As a kid, one of my favorite snacks after a long day at school, was a piece of Jalapeno cheese bread from the supermarket. It was a free-form loaf covered in a crusty lava flow of caramelized cheddar, studded with slices of pickled jalapenos. I relished the way one bite would be an explosion of nutty caramelized cheddar, while the next bite might light my mouth on fire with a rush of capsaicin and vinegar. Beneath the crust, the tender bread hid pockets of cheddar that made eating a piece a bit like mining for gold.
The other day I was craving this childhood favorite, but given how much pickled jalapenos cost here, I decided to do a more elegant take on the rustic loaves I grew up on. This is essentially a brioche-based cinnamon roll with the cheese and jalapenos substituted in for the cinnamon and sugar. Rolled up, sliced and stuffed into a brownie pan, the dough erupts into towering rolls of buttery bread layered with cheese and jalapenos.
By rolling the dough fairly thin before you roll it, the cheese creates a kind of laminated dough, with layers of flaky buttery bread and cheese. To ensure I get a pocket of cheese in every roll, I add a bit of extra cheese in the center of the roll, which melts into a reservoir of gooey cheddar in the center.
I figured these would turn out pretty good (I mean how can you go wrong by layering brioche with lots of cheese?), but to call these pretty good would be a bit like calling the sun warm, or Donald Trump self-assured. If the insanely hunger inducing aroma of baking bread, butter and caramelizing cheese aren’t enough to entice you while they bake, then you’ll certain be sold when you pull one of the rolls apart from the rest, crackling as the crisp cheddar encrusted exterior gives way to a flaky, buttery interior with swirls of melted cheese and peppered with slices of jalapeno.
Units
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 285 grams bread flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
- 4 tablespoons cultured unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 240 grams Cheddar cheese (shredded about 2 cups)
- 120 grams pickled jalapeno slices (about 1 cups)
Instructions
- Heat the milk until warm, about 105 degrees F (40 C). Stir in the sugar, yeast, and 1/3 of the flour. Cover and let this mixture rest in a warm place until it's doubled in size.
- Put the butter and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until the butter is soft and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated (it's okay if the mixture looks a little chunky).
- Add the yeast mixture to the mixer along with the remaining flour and mix to combine. Switch to the dough hook and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and roll it out into an 18 x 18 inch square (45 cm x 45 cm).
- Sprinkle evenly with cheese, putting a little extra cheese towards the edge closest to you and then scatter the drained jalapenos evenly over the top.
- Roll the dough up and then slice the roll into thirds and then slice each third into 3 wheels.
- Arrange them in a 8" x 8" non-stick pan, cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- When the dough has risen to fill the pan, place it in the preheated oven and bake until golden brown (30-40 minutes).
saito says
yummmmmmm! i’ve made this with pre-made bread dough because i’m too lazy to make my own. once in a while, i’ll add in some diced ham or bacon just because
samnmini says
Just a kitchen hint: when I cut the dough into the separate rolls (cinnamon rolls, et all), I always use a generic unwaxed dental floss, no knife, so I don’t squish out any filling. I keep a roll of it in my kitchen drawer just for this purpose. Cut a 12-inch piece of floss, slide it under the rolled up dough to the middle so that you have equal parts hanging out from the dough. Grab 1 end in each hand, bring it up in the air and move your hands in opposite directions until the floss cuts through your dough. This is much faster and cleaner than using a knife. P.S. I adore jalapeno cheddar bread. Thanks for the recipe, Marc.
Mary says
Great ide I will try this myself thanks for the tip allways welcome
Marc Matsumoto says
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy it!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi jade green_eyz, great idea, but unfortunately I don’t think it will work with these rolls as the jalapeños are pretty solid. I usually use a sharp knife to cut my rolls (these ones or cinnamon) and have never had a problem with the rolls getting squished. If you have trouble with a regular knife, try using a seated bread knife (using a sawing motion). The trick is to not put too much pressure on the knife or you’ll end up pinching the dough rather than slicing it.
Glinda says
Hi! Just a quick Q, will the actual bread turn out sweet?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Glinda, this is a savory bread. The sugar is in the dough to give the yeast something to eat.
Kathy says
Isn’t it amazing when things come out even better than you imagine? Especially when it’s something you’re craving from childhood. And such a simple recipe! I was wondering, though; have you tried the Tangzhong method for soft bread like this? I recently found a blog entry and decided to try it -this has transformed my bread baking. The bread has that silken mouth-feel and stays fresh much longer. It even freezes beautifully. Then you can avoid over-eating, and whenever you get a craving, you can pull out a few and reheat. And you can adapt almost any recipe. As a lifetime baker, it impressed me.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kathy, sorry for the late response. I haven’t tried the Tangzhong method, but I think it’s similar to the yudane method of making Japanese-style bread (i.e. adding boiling water to flour to make a starter). It does indeed improve the texture of doughs, and would work great for this!
Kathy says
Yes, Tangzhong requires flour and a liquid, usually water or milk, to be heated to a specific temperature, which gelatinizes some of the gluten. You don’t really boil the flour and water, just gently heat it until it starts to thicken. I found this post: https://simplyafoodblog.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/revealing-the-ultimate-secret-to-softer-fluffier-bread-that-stays-fresh-for-days-part-1-my-universal-tangzhong-converting-formula/
The author does mention Japan in her very wordy, nerdy explanation. My favorite kind of blogs! She goes into a very long description of conversion tables, but so far I’ve just guessed. I’ll have to look up yudane method; I’ve been wanting to try making that fluffy Japanese-style bread, especially since you keep putting up pictures of it here.😊🍞💗
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks for the link. I love wordy and nerdy😆