Herb Cheese Bread

  • 1 package dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup warm water [105-115 F]
  • 6 ounces cheddar cheese
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup dry milk powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 cup cold water
  1. Stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water in a 2-cup liquid measure and let stand for 10 minutes.
  2. Shred the cheese with the medium shredding disc of a food processor. Leave the cheese in the work bowl and insert the metal blade. Add the flour, dry milk, salt, oregano, rosemary and butter and process for about 20 seconds.
  3. Add the mustard and the cold water to the yeast. With the motor running, pour the liquid through the feed tube in a steady stream as fast as the flour mixture absorbs it. Process until the dough is smooth and elastic and just cleans the side of the bowl. (If the dough is too moist to clean the side of the bowl, add flour by tablespoons through the feed tube. If it is too dry, add cold water by teaspoons.) Process about 1 minute more to knead the dough.
  4. With lightly floured hands, transfer the dough to a lightly-floured 1-gallon plastic storage bag and seal with a wire twist, leaving space for the dough to rise. Set aside in a warm place [75-80 deg F] until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
  5. Remove the wire twist and punch down the dough in the bag.
  6. Grease and 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch rectangular loaf pan. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  8. Bake the bread in the center of the preheated oven for 30 minutes, cover the top loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until the loaf is nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped.
  9. Remove from the loaf pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Makes one 2 pound loaf.