Robert’s Cheese Bread

This uses a sour dough sponge for an extra twang

• 3/4 C sourdough sponge
• 1 C bread flour
• 2 TBL potato flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 TBL yeast
• 1/2 C buttermilk
• 1 TBL sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 TBL softened butter

1. Mix all ingredients in a Kitchen Aid
2. Scrape down sides trying to get the contents to ball together
3. Add bits of water and flour as necessary to promote formation of a ball
4. After ball forms, mix 5-7 more minutes
5. Put in covered glass bowl to rise 60 minutes
6. Turn out onto floured surface
7. Press flat, then fold together 4-5-6-7-8 times, adding grated cheddar at each fold.  Repeat until it starts to be springy
8. You can substitute on Step 7 with onion, black olive, etc.
9. Form into two loaves and put into a greased bread pan
10. Spray top with oil, then cover and let rise 120 minutes
11. Put into preheated oven to 425º
12. Close door and immediately turn down to 350º
13. Bake 20 minutes – If you have an internal temperature probe, cook until internal temp should be at least 190º but not over 205º
14. Let cool 30 minutes before slicing or wrapping

Here is another good recipe

1. In a mixing bowl, combine
   • 3 C potato starch
   • 2 tsp salt
   • 1/2 tsp baking powder
2. In a sauce pan, combine and heat
   • 2/3 C milk
   • 1/2 C canola oil
   • 2 TBL butter
3. Pour hot liquid into the mixing bowl and mix 2-3 minutes
4. Add 1 large egg, and stir to incorporate
5. Add another egg, and stir to completely incorporate
6. While still mixing, add 1 C Parmesan cheese
7. Continue mixing and add 1 C Romano cheese
8. Once mixture is completely mixed, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours
9. After mixture has cooled, remove from fridge and cut into 8 pieces
10. Preheat oven to 450º
11. Place a baking dish of water in the bottom of your oven
12. Dampen hands and roll the pieces into balls
13. Flatten just slightly and brush top with egg wash
    (1 egg, 1 tsp water, 1/4 tsp salt)
14. Place rolls on silicone mat
15. Place in preheated oven and immediately lower temperature to 350º
16. Cook 20 minutes, the rotate pan
17. Cook another 20-25 minutes

This recipe was adapted from one posted at Genius Kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 level tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (100-105º F or 37-40º C)
• 3 TBL sugar
  – PROOF ABOVE MIXTURE FOR 5 MINUTES
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 TBL softened butter
• 1 egg
• 3  cups bread flour – plus more 1 TBL at a time
• 2 tsp xanthan gum (keeps it from drying out)
• 1 teaspoon salt

  If using whole wheat or AP flour, add 1 tsp gluten

STEP BY STEP

1. In a large (preferably glass) mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water
2. Let proof for 5 minutes – If it does not proof, do not use it.
3. Put into Kitchen Aid
4. Add oil, the egg and 2 C of the flour
5. Stir enough to create a loose dough
6. Add the xanthan gum
7. Add salt and 1 C flour
8. Add more flour 1 TBL at a time until your dough ball is fairly soft.
9. Beat the dough with your Kitchen Aid for 5-10 minutes scraping from sides occasionally
10. Keeping a fairly soft dough, knead for 5 minutes more on a floured surface
11. DO NOT LET RISE
12. Divide into 12 pieces for slider buns, or 8 pieces for 1/4 pounder buns
13. Shape each piece into a ball
14. Coat your hands lightly with olive oil and rub each ball with olive oil
15. Place 3″ apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
16. Preheat oven to 425º
17. Let buns rise on stovetop (on top of a cookie cooling rack) for 25 minutes
18. Bake at 425º for 6 minutes
19. Rotate tray
20. Bake another 6 minutes and check to see if they have browned
21. If necessary, bake another 3 minutes
22. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

This recipe will make eight buns for 1/3-1/2 pound burgers, or twelve buns for smaller burgers and shredded BBQ sandwiches.

