Chili Oil + Cheddar Cheese Sourdough Bread

cut loaf of chili oil sourdough next to jar of chili oil

5 from 3 votes

Chili Oil + Cheddar Cheese Sourdough Bread

A modern twist on a classic: Chili Oil and Cheddar Cheese Sourdough Bread! Spice up your standard sourdough loaf with spicy Chili Oil and lots of sharp Cheddar Cheese. The end result is the most delicious homemade bread. Serve with butter and a drizzle of hot honey. YUM!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Bulk Ferment + Final Proof17

Total Time18 20

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American, Asian

Keyword: Bread, Cheese, Chili Oil, Sourdough

Servings: slices

Calories: 207kcal

Author: The Subversive Table | Lis Lam

Equipment

Food scale
Large Bowl
cover *plastic wrap, stock pot lid, or silicone cover
Banneton bread proofing basket
Dutch oven
Bread Lame

Ingredients

150 grams active, bubbly sourdough starter
375 grams lukewarm water
500 grams bread flour
10 grams salt
125 grams sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 Tbsp (15-30 grams) Chili Oil or Chili Crisp

Instructions

Mix dough. In a large bowl, add bubbly, active starter and lukewarm water. Whisk until there are no large clumps and the liquid looks milky and cloudy. Add flour and salt directly on top. Mix the dough with a spatula until it looks like a shaggy ball and there are no more visible streaks of flour. If there is a visible layer of flour, use wet hands to squeeze the dough until fully absorbed.
Bulk Ferment: cover the shaggy dough ball and rest for 1 hour at room temperature. Remove the lid and stretch and fold the dough 4-6 times. Cover and rest for 1 hour, then stretch and fold again. Cover and rest for 1 hour, then stretch and fold again for a minimum of three sets of stretch and folds. Repeat until roughly doubled in size.
Add chili oil. Lightly flour a clean counter. Gently dump the dough onto the counter. Stretch gently into a rectangular shape, making sure not to rip or puncture the dough. Drizzle chili oil or chili crisp all over the surface of the rectangle. Using the back of a spoon, evenly spread out the chilli oil. Make sure to leave a 1-2 inch border on the edges of the dough.
Add cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese directly on top of the chili oil. Again, leave a 1-2 inch border on all the edges.
Shape the dough. Fold the dough into thirds, like an envelope. Roll the envelope of dough into a boule or round ball, making sure to pinch the ends together. Make sure not to puncture the dough.
Final Proof. The 2nd rise or Final Proof is the last step in the fermentation process. After shaping the dough, transfer (seam side up) to a banneton bread basket. Or, use a bowl and dishcloth. Cover with plastic wrap or a shower cap. Transfer to the fridge for 12-24 hours.
Pre-heat oven. Place a Dutch oven in the middle rack of the oven. When ready to bake, preheat the oven and Dutch oven to 500F/260C.
Score. Transfer the cold dough from the fridge onto a piece of parchment paper, right side up. Using a bread lame, score the loaf. Make sure the cut is deep enough to allow the steam to escape.
Bake. Transfer the parchment paper and scored loaf to the pre-heated Dutch oven. Add 2-3 ice cubes to the Dutch oven and cover. Be careful and use heavy-duty insulated oven mitts -- it will be very hot! Bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking until brown and crispy, another 25 minutes. *If you prefer a lighter colored loaf, lower the heat to 400F/204C and bake for 35-40 minutes after removing the lid.
Cool. Transfer to a wire metal rack and remove the parchment paper. Cool for 1-2 hours at room temperature. It should crackle while it cools. Do not cut into the loaf immediately or the bread will be gummy.
Enjoy! When cooled, cut into thick slices. Serve with butter and Hot Honey.

Video

Notes

Tips:

- Bulk ferment in a clear container. When bulk fermenting, it can be difficult to determine when the process has finished. If you prefer, use a clear glass bowl or food storage container for a better view of the bubbles on the bottom and sides of the dough.

- Make sure the sourdough starter is bubbly and active. The key to making good sourdough. Feed your starter about 4-6 hours before you plan to mix together the dough. The starter is ready when doubled in size, and bubbles can be seen throughout the starter and on the top. It will smell pleasantly fruity and yeasty. The texture will be slightly runny but not overly stiff. *To check: drop a small spoonful into a glass of water -- if it's ready, the starter will float. If it sinks to the bottom, it's not ready.

- Add a baking sheet to the oven. Add a baking sheet to the rack directly underneath the Dutch oven to prevent the bottom of the loaf from becoming too dark. It will evenly distribute the heat so the bottom doesn't burn.

- Be careful when shaping the loaf. The inclusions make it challenging to shape the dough. Be careful not to puncture or rip the dough. But if you do, pinch the dough back together. FYI, you won't be able to build as much tension as a plain loaf.

- Pinch the seams. When shaping the loaf, pinch the side seams firmly. Pinching will ensure that the inclusions (chili oil and cheese) do not burst out the sides of the loaf.

- Sourdough breadmaking is a process! Every kitchen is different in terms of temperature and humidity levels. I live in Toronto, a cold and dry city; I typically make sourdough in the winter and keep my house temperature very cold -- about 68F/19.5C. My bread-making process will differ greatly from someone living in a warm, tropical climate.

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