5 g xanthan gum
½ teaspoon/3 g fine salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (½ stick)/56 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
6 ounces/170 g sharp Cheddar cheese, grated, divided
Spray the inside of two 8½ × 4½-inch/21.25 × 9.25 cm loaf pans with vegetable oil spray.
Combine the chia seeds, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup/237 ml of the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix well. Set aside for about 10 minutes while the yeast proofs. Combine the rice flour, millet flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, milk powder, gelatin, xanthan gum, and salt in a deep mixing bowl and whisk well.
When the yeast looks frothy add the remaining ¾ cup/188 ml of warm milk and the eggs and melted butter and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and beat at medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it has the consistency of a thick but still pourable cake batter. Stir in 1½ cups/125 g of the cheese.
Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula dipped in water, and cover the pan with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Allow the bread to rise in a warm place for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it reaches ½ inch/1.25 cm from the top of the pan. Sprinkle the top of the bread with the remaining cheese.
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C toward the end of the rising time.
Covering the loaf loosely with aluminum foil after 30 minutes, bake the bread for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown, sounds hollow and thumps when tapped on the bottom, and has reached an internal temperature of 195°F/91°C on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes. Remove it from the loaf pan by running a spatula around the rim and invert it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
NOTE:
The bread is best the day it is baked, but it can be stored refrigerated, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.
• Add ½ cup/56 g to ¾ cup/84 g of crumbled cooked bacon to the dough and substitute bacon grease for the butter.
• Add 2 tablespoons/1 g of chopped fresh dill to the dough.
• Add ½ cup/42 g of finely chopped pimiento to the dough.
• Add ½ cup/27 g of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and 1 teaspoon/2 g of Italian seasoning to the dough.
• Substitute 3 ounces/85 g of Gruyère cheese for 3 ounces/85 g of the Cheddar.
• Substitute Gruyère cheese for the Cheddar, and add ½ cup/43 g of caramelized onions to the dough. Spread additional onions on top of the bread, along with the remaining cheese, before baking.
Vegetable oil spray is a wonderful way to keep foods such as cheese from becoming permanently bonded to your pans, but it also has a tendency to coat the counters, too. Open your dishwasher and place the pan to be coated on the open door before you spray it. That keeps the counters clean, and any excess spray washes away the next time you use the dishwasher.