Rich, savory, and incredibly simple. This loaf is loaded with melty cheddar and onion flavor throughout every bite.
80°f
grated or cubed into small pieces
Mix the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the 100g starter and 360g warm (80°F) water. Stir until you have a milky consistency. Add 500g bread flour and 10g salt, then mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let it rest for 1 hour to allow the flour to hydrate.
Stretch and Folds + Add Inclusions: After the 1 hour rest, begin stretch and folds to build gluten and structure.Round 1 (no inclusions):With wet hands, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over the center.Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat on all four sides.Cover and rest for 30 minutes.Round 2 (add cheese and onions):Sprinkle a portion of the cheese and onions over the dough.Stretch and fold, rotate the bowl a quarter turn, add more cheese and onions, and repeat on all four sides adding more as you go until evenly distributed.Tuck any exposed cheese and onions inside the dough so the top of the dough ball is clean.Cover and rest for 30 minutes.Rounds 3 and 4: Complete 1 to 2 more stretch and folds or gentle coil folds (grabbing from the middle and pulling upwards), resting 30 minutes between each. It's important to try and keep inclusions tucked inside to prevent burning while baking.
Bulk Fermentation: Let the dough rest and bulk ferment on the counter until it has roughly doubled in size, looks airy, and feels jiggly. I like to use this chart as a guideline, but I use the visual cues (mentioned above) to know when my dough is done. This may take some practice to get down if you’re new to baking sourdough.Bulk fermentation time depends on your dough temperature and starts at the time you mixed your dough in step 1:Dough temp vs. Time80°F → 5 to 6 hours75°F → 7 to 8 hours70°F → 12 hours65°F → 16 hours
Shape and Cold Proof:Once the dough has finished bulk fermentation:Shape it into a round or oval (see my shaping video link in blog for reference)Place it seam side up into a rice floured banneton basketCover and refrigerate overnight or about 14 to 24 hours for best results.
Bake Your Loaf:Preheat your oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven inside.Turn your dough onto parchment paper or a silicone sling and score the top. Put dough in the preheated Dutch oven.Bake for 30 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown with a crispy crust.The bread is fully baked when the internal temperature reaches 205°F.
Cool and Enjoy: Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing so the crumb can set. Then slice, serve, and enjoy!