Sweet Cheddar Pesto Bread

By Bread Festival Bakers

From Hannah Bech, Bread Festival 2019This recipe is adapted from Joy of Cooking's cheese bread recipe. When life felt tough when I was growing up, my dad liked to cheer me up by making cinnamon swirl bread. Since I have become more of a savory breakfast person, I have developed this sweet cheddar bread with its own swirl (pesto!) to brighten up gloomy mornings.

Ingredients

½ cup lukewarm water
1 ½ Tablespoons active dry yeast
1½ cups milk
¼ cup butter, plus more for brushing
⅓ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
1 large egg
1 ½ cups shredded “sweet cheddar” or “parmesan cheddar” cheese
5-6 cups all-purpose flour OR a combination of half whole wheat and half all-purpose
Filling: 1 large egg whisked with 1 cup pesto (homemade or store-bought are both fine!)

Instructions

Dissolve yeast into ½ cup lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.

Heat the milk until lukewarm. Add 1/4 cup butter along with sugar and salt. Remove from heat. Stir milk mixture into the bowl with dissolved yeast. Add 1 egg and cheese. Beat until smooth.

Beat in 3 cups of flour, and gradually add the remaining 2-3 cups until dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for 10 minutes until dough springs back when gently pressed. Transfer to oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough and divide in half. Stretch dough into appx. 9×12″ rectangles and brush with filling. Roll tightly into loaves. Place in 9×5″ loaf pans seam side down and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Brush with melted butter (or egg wash, if desired) and bake at 375 for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and cool on wire rack.