Ingredients
- 3 cups lukewarm water
- 6.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1.5 tablespoons instant active dry yeast
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, diced to 1/2 inch or smaller
- cup apple, diced to 1/2 inch or smaller
Instructions
Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (at least 6 quarts) or the bowl of a stand mixer, and stir to combine yeast, flour, and salt. Add water and if using a stand mixer, beat at medium for 2 minutes. By hand, stir to incorporate all ingredients well. It will be sticky!
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 2 hours at room temperature, then put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours and up to one week, though experience tells me that is pushing it. The longer it sits, the more sourdough-like it will taste. That’s the yeast and flour getting happy.
When you want to make the bread, dust some flour on top so your fingers are less likely to stick. You can also very lightly oil your hands. Place the dough on a cutting board dusted with flour and cut it in half. Shape the half into rough balls. They will want to spread, that is normal.
Put the loaf in a lightly oiled bowl or well-dusted brotform basket and cover with a towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours. The cooler the room, the longer the rise. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. If you’re using a baking stone, place a pie tin or shallow pan (not glass!) on the lowest rack available. Dutch oven or baking stone, make sure they are in the oven as well. You want all these items to heat in the oven.
If you’re using a baking stone, slash the top in a couple of places. Slide the dough into the oven onto the baking stone and carefully put one cup of hot water into the pan on the rack beneath. It’s going to hiss like an irritated cat; close the oven door quickly.
If using a Dutch oven, take it out of the oven and remove the lid. Plop the dough in and close the lid quickly to trap the steam it may release. Put it back in the oven.
Bake the bread for 25 to 35 minutes, about 10 minutes longer on a stone. It will be a nice, light golden brown. In a Dutch oven, remove the lid and bake for another 10 - 12 minutes to set the crust. You want an internal temperature of about 200-205, a few degrees more is okay, a few degrees less and the bread may be underbaked and doughy.
Take the bread from the oven and let it rest on a rack until cooled. If using a Dutch oven, dump the bread onto a cutting board and flip it onto the rack to cool. Listen for that nice crackly sound as the bread cools. Ahhhh, that sweet sound!
