Chipotle Cheese Bread and Spread

While I skimmed my assigned SRC blog for November I fell in love with several recipes, and Chipotle Cheese Bread with Chipotle Butter was one of them. As an unabashed breadaholic, I knew I had to try this one, immediately. WINNER! I added 2 minced chipotles and 8 ounces of shredded pepper jack cheese to my standard baguette recipe (link) and loved the flavor pop. The first slice from a still-warm loaf was tasty, and several grilled and toasted slices were even better. The chili and cheese flavoring was subtle, but distinct.

That said, the true AHA! moment came when I sampled the Chipotle Butter. OMG it was good! Chipotle chills, adobo sauce, lime juice and zest add a special something that takes the flavor of sweet butter over the top. Enjoy this flavored butter with Chipotle Cheese Bread, and then experiment with it to add a bit of chili heat and citrus zip to other dishes. The chipotle butter is terrific on biscuits, toast, tortillas, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, chicken... It disappears so quickly I think "someone" is eating it straight!


Chipotle Cheese Baguettes


inspired by a recipe from cafelynnylu

Makes 4 loaves

1/2 cup warm water (about 110° F.)

1 tablespoon dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar


2 cups warm water

2 teaspoons salt

5 1/2 to 6 cups AP or bread flour
, divided
additional sprinkling of flour for board if kneading by hand

3 tablespoons minced chipotles en adobo

8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

Cornmeal for sprinkling on baguette pan



1. Place yeast, sugar and 1/2 cup warm water in a mixing bowl; stir to blend. Let stand 10 minutes or until it grows foamy. 
2. Add 2 cups warm water and the salt; stir to blend.
3. Add 2 cups flour; stir to combine.
4. Add minced chipotles and shredded cheese and mix to incorporate into the dough.
5. Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time as needed to make a relatively stiff dough, mixing well after each addition. (If mixing by hand use a whisk for the first 3 cups of flour and then switch to a wooden spoon.). 
6. Switch to the bread hook and knead for about 7 minutes. (If kneading by hand, turn out on a lightly-floured board or countertop and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the texture smooths out, adding additional flour only as needed.

 You'll feel the difference.)
7. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, rotating to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel dampened in hot water. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size. (If very slow to rise, place over a bowl of warm NOT HOT water to help it along.)
8. Punch down dough and give it another knead or two.
9. Cut the dough into 4 pieces and let rest while you prepare the pans. Shape into long, thin loaves. (You might roll a dough piece on the counter into a log shape, then hold the loaf in the air with right hand and squeeze it with left hand, lengthening it until it's about an inch shorter than the pans.)
10. Place in a bread pan sprayed with PAM or greased with shortening and dusted lightly with cornmeal. Do the same with the remaining three loaves. Cover with a dampened tea towel and let rise again in the pans until they are doubled (or the size you want them to be), usually less than an hour. You can also shape each piece of dough into a boule (ball) for round loaves. 
11. Place pans in a preheated 375-400 F oven with a small pan of water beneath the bread pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until loaves are golden brown. Remove from the oven and remove from pans, allowing to cool on a baking rack.

If you aren’t going to eat all of them right away, wrap in foil and place in the freezer. When ready to use, unwrap and heat in a 350 oven for 15-20 minutes. This makes 4 small bread pan loaves or baguettes. 




Chipotle Butter

 

Makes a generous 1/2 cup

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

4 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles en adobo, use more or less to taste

1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles

Finely grated zest from 1/2 fresh lime
Juice squeezed from 1/2 fresh lime

Pinch of salt



Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to blend until fully mixed. (Pulse to whip the butter, not melt it.) Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use. Return to room temperature before serving.