I love cheesy sourdough bread, and I had earlier tried Cheddar Jalapeno bread and Parmesan bread. So, I wanted to try this Pepper Jack and Apple sourdough bread. It turned out to be a great bread when toasted for breakfast. The heat from pepper jack goes well with sweet apple. What is Pepper Jack Cheese?
Pepper Jack is a derivative of Monterey Jack, American white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk. It was invented by Mexican Franciscan friars of Monterey, California. This cheese is flavored with sweet peppers, rosemary, habañero chilies and garlic and spicy jalapeños for an extra kick.
This semi-soft, open textured cheese is spicy to taste yet leaves a delicate and buttery taste in the mouth. It is often eaten with quesadillas, crackers or on hamburgers. Pepper jack can also go well with jalapeno peppers, melons, grapes, pickled vegetables, and olives.
If you cannot find Pepper Jack cheese you can use Muenster cheese, Havarti cheese and Gouda cheese.
How I made Pepper Jack and Apple Sourdough Bread?
I used my jalapeno cheddar bread recipe jalapeno cheddar bread recipe(a popular recipe on my blog) for making this Pepper Jack and Apple Sourdough Bread. Only change I made is using small cubed pepper jack and apple cubes. Since I do not have granny smith apples in my hand, I used honey crisp.
How can you incorporate Pepper Jack Cheese into the bread dough?
You can either use cubes of cheese or grated version. I tried both, I found cubed version gives more appeal in look wise while tastes wise both are same. Cubes of cheese will yield big pockets of cheese in the bread, while small pieces (or shredded cheese) will result in a dense, cheesy loaf.
Also, you can either add cheese in the beginning of bulk fermentation or during the shaping. I tried both. I think adding grated cheese in the beginning of bulk fermentation will be nice if you are intended to use that grated cheese. On the other hand, if you are planning to use cubes of cheese then wait until bulk fermentation or add during lamination in the middle of bulk fermentation as I did in the recipe.
To get uniform spreading of the cheese and apple you need slice into ¼ inch cubes. Smaller and uniform you will get enough lifting of the dough
Tips to make best Pepper Jack cheese and apple sourdough bread
If you are looking to add some colors to your bread, try to add some extra peppers. I will try to add colored mini peppers next time I make it.
Taste wise it has creamy buttery bread with peppery undertones I think we can increase amount of spicy part may be adding few jalapenos peppers or colored mini peppers.
I do not find much difference with honey crisp apple. If you want, you can try with granny smith apple as they have more tart compared to honey crisp.
You cannot see any presence of pepper jack cheese as they melt and join with dough while baking.
This is an easy recipe as it uses starter instead of levain. Perfect treat if you love spicy pepper jack.
I have seen the recipes of grilled sourdough bread with pepper jack cheese, this on the contrary, dough itself had pepper jack cheese along with sweet apple. I have tried with pepper jack and dried cranberry version that turned out be delicious too.
You can add chopped rosemary, roasted red peppers, smashed roasted garlic, crushed peppercorns, and spicy pickled jalapeños if you want some extra add ons.
If you try this recipe, please tag me @zestysouthindiankitchen in Facebook and @nidhinikhil in Instagram
Pepper Jack and Apple Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 50 g ¼ cup Sourdough starter
- 365 g 1 ½ cup + 1 teaspoon warm water
- 280 g 2 ⅓ cups bread flour
- 200 g 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 50 g whole wheat flour
- 9 g 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 135 g 1 heaped cup Pepper Jack cheese cubed into ¼ inch
- 75 g apple I used Honey crisp cubed into ¼ inch
Instructions
- In a large bowl add starter and water and mix well. Then add all purpose, whole wheat flour and bread flour combine everything and set aside for 30 minutes
- Then add salt and mix again. You can strengthen the dough with folding at every 30 minutes. After folding the dough 1 hours, laminate the dough and incorporate the pepper jack cheese and apple as shown the video
- Then cold for the dough next 30 minutes interval for 2 hours.
- Then pre-shape the dough for 15 minutes and then shape and transfer to banneton or mold.
- Refrigerate for overnight, next morning pre-heat oven to 450F. Score the dough. Transfer the dough to cold Dutch oven and bake for 10 minutes at 450F and then reduce the temperature to 425 F and bake 25 minutes with lid on. Then remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes or until loaf develop golden color and when you tap the loaf it makes whole sound or register 210 F internal temperature.
- Cool the loaf and cut it into slice and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Katherine Reeck says
I want to know if I HAVE to refrigerate overnight as in directions? Thx!
Swathi says
Yes if not you have give 1-2 hours room temperature proof. Giving overnight fermentation gives more flavor.
Bruce DeMustchine says
Holy moly...this may just be a new weekly staple in our house😃
Kathryn Donangelo says
The combination of flavors in this sourdough bread is too good! SO easy to make too, thank you!
Gloria says
WOW...this bread is stunning. Love the fancy artwork...nicely done. I am a bread fanatic....I think I could live on bread alone LOL. This sounds wonderfully delicious.
Lizet Bowen says
We had this amazing pepper jack sourdough bread with our soup the other day. It was easy to make and so delicious!!
Lizzie Lau says
I love how creative your are with your bread recipes. Pepper jack and apple sourdough sounds like a delicious combo.
Kita Bryant says
Now this looks right up my ally! I would love to bake this bread.
Jeanne says
The smell is just out of this world !
Couldn’t wait to try it to leave a comment !
Catalina says
I love homemade bread! Love the smell and the flavor! This one looks amazing!
Kay says
This sourdough bread recipe sounds delicious and having that spicy kick from the pepper jack cheese is awesome, I can't wait to try out this recipe 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Lynndee says
I baked sourdough bread before, but it was just the plain sourdough bread, no cheese. I bet this is good. Will try this next time.
Jessica Formicola says
You just can't beat a homemade bread! I made this over the weekend and it was incredible! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Melissa Dixon says
Yummy, that looks so good. I bet my entire family would devour that pretty quick. I need to make it, thanks for sharing!
Calie says
Growing up in the US, I was raised on sourdough bread and Pepper jack cheese! I now live in France and I can't get these here! Don't get me wrong, the bread and cheese here is amazing but sometimes you just want comfort food!
Laura says
Omg this looks sooooo good! I definitely want to try this recipe.
Tasheena says
This flavor combination sounds really yummy. I would love to get this bread a try.
Katie Kinsley says
I love pepper jack cheese and I love bread. This recipe will be saved!
Amber Myers says
I know I'd love this! I'm all about bread and spicy foods. These flavors sound incredible.
Rena says
I have to admit this one intrigues me. I'm really wanting to give it a try. Pinning.
Rena says
I have to admit this one intrigues me. I'm really wanting to give it a try.
Jen says
Pepperjack is one of my favorite cheeses. Sounds yummy! I’m a big carb lover.