Contributed by Rachel & Brendan (From Peter Reinhart’s “Artisan Breads Every Day”)

Makes 2 large loaves. You can use any kind of beer in this recipe as both light & dark brews add subtle flavor that will complement the cheese.

Ingredients:

• 6 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour
• 2 tsp salt or 1 Tbsp coarse kosher salt
• 5 Tbsp granulated or brown sugar or 3 1/2 Tbsp honey or agave nectar
• 1 cup lukewarm water or beer
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp lukewarm buttermilk or any other milk
• 1 1/2 Tbsp instant yeast
• 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cups diced onion (about 1 medium onion) or 1 small bunch of fresh chives (1 oz/28.5 g), minced (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups grated, shredded, or cubed cheese

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt & sugar together (if using honey or agave nectar, dissolve it in the lukewarm water instead). Separately, combine the water & buttermilk, whisk in the yeast until dissolved, then pour the mixture & the melted butter into the dry ingredients. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment & mix on the lowest speed for 2 minutes. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon & stir for about 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Switch to the dough hook & mix on medium-low speed, or continue mixing by hand, for 3 minutes, adjusting with flour or liquid as needed. The dough should be soft, supple & tacky but not sticky. Add the onions & mix on the lowest speed or continue mixing by hand for 1 minute, until the onions are evenly distributed.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface & knead for 1 or 2 minutes to make any final adjustments, then form the dough into a ball.

Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, immediately refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days (flavor will develop with time). If you plan to bake the bread the same day you mix the dough, don’t refrigerate the final dough; just let it rest at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, until it doubles in size.

On baking day, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you plan to bake. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface & divide it into 2 equal pieces, each weighing about 2 pounds. Dust each piece with flour, then use a rolling pin to roll them into rectangles about 8 inches wide & 12 inches long.    

Spread half the cheese over the surface of one rectangle & roll the dough up like a rug, from the bottom to the top, to form a log. If any cheese falls out, tuck it back in or save it for the second loaf. Seal the seam with your fingertips. Proof in a greased 4 ½ x 8-inch loaf pan (or a 5 x 9 inch pan if using onions which increase the volume of the dough). Mist the dough with spray oil & cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for ~90 minutes, until increased to about 1 1/2 times the original size. The dough should dome about 1 inch above the rim of the loaf pans.

About 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350º, Because of the cheese, there may be air pockets or tunnels in the risen dough that could cause it to separate in the spirals (cubed cheese creates fewer air pockets with than grated or shredded cheese). To minimize this, poke through the top crust in a few spots with a skewer or toothpick. The dough may fall a bit, but it will recover in the oven.

Bake loaves for 20 minutes, then rotate the pans. The total baking time is about 50 minutes. The bread is done when it’s a deep golden brown & the internal temperature is above 185º in the center.

Remove from the pans, cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing & serving.

Riely note: We enjoy the bread with medium cheddar or pepper-jack cheeses & prefer the cubed rather than the shredded cheese. We typically use Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Lagunitas IPA in the recipe but use whatever kind of beer you prefer. I also prefer chives to onions but use whatever floats your boat. Most of the recipes in this cookbook seem to overestimate the cooking time so keep an eye on your loaf.