Spiced Cheese Loaves

This bread recipe makes two loaves. It is a rich bread dough flavored with crushed red pepper flakes and cheddar cheese. It goes perfect with soups, or use it to make a sandwich.

Ingredients

1/4 c. warm water
3 pkg yeast or 1 tbs. yeast
3 Tbs. sugar
1c. milk
1 Tbs. salt
4 Tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. cumin seed
1 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. oregano
2 eggs
6 c. flour (more or less)
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Oven temp set to 350°. Grease two 8-inch cake pans.  Or line the pans with parchment paper to remove the bread easily from the pans.

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Set in a warm location for 10 minutes to ensure the yeast is active and alive.

In a sauce pan, scald the milk over low heat.  Pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool until it is around 110°.  Add sugar, salt, butter, cumin, red pepper flakes, eggs, 2-cups flour and the yeast mixture.

Beat for 2 minutes with a mixer or by hand using a wooden spoon. Stir in  cheese.  Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough, adding flour as necessary, for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

Place dough into a greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm location until doubled in size. This takes between 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. 

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and divide in half. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Shape each half into a ball. Place balls in prepared cake pans.  

Cover and let raise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Place cake pans on a rimmed baking sheet. This will catch the cheese if any spills out.

Bake  until loafs are is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate the loaves. Tent with a sheet of aluminum foil and continue to bake for another 25 to 30 minutes until done. The loaves should sound hollow when tapped with your finger.

Remove bread from the pan. Brush some butter over the top.  I just take a stick of butter and run that over the top.