Dutch-Oven Habanero Cheddar Cheese Bread

Rated 3.5 stars by 30 users

Author

Pepper Joe's

Servings

6-8

Prep Time

50 minutes

Cook Time

2 hours 5 minutes

This Dutch oven habanero cheddar bread is anything but bland. Loaded with sharp cheddar cheese and fruity habanero peppers, it delivers bakery-style texture with a spicy twist. The result? A crusty, golden loaf with melty cheese pockets and just enough heat to keep things interesting.

Don’t have fresh habaneros on hand? No problem, Red Savina Habanero powder makes an excellent substitute.

Equipment you'll need: Dutch Oven with a lid, medium-sized bowl, large-sized bowl, measuring cup, parchment paper, brush, olive oil, sharp knife to "score" the bread.

Freshly baked Dutch-oven habanero cheddar cheese bread loaf surrounded by fresh habanero peppers

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups of bread flour or white flour, plus more for dusting
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
4 Habaneros, seeded and coarsely chopped (you may add more or less)
4 Habaneros, sliced into rings
Red Savina Habanero Powder (substitute for fresh peppers)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups warm water
1 packet of active dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Wear gloves and coarsely chop 4 habaneros, and slice 3 Habaneros into rings. Shred the Cheese to make 2 1/2 cups of cheese.
In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, 2 cups (200 g) of shredded cheese, chopped Habaneros, and salt. Stir well.
In a separate large bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Pour the flour and cheese mixture on top of the water, and use a silicone spatula to stir until the dough comes together
With the spatula, fold the dough around the edges of the bowl towards the center 8 times. Make sure you rotate the bowl as you’re doing this. After folding, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm place for 60 minutes.
After 60 mins, use the spatula to fold the dough towards the center 8 times again. Cover bowl with towel again and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Place the dutch oven and lid to the oven, and preheat to 450˚F (230˚C) for 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes is complete, lightly flour a clean work surface and your hands. The dough will be sticky, so make sure you have some flour on your hands!
Carefully peel the dough out of the bowl, and onto the floured surface. Flip over and carefully brush away excess flour. Fold the edges of dough towards the center 8 times, making it almost a ball shape, then flip over the dough and transfer to a piece of parchment paper.
Brush the top of the dough with olive oil to help the cheese stick. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup cheese on top. With a sharp knife, score the bread with an “X.” Arrange Habanero rings on top of cheese.
Remove dutch oven from the oven, and use the parchment paper to lift the bread into the pot. Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes, THEN remove the lid and bake for 20 more minutes, until bread is golden brown.
Remove dutch oven from the oven after the time is complete. Carefully lift the parchment paper to get the bread out of the dutch oven, and place it onto a wire rack. Remove parchment paper, and let the bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Enjoy!

Recipe Note

For less heat, reduce the number of fresh habaneros or use powder sparingly
For more heat, leave some seeds intact or add extra sliced peppers on top
This bread pairs perfectly with soups, chili, or as a grilled sandwich base
We strongly recommend wearing gloves when chopping and slicing the fresh Habanero peppers.

Dutch-Oven Habanero Cheddar Cheese Bread

November 17, 2021

Ready to Turn Up the Heat?

Growing your own peppers or experimenting with different heat levels is one of the best ways to make this recipe your own. Whether you’re starting from pepper seeds, live plants, and need to stop up on growing supplies, Pepper Joe’s has everything you need to grow bold flavors from garden to kitchen.

Explore, experiment, and most importantly, have fun with the heat 🌱🔥

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