A few things that I will be trying with it:

• SOUR DOUGH BREAD:  Substitute in 1 C sour dough starter for  1 C flour at Step 4.  The sour dough will inhibit the formation of mold, and I am hoping this will increase shelf-life.
• ONE LOAF OF BREAD:  Next, I will try making this into a small sandwich loaf. One medium loaf pan and two hamburger buns.  For bread, start with the step after DO NOT LET RISE.  For hamburger buns, continue with above recipe.
  1. 11. Roll in 1/4 C flour until you can get some of the cracks and folds out of the loaf.  Smack it on the table occasionally, trying to force out any air bubbles.
     12. Coat your hands lightly with oil, and wipe them on the outside of the dough ball.
     13. Let dough rise in a greased loaf pan for 45 minutes
     14. Cover with lightly oiled foil
     15. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes
     16. Remove foil, rotate and bake for another 10 minutes
     17. Test internal temperature.  If not yet (TARGET) 190º cover loaf and cook an additional few minutes
     18. Remove and set on rack to cool
• ENGLISH MUFFINS:  Last, I am going to try to make a looser dough and create English Muffins. – with the following modified recipe:
  • Add 2 T non-fat powdered milk at Step 6
  • Replace Steps, beginning with 7,  with these steps
    7. Do not add the last cup of flour.  You want an EXTREMELY wet dough.
    8. Let rise in a GLASS bowl for 45 minutes
    9. Put 1/2 C dough into each WELL-GREASED ring.  No muffin rings?  Use canning jar lids without the cap
    10. Let dough rise for a full hour – more time = more bubbles
    11. Gently lift muffin rings using a spatula, and slide onto preheated HOT skillet and cook for 7 minutes.
    12. Remove ring, flip and cook for 7 more minutes.
    13. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

This was originally a recipe for bread sticks. If that is what you want, just roll them a little skinnier and shorten the cooking time by 2-3 minutes.  For hamburger buns, roll them into small baseballs and press them flat to about 1/2 inch thickness – they will rise and thicken.  I frequently roll them into a sheet about 3/4 inch thick, and use a 3 inch biscuit cutter to make the buns.  They end up being about 3.5 inches in diameter.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (or 1 TBL) active dry yeast
• 2 TBL sugar (split in half for use at two different times)
• 1/4 C warm water – very warm to the touch, but not hot
• Three-quarter C milk
• 1/4 C dried (instant) milk powder
• 1 tsp Xanthan gum
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 C soft shortening or lard (bacon grease)
• 3 C sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 C spelt or whole wheat flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• (optional) 1/4 C sour dough starter

STEP BY STEP

1. ACTIVATE YOUR YEAST
   Mix your yeast, water, and half your sugar in a small glass bowl
   Stir to mix
   Set aside
2. SCALD YOUR MILK
   Put into microwave for a minute
   Set aside to let it cool
   Put your lard, salt and the rest of your sugar into the milk
3. PREPARE HALF OF YOUR FLOUR
   In a large mixing bowl…
   Add your sourdough starter if you are using it
   Add the milk mixture and 1/2 cup flour.
   Add the yeast mixture, dried milk, xanthan gum and everything else
   Mix in bread maker at medium speed until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. 100 strokes if by hand.
4. FINISH YOUR DOUGH
   Add more flour, a little at a time, until dough leaves the sides of the bowl, and surface of dough springs back when pressed.  Dough should not be sticky.
   You may not use all of your flour (or you may need more)
   Turn dough onto lightly floured board.
   Knead until smooth and elastic: 4-8 minutes.
   Place in lightly oiled bowl.
   Turn dough over to oil the top also.
   Cover and refrigerate overnight for a more complex flavor
   When ready to make the buns, cover and let rise in warm place for about 30 minutes.
5. SHAPE YOUR BUNS
   Form your buns on a greased baking sheet, keeping in mind that they will increase in size by about 125%
   Let them rise for about an hour in the (not turned on) oven
6. BAKE YOUR BUNS
   Pull the trays of buns out of the cold oven and turn oven to 350º
   Brush the tops of your buns with melted butter
   Sprinkle with sesame seeds or lightly with coarse sea salt if you wish
   Bake at 350º for about 10-12 minutes or until browned
   Let cool 10 minutes before removing from tray