How To Make The Perfect Jalapeño Chilli Bread | Recipe

Make stunning Jalapeño Chilli Bread, the ultimate sandwich loaf.

Quick, simple, and delicious, with easy step-by-step instructions from start to finish. 

Ingredients

400g 14oz Strong white bread flour

230ml Lukewarm water / 40°C / 104°F

15g Softened Butter (Unsalted)

5g Instant or active dried yeast

8g Salt

6g Sugar

70g Jalapeño chillies (split into 2 batches: 40g and 30g)

55g Cheddar cheese (Grated)

1 small Egg (Egg-wash)

Method

Add the sugar and yeast to the warm water, mix well and allow the yeast to activate for 10 minutes. If there are no signs of activity after 10 minutes, your yeast must be dead and needs replacing.

Add the now active yeast mixture to your stand mixer bowl, and add the butter, followed by the flour, salt, and the 40g batch of chopped chillies.

Using the dough hook and the speed on medium, knead the dough for 10 minutes.

If you are kneading this recipe by hand, add all the ingredients to a bowl and partially mix it all together, tip it out onto your worktop, knead the dough for 10 minutes, and then carry on with the recipe.

Turn out the dough from the mixer and form it into a ball, place it into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it and let it proof for 1 hour. The dough should double in size (this may take a longer or a shorter time, depending on the temperature of your kitchen). If you can, proof your dough in the oven with just the light bulb on.

Grease a 2lb / 900g loaf tin.

After the proof has finished, turn out the risen dough onto a non-floured surface and knock the dough back. This means to force all of the gas out of it.

Form the dough into a sausage shape and place it in the greased loaf tin, gently pressing it down to fill in any gaps in the sides and corners.

Cover it with a dry, lightweight cloth, and allow it to proof until it has risen approximately 4cm / 1½ inches over the top of the tin. This should take approx 30 to 45 minutes.

When you think there are only 10 minutes left on the proofing time, preheat your oven to 180°C.

Once the dough has fully risen, brush the egg wash all over the top of the loaf, taking care not to get any between the dough and the lip of the tin, as this may stick when baking.

Score the loaf right down the centre of the entire length of the dough using your Lame or baker’s blade.

Sprinkle some of the 30g batch of the chopped chilli pieces and part of the grated cheese over the top of the loaf.

Get it into the preheated oven, and set your timer for 25 minutes.

Once the time is up, remove the loaf from the oven.

Before doing anything else, increase your oven temperature to 200°C / 390°F / Gas mark 6.

Carefully remove the hot chilli bread from the loaf tin/pan, give the top of the loaf another coat of egg wash, and add more chilli pieces and grated cheese.

Return it to the oven (without the loaf tin/pan).

Depending on the degree of colour you want, bake for a further 5 to 8 minutes on the hotter setting.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
 

Recipe credit - Food For The Flame