How To Add Inclusions Evenly To Your Sourdough Bread (Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread Recipe)

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 100 g of active sourdough starter to a bowl.

Pour in 325 g of water and mix together.

Add 500 g of flour and 10 g of salt, mixing until no pockets of flour remain.

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Perform four stretch and folds on the dough without adding inclusions.

Flip the dough over and perform a few slap and folds.

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

Grate 100 g of sharp cheddar cheese and cut up 2.5 jalapenos into small pieces.

Add a little bit of cheese and jalapeno to the dough, stretch it, and flip it over, covering the inclusions.

Repeat this process four times, adding less than half of the inclusions.

Roll the dough into a ball to keep inclusions inside and let it rest for another 30 minutes.

For the third set of stretch and folds, add the remaining inclusions and fold the dough over four times.

Make the dough into a ball again, ensuring inclusions are inside.

Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.

Perform coil folds on the dough gently to keep inclusions inside.

Let the dough bulk ferment until it is jiggly and has not pulled away from the bowl.

Prepare a baneton by placing plastic wrap and a liner to prevent odors and staining.

Shape the dough on a mat, adding flour to hands if the dough is sticky.

Fold the dough like an envelope and shape it into a ball gently.

Place the dough in the baneton and stitch it slightly.

Refrigerate the dough overnight.

Preheat the oven to 450°F in the morning.

Prepare two loaf pans with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and place it into the prepared pan, adjusting with parchment paper.

Score the dough and place it in the oven with another pan on top as a lid.

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on and then 10 minutes with the lid off, checking for an internal temperature of 205 to 210°F.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and rotate the pan for even baking.

Once baked, remove the loaf from the pan and check the distribution of inclusions.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens