“Wait just a minute…” you begin.
“This looks SUSPICIOUSLY like that there Cheese Casserole Bread thing-y you made last month.” and you would be correct.
“But… BUT, it’s not Parfait! Friday!” – two for two, Bunky.
EXCEPT!
One of the only things I’ve retained from my time with one of the absolute worst bosses I (or, indeed, anyone else) has ever had the profound misfortune to work for – aside from the fact that she only knew two typefaces (Futura and Times) – was that; if you change three things about something – it is now something else entirely!
Hmmm.
Tricky.
And probably NOT true.
Still, what’s the good of all those years toiling in advertising, for bosses good and bosses bad, if I can’t go to the, ermmm, Pantone Warm Gray 10 side every now and again.
Let’s start with the changes, shall we?
INGREDIENTS:
•1 cup of milk
•3 tbsp sugar
•1 tbsp salt
•1 tbsp butter
•4-1/2 tsp yeast
•1 cup warm water
•1 cup (8 oz.) pepper jack cheese, grated
•4-1/2 cups flour, sifted (I put it in a bowl and run a whisk through it a few times)
Scald the milk over low heat – OR – Change Number One – scald it in the ‘wave!
Here’s how: add your milk (or milk and half combo) to a ‘wave safe bowl or container and – this is key (and kinda cool) – add a bamboo skewer (the skewer piercing the surface of the milk prevents it from super-heating and burning). Pop it all in the ‘wave and let ‘er rip for three to four minutes.
Voila! Scalded milk without watching the stove top.
To your nicely scalded milk, add the 3 tbsp of sugar, the 1 tbsp salt, and the tbsp of butter. Stir together to combine and melt the butter, then set aside to cool to luke warm.
Next, we get the yeast ready. Pour one cup of warm water (I use hot from the tap – a temp check reads approximately 110º, so we’re good) over the yeast in a large mixing bowl and let rest for five minutes until the yeast softens and gets just a bit foamy.
Add your now luke warm milk mixture, the grated pepperjack cheese (Change Number Two), and the sifted (or whisked) flour and blend well – I used the stand mixer with the dough hook.
Cover the bowl and set aside for 45 minutes, until the dough doubles in size (after about thirty minutes, set your oven to 375º).
Once the dough has risen, stir it down, then beat it for about thirty seconds – it’ll be sticky.
Turn the dough into a well-buttered 1-1/2 quart soufflé dish (or two 9×5 loaf pans) and pop, uncovered, into your preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. The original recipe called for one full hour’s baking time, but after two tries, I’ve found this bread well and truly done in MY oven at a touch over 40 minutes.
Pull that lovely, puffy-looking thing o’ bready goodness out of the oven and let cool on a rack for ten or fifteen minutes before turning out of the pan to cool completely.
Slice and enjoy. We like ours toasted for BLTs, but this is a good choice for French toast as well.
“Wait just a minute!” you say, again.
“You said THREE changes makes it new, and you only listed TWO. J’accuse!”
Ermmm, didn’t you read the title? It WAS Cheese Casserole Bread; NOW it’s Cheese (well, pepperjack) Soufflé Bread.
Advertising is a dirty, dirty business…