Name: Jalapeño Cheddar No Knead Artisan Bread Loaf
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 125 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon active dry yeast; 1 1/2 cups water (hot); 4 cups All-purpose flour (aerated and divided); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 jalapeños; 1 1/4 cup cheese; shredded (chopped, or small crumbles)

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This Jalapeño Cheddar no-knead artisan bread is a very easy recipe to follow, and tastes like the artisan bread you might buy at the bakery or be served in a fancy restaurant!

To make homemade bread used to be very intimidating to me. But I found it is actually quite simple, and if you follow these step-by-step recipe instructions, you will make your home smell like homemade bread!

What does this no-knead Jalapeño Cheddar Artisan bread taste like?

The crust is crispy, while the inside is soft and pourous! I love the cheddar in the bread as it creates a salty and sharp flavor to the yeast, and the jalapeño adds a sweet and spicy kick!

When is the jalapeño cheddar no-knead artisan bread loaf best to eat?

If you love bread as much as my family does, anytime is a good time! I love eating this as is, or even with some butter when you pull this bread out of the oven so it melts. I also love pairing this bread with chicken breast, salad, and soup! But really this bread is perfect in addition to most meals! Comment below how your family enjoys it!

What if I don’t like spicy that the jalapeño gives?

Most of the heat that jalapeño gives is concentrated from the seeds and in the ribs. The chemical that gives jalapeños and chili’s their heat is Capsaicin. So you can still have the sweet flavor from the jalapeño, without the spiciness! When preparing your jalapeño, remove the ribs and the seeds, and just keep the body! But you can easily omit the jalapeño overall and just make it a Cheddar Artisan Loaf!

What is a no-knead bread?

No knead bread was first published in the New York Times about 10 years ago. Basically, no-knead bread is a recipe where there is no kneading required. It takes very little effort to prepare the recipe as all of the ingredients are added together into one bowl, while the active yeast does the work!

The no-knead artisan bread tastes great, even if you choose to leave out the jalapeños or cheddar cheese.

What makes this bread Artisan?

True artisan bread is defined as unique and homemade. When bread is handmade, instead of in a factory, there will be a personal touch. Not every bread looks the same 🙂

This bread can make a great gift!

I love giving this Jalapeño Cheddar No Knead Artisan Bread Loaf out as a gift! It is definitely one of the more cheaper gifts you can give someone if you are on a budget, but it is extra special because it is something special you made with your hands…not to mention DELICIOUS! It would be a perfect house warming gift, gift around the holidays, a Thank you gift, and more! Comment below how you gifted this bread!

I’m a beginner. What are some needed items?

I made a grocery and supply list down below before the recipe for your convenience. If you are wanting to go head first, this is a great bread making kit for you (see amazon link below)! But this recipe overall doesn’t need much, and you probably have most of the items in your kitchen!

Tips for success!

Active yeast – make sure the yeast you are using is fresh as the bread will not rise while baking if the yeast is old. Once your yeast jar is opened, you have about 6 months before you should toss it out. A good idea is to mark the date you opened the jar so you know when the yeast will expire.

If your dough doesn’t rise, it may be that your home is cold. Preheat the oven at 100 degrees fahrenheit, and place the dough in the oven. Or, you can place a cup of very hot water in the microwave, then place the dough in the bowl next to it and shut the microwave door. That should help the dough to rise properly.

If I don’t have a dutch oven, is there another baking dish I can use to make this recipe?

Yes, if you don’t have a dutch oven, you can use a covered baking dish or a metal pot that has a cover as long as the pot can stand the 450 degree temperature that is used in this recipe. If your pot doesn’t have a lid, you can cover the pot with heavy duty aluminum foil, making sure the pot is well sealed.

What should I do if I have leftovers?

No-knead bread can be sliced to make toast or to make sandwiches.

Store leftover bread at room temperature for 1-2 days in an airtight container or in plastic wrap.

Can artisan bread be frozen?

Yes! Your no-knead bread can be frozen up to 3 months in an air-tight freezer bag. Make sure the bread is completely cooled before preparing it for the freezer. If you slice the bread before freezing, you can pull out the number of slices you need for the next meal. If you are planning to toast the bread, it can be put directly into the toaster.

Ingredients:

Active dry yeast – It is important to use active dry yeast and not self-rising yeast for this recipe. Make sure your yeast is fresh. Yeast expires in 6 months after opened – one trick I always do is mark on the lid with the date I opened the jar so I know that my yeast is active.

Water – very warm water (between 105-115 degrees F) is ideal for proofing dry yeast. You can use a food thermometer to check your water.

All purpose flour – All-purpose flour works best for this recipe, though you can add some whole wheat flour if you like. Coconut flour and oat flour do not work well.

Kosher salt – kosher salt is great for this recipe; if you don’t have kosher, pink Himalayan salt would work too!

Jalapeños – Most of the heat that jalapeño gives is concentrated from the seeds and in the ribs. The chemical that gives jalapeños and chili’s their heat is Capsaicin. So you can still have the sweet flavor from the jalapeño, without the spiciness! When preparing your jalapeño, remove the ribs and the seeds, and just keep the body! But you can easily omit the jalapeño overall and just make it a Cheddar Artisan Loaf!

Cheese – I used regular cheddar cheese, but you can substitute it for a sharp cheddar for more tangy flavor!

Prep the jalapeños by slicing 1/2 of jalapeño into 4-5 1/8” ring slices and set aside. Take the remaining 1 1/2 jalapeños, and remove the stem, seeds, and white membrane. Finely dice the peppers and set aside. You can leave the seeds for extra spice. Prepare the cheddar by shredding it. Set aside. Add yeast to hot water and let sit for 5 minutes.

Add 3 cups of aerated flour to a mixing bowl with the salt.

Once the yeast is foamy, add the flour and begin to work the mixture into a sticky but firm dough. You can use your hands or a firm spatula.

While mixing, add the diced peppers and cheese…

… and continue to work the dough.

Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour. The dough should double in size.

Preheat the oven to 450°f. Lightly dust a flat dry surface and gently work the dough into a smooth round loaf. Do not overwork the dough.

Add a large sheet of parchment paper to the Dutch oven and place your dough inside. Score the dough by using a sharp knife with a fine edge or a razor blade. I like to score an “x” and 1/4” deep. Lightly sprinkle the loaf with some cheese, and place the jalapeño slices flat around the top of the loaf, press in slightly.

Cover with the lid and cook at 450°f for 30 minutes. At 30 minutes, remove the lid and cook for 5-10 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Tap the loaf as it should sound like a hollow drum. Let cool before slicing open.

My grocery list!

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Items I used to make my No Knead Rosemary Garlic Artisan Loaf!

For this recipe, you will need a Dutch Oven. They have so many different types and colors out there! This is the one we have:

You will need a sharp knife to cut and prep your cheese and jalapenos.

Best to have parchment paper lining your cast iron. Parchment paper doesn’t burn and is great for this recipe so your bread won’t stick to your cast iron.

To score your bread, I suggest using a sharp razor blade. If you don’t have one, a sharp knife will do, however it won’t be as precise as a razor. I love this one as it has a long handle, and extra blades when you need a new one!

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