A tangy, cheesy, and slightly spicy Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread with a crispy crust and soft, airy crumb. This artisan-style loaf is perfect for sandwiches, soups, or enjoying with butter. The cubed cheddar melts into gooey pockets while the jalapeños provide a balanced heat.
Dutch Oven (5-7 quart) (Creates steam for a crispy crust)
Digital Kitchen Scale (Ensures precise ingredient measurements)
Banneton Proofing Basket (Helps shape and support the dough)
Bread Lame or Razor Blade (For scoring the dough before baking)
Dough Scraper (Helps handle high-hydration dough)
Mixing bowl (For combining ingredients)
Kitchen Towel or Plastic Wrap (To cover dough during fermentation)
Parchment paper (For easy transfer into the Dutch oven)
Ingredients
500gBread Flour- King Arthur recommended
350gFiltered Water- 70% hydration
100gActive Sourdough Starter- 100% hydration
10gSea Salt
1 ½cupsSharp Cheddar Cheese- Cubed, not shredded
2-3wholewhole Fresh Jalapeños- Seeded and diced (adjust for heat)
Cornmeal- Optional, for dusting
Instructions
Feed your sourdough starter 8-12 hours before mixing the dough. It should double in size and pass the float test.
In a large bowl, combine 350g water and 100g active starter. Stir to mix.
Mix in 500g bread flour until no dry flour remains. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
Sprinkle 10g salt over dough, dimple in with wet fingers.
Perform four stretch-and-folds at 90° intervals.
Wait 30 minutes.
Dice jalapeños, cube cheddar.
Flatten dough, scatter half the cheese and jalapeños, fold over, repeat with remaining half.
Perform another stretch-and-fold to distribute evenly.
Perform three more stretch-and-folds, 30 minutes apart.
Allow the dough to increase by 50% in volume (2-4 hours).
Lightly flour a surface, shape into a round loaf, and place into a banneton, seam side up.
Cover with a cloth and refrigerate for 12-16 hours.
Heat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 45 minutes.
Turn dough onto parchment paper, score with a bread lame.
Place in Dutch oven, cover, and bake at 500°F for 20 minutes.
Lower temperature to 450°F and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes.
Bread should have an internal temperature of 205-210°F (96-99°C).
Let bread cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes