Easy Breezy Cheese Bread

This stuff is the best bread on the planet. Take it to a friend and they'll love you for life. I'm not exaggerating. Really! I should keep it to myself, but it's so good, I guess I'll share it -- you just have to give me credit :)

The original recipe comes from King Arthur flour. I love their products and all of their information. PLEASE use King Arthur bread flour when making this recipe -- you'll notice the difference. It'll raise higher, taste better and it isn't bromated, so it's much safer to use. I buy my flour at Walmart, so you can probably find it no matter where you live.

I have modified the original recipe so that it is now much easier to use. There are two ways to let the dough rise so that you get what you want -- more flavor or speedy results. It's up to you.

Cheese Bread

4 3/4 cups King Arthur bread flour

1 3/4 cups warm water

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoon yeast

4 cups grated cheese -- we use a colby/monterey jack combo

Combine water, yeast and one cup flour. Mix well. Add salt. Slowly add the remaining flour. When the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, you'd added enough. Depending on the humidity, you may or may not need all of the flour called for.

Knead for 6-7 minutes. The dough should be smooth and slightly tough when you finish kneading.

Place in a well oiled bowl and cover. Choose your method for rising:

• Speedy -- place in your oven and turn the light on. Let it rest for about 2 hours or slightly more than doubled in bulk.
  
• Tasty -- If you can wait, put the dough in the fridge. We like it best when it's been in the fridge for 2-3 days before shaping it into loaves. This is called a 'cold rise' and it gives the dough a slightly sour flavor. Don't let it sit for more than a week or you really do get sourdough bread. Pull it out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to shape it into loaves, it's easier to work with that way.

Once your dough is risen, roll it out into a rectangle about 18 inches high by two feet wide.
Spread the cheese evenly over the dough.

Roll the dough as tightly as you can. If you let it flop, you'll get big air bubbles between the layers. Cut the dough in half.
Place it on a greased cookie sheet or in a bread pan. Cover. Let it rise for 65-80 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 425. Spray the bread with water just before you put it in the oven. This will give it a crunchier crust.

Bake for 30-40 minutes depending on how dark you like the crust. We usually pull it out at about 35 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.