Everything Bagel Sourdough bread (with cheddar cheese!)
Everything bagel sourdough bread combines the savory goodness of everything bagel seasoning with the rich delight of cheddar cheese! Making it perfect for sandwiches or a snack on its own!
Servings: 1 loaf
Equipment
- Dutch oven or cast iron
- Mixing bowl
- Bench scraper
- Scoring tool or razor
- Food scale
- Parchment paper
- Banneton Proofing Basket
Ingredients
- 500 grams bread flour
- 80 grams active sourdough starter
- 9 grams salt
- 350 grams filtered water
- 150-200 grams of cubed or shredded sharp cheddar cheese (add more or less to your liking, see notes)
- 3-4 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning 1 tablespoon will be infused in the dough
Instructions
Mix the dough
- Note: ensure your sourdough starter is at its peak before mixing the dough. It should be active and bubbly.
- To a mixing bowl add the water and sourdough starter. Whisk using a fork until the starter has dissolved.
- Next, add the bread flour & salt and mix until all of the flour has absorbed the water. I find using a dough scraper or your hands achieves this best. The dough will be shaggy.
- Then, cover the mixture with plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the warmest spot in your kitchen for 30-45 minutes.
Stretch & Folds
- After the dough has rested, perform the first stretch and fold.
- This is where you scoop your hand under a portion of the dough and stretch it a few inches and fold it to the opposing side. You will stretch and fold all 4 quadrants of the dough.
- Once complete, cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour.
- Perform 1 more stretch and fold at the 1-hour mark, cover the dough, and let it rest for 1 hour. The dough should look smoother after each stretch & fold.
Laminate the dough
- After the dough has rested for 1 hour, remove the dough from the bowl and laminate the dough on a clean work surface.
- To do this start to stretch the dough as thin as possible in a large rectangular shape. Tip: mist your hands with water to avoid sticking.
- Then, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning over the dough if using & most of the cheese. Set some aside for adding to each fold.
- Then, fold the dough from the top & bottom adding the remainder of the cheese after each fold.
- Roll it into a ball and place it back into the bowl, cover it, and let it rest for 1 hour.
Coil Folds
- After the dough has rested for 1 hour, perform a coil fold. Because of the inclusions, gently coil-folding the dough is recommended. See the video above for reference. Tip: lightly mist your hands with water to prevent the dough from sticking.Once complete, cover the dough, let it rest for 45 minutes- 1 hour
- Perform 1 last coil fold & ensure the dough is covered and let it rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation.
Pre-shape the dough
- Once the dough is ready to be shaped, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and create a round shape by using your hands or a bench scraper.
- This is where you gently turn the dough repetitively and pull it towards yourself creating tension. See the video above for reference.
- You may lose a few pieces of cheese during shaping and that's ok.
- After a round ball has been shaped, cover the dough with a towel or bowl and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
Final Shaping
- Line a plate with about 2-3 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning and set aside.
- When it comes to final shaping, the dough can be shaped as a round boule or an oval batard.
- I chose to do an oval batard-see video above for shaping. Gently handle the dough during shaping. If using cubed cheese, a few pieces may poke through the dough, gently press them back into the dough.
- Once the desired shape has been achieved, place it on the plate with seeds and move it around to ensure the top of the dough is generously coated.
- Then place the dough in a linen-lined, lightly floured bowl seam-side up. If necessary, gently stitch or tighten the seams while in the basket.
- Lastly, cover the dough with a towel or place it in a large ziplock bag and place it in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours.
Score the everything bagel sourdough bread
- The following morning preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with the baking pan inside for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the everything bagel sourdough bread dough in the freezer for 20 minutes to make scoring easier.
- When ready to bake, remove the bread from the freezer and invert it on a piece of parchment paper. Optional: the dough can be sprayed with room temperature water and sprinkled with more bagel seasoning if needed.
- Using a bread lame or sharp razor, score one slightly curved line down the middle of the dough (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep). Hold your tool at a 45-degree angle and start at the top of the dough going fast to the bottom of the dough.
Baking Instructions
- Place the dough into the baking pan using the parchment paper and decrease the oven to 450 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes covered and 15-20 minutes uncovered.
- Upon removing it from the oven place the everything bagel sourdough bread on a cooling rack for a minimum of 2 hours before slicing and enjoying.
- Any leftover bread can be stored in an airtight container or bread bag of your choice for up to 2 days at room temperature.
Notes
Baker's schedule: Feed your starter the evening before you mix the dough around 8 PM. Mix the dough the following morning around 8 AM. Place into the refrigerator around 3 PM to bake for the following day. Timing may vary depending on the temperature in your environment. Watch the dough, not the clock.
*Keep in mind that the seasoning may slow down the fermentation process due to the garlic.
For this recipe, I used sharp cheddar cheese cut into cubes. However, I encourage you to choose your favorite cheese as any flavor would work.
Should I shred or cube the cheese? This is up to you and based on preference! We like the pockets that cubed cheese creates. Shredded cheese melts into the crumb more. Both are uniquely delicious!
Seasoning: While I do infuse the dough with a tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning, this is not required. However, I find it enhances the overall flavor.
