Cheesy Rustic Boule

I am a huge fan of King Arthur's Baking recipe collection.  This rustic bread is a winner in the easy category. Easy, but long, depending on when you start. 

The starter takes six to eight hours to ferment. Having made this twice, my choice is to mix the starter at night and leave it overnight. You are greeted with the yeasty aroma in the morning. Flour, grated Monterey jack cheese and everything bagel seasoning is mixed in. Everything bagel seasoning is a heady mix of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic and onion powder and salt. Mine comes from Trader Joe's, but it easy to make. If you cannot find it then a quarter teaspoon of each of the above, mixed in a bowl and you can toss it in.  The loaf proofs for an hour and then is covered and baked till golden brown. 

There is nothing in the world that compares to the allure of just baked bread. And I am not immune to that enticement. Sliced and buttered, this loaf is carb heaven!

CHEESY RUSTIC BOULE

Adapted from King Arthur's Baking

Makes 1 boule

Starter

2 cups all purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Yeast

1 1/2 cups cold Water

Dough

2 teaspoons Table Salt

2 3/4 cups all purpose Flour

1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack Cheese

1 tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning

Olive Oil

Mix all the sponge ingredients in a mixer bowl. Cover and leave overnight. The starter should ferment well after 6 hours. It should look like the picture below.

When you are ready to start the dough, place the bowl on your mixer stand. Use a dough hook. 

Add flour, salt, cheese and seasoning to the starter. Mix for 2 minutes.  It will be a shaggy dough. You can also do this by hand.

Scrape the dough away from the edges of the bowl. 

Drizzle a little olive oil around the edges of the bowl. 

Turn the dough so it is coated with oil.

Cover and place in a warm spot for 1 hour. It should double in size.

Heat oven to 425F/220C.

Cut a large square of parchment paper.

Use a bench scraper to gently scrape the dough onto the paper.

Transfer the dough to a deep cast iron Dutch oven. 

Sprinkle a little water on the dough. 

Cover the Dutch oven and place in the oven. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes till the top is crusty and golden brown. 

Take it out of the oven.

Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing. 

Slather butter on a slice and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Two attempts and both of them well appreciated. What more do I want!

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