Jalapeño-Cheddar Sourdough Bread | Start to Finish

sharp cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheddar cheese

💰Cheaper: monterey jack cheese

Monterey jack is milder and often less expensive than sharp cheddar.

jalapeños

🥗Healthier: banana peppers

💰Cheaper: canned jalapeños

Canned jalapeños are usually more affordable and still provide heat.

Add 300 g of water to a mixing bowl.

Add 10 g of kosher salt to the bowl.

Add 100 g of sourdough starter that was fed the night before.

Stir all ingredients together until the salt and starter dissolve in the water, resulting in a milky appearance.

Add 50 g of whole wheat flour to the mixing bowl.

Add 400 g of plain white bread flour to the bowl.

Mix all ingredients together until a shaggy dough forms, ensuring to eliminate dry bits of flour.

Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Perform the first set of stretch and folds by grabbing an edge of the dough, pulling it up, and folding it over the top. Repeat this for each edge of the dough 10 to 12 times.

Cover the dough again and let it rest for another 30 minutes.

Prepare the jalapeno cheddar mixture by dicing 1 fresh jalapeno and removing the seeds.

Divide the 8 oz block of cheddar cheese in half; finely dice one half and cut the other half into larger cubes.

Mix the diced jalapeno and cheddar cheese together.

After the second rest, uncover the dough and place half of the jalapeno cheddar mixture on top of the dough.

Press the jalapeno cheddar mixture into the dough to help it stick.

Perform a gentle stretch and fold, incorporating the jalapeno cheddar mixture into the dough. Repeat this process with a quarter turn each time until all mixture is incorporated.

Cover the dough and let it rest for another 30 minutes.

For the last set of stretch and folds, press the dough down and add the remaining jalapeno cheddar mixture on top.

Dimple the mixture into the dough with your fingertips and perform another set of stretch and folds, ensuring even distribution of the mixture.

Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours until it doubles in size.

After about 6.5 hours, when the dough has doubled, place it onto the counter for pre-shaping.

Pre-shape the dough into a round ball by cupping and pulling it to tighten the skin on top.

Let the dough rest uncovered for another 30 minutes.

Prepare a banneton by sprinkling it with rice flour or coarse whole wheat flour.

Flip the dough over so the floured side is down and the sticky side is up.

Press down on the dough with your fingertips to stretch it into a square shape.

Fold the left third of the dough over the middle third, then the right third over the middle third.

Roll the dough into a cylinder shape, tucking the ends in as you go.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens