Cheddar Sourdough

by Chris Holister

This is our head baker Chris’s recipe for a deliciously cheesy sourdough. For this dough, Chris uses our organic No. 4 white flour and our organic Traditional Stoneground wholemeal flour, which creates a lovely dough with extra flavour from the wholemeal. Use whatever kind of cheddar you fancy, I like an organic, strong mature cheese to pack some punch. For an alternative, you could also add a pinch (or your desired amount) of dried chilli flakes in with the cheddar for some spice.

This bread is best eaten fresh due to the addition of the cheese, and goes well with lots of toppings, including homemade chutney, pickles, a drizzle of olive oil, and in my case extra cheese…

Makes 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS

  • 450g strong white flour
  • 50g strong wholemeal flour
  • 350g water (around 40°C)
  • 100g sourdough starter
  • 10g salt
  • 125g grated mature organic cheddar

METHOD

Place the flours, water and sourdough starter in a mixing bowl.

Combine until the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, cover, and leave for 30 minutes to autolyse.

Next, add the salt and a tablespoon of water. Work this well into the dough, cover, and leave for 3-4 hours in total. Fold the dough once every hour. After the first hour, add in the grated cheese and work it through evenly. Leaving the dough for an hour before adding it allows the gluten to start developing first.

Once ready, the dough should feel pillowy and have increased in volume by a third.

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a round (or your shape of preference).

Place into a floured prooving basket and leave it for one hour at room temperature. Then place the dough in the fridge overnight.

Preheat your oven to 250°C, and put your casserole pot / Dutch oven in to heat up in advance.

Flip the loaf out of the basket on to some baking parchment and slash.

Lift the loaf on the parchment paper into your hot casserole pot and place in the oven with the lid on for 30 minutes.

Carefully remove the lid and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes until you get the desired colour on the crust.

Remove the loaf and leave on a wire rack to cool for at least an hour.

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