Name: Jalapeno Cheese Yeast Bread
Prep time: 150 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. butter; 1/4 cup finely diced jalapenos (ribs and seeds removed); 2 1/4 tsp. active dry or instant yeast; 1/4 cup warm water (110 F.); 1 cup buttermilk (well shaken and at room temperature); 3 Tbsp. butter (melted then cooled to room temperature); 1 large egg (lightly beaten); 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups semolina flour (or fine cornmeal, plus a bit more more to scatter in pan); 2 Tbsp. sugar; 1 tsp. salt (a bit less if you've used salted butter); 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (plus a bit more for top, if desired)

Delicious homemade Jalapeno Cheese Yeast Bread, flavoured with buttermilk and semolina , for a perfect side for soups or chilli. Makes a killer grilled cheese, too!

I was recently on the hunt for a great Jalapeno Cheese bread to have with a big pot of chilli and happened on a popular one from The Homesick Texan. I hopped from that recipe to the recipe she based hers on, one from Sheila Lukins. As I often do, I looked at them both and created my own version, part intentionally and part not :)

I borrowed the use of buttermilk instead of milk from the Homesick Texan version and incorporated the pre-cooking of the jalapeno from the Lukin’s version (because, from experience, I have learned that raw jalapeno in bread has surprising little flavour). I also changed how the cheese and jalapeno was added to the dough and the shaping of the loaf, not because I thought I knew better than either of these cooks, but simply because I found myself working ahead of actually reading the instructions. I do that a lot :) Yes, I scattered the cheese and cooked jalapeno over the rolled dough, then rolled it up jelly-roll style, before reading the instructions that indicated otherwise. Ooops :)

Jalapeno Cheeese Yeast Bread

In my defence, most filled loaf bread is done this way, then rolled or at least folded, before placing in to the loaf pan. The original recipes both kneaded the jalapeno and cheddar in to the dough though, then formed in to a loaf-sized rectangle and just plopped the dough in to the loaf pan. Hmmmm. Oh well. I plodded on and the loaf you see here was the result. I loved it and was not the least bit put off by the holes and gaps that filling and rolling it up jelly-roll style created. All the better to rip of some hunks and stuff them in my mouth, I say! That said, perhaps a bit less than ideal for sandwiches.

So as I am always somewhat disappointed when I bake a recipe differently without ever having tried making it the way it was written, I did bake another loaf later, where I actually followed the kneading-in and shaping instructions from the original. And yes, the result was a solid (no holes) bread, which of course, makes for perfect slices. I do think the actualy bread itself was a bit more dense and didn’t rise to the fluffy heights of the first version, no doubt owing to the different shaping method. Still a delicious loaf though, for sure!

Jalapeno Cheese Yeast Bread

So there you have it. Take your pick of the two methods. You won’t be disappointed with either!

Cook’s Notes for Jalapeno Cheese Yeast Bread

I loved the addition of semolina flour to this bread. It added great flavour! You’ll usually find semolina flour in with the cornmeal at the grocery store. If you can’t find semolina, try using the finest ground cornmeal you have or can find.

The buttermilk also adds great flavour to this bread. If you have some on hand, I’d definitely recommend it. You can also make a quick buttermilk equivalent by souring 1 cup of regular milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.