Hazelnut Cheddar Bread

Makes 2 large loaves

“Devised for friends (and ourselves) who are best pleased by a zesty,
non-sweet yuletide eye-opener, Hazelnut Cheddar Bread is meant
to be toasted lightly and spread with the best butter. The flavors
burgeon for a day or two after baking, so if you’re making it for
yourself, this isn’t a bread to serve hot from the oven.”

1 1/2 cups milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)
unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1 envelope (1 scant tablespoon)
active dry yeast
1 egg, beaten
About 5 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups (6 ounces) fine-grated extra-sharp
natural Cheddar cheese
1 cup coarse-chopped toasted and
skinned hazelnuts (filberts)
Melted butter for pans and tops

Heat milk with butter and salt until butter melts; cool until tepid, 100 to
110 degrees F.
Combine the pinch of sugar with 1/4 cup lukewarm water in a mixing
bowl (or the large bowl of an electric mixer) and stir in the yeast; leave
until foamy, abut 10 minutes.
Add the tepid milk mixture to the yeast mixture; beat in the egg, then 2
cups of flour, one cup at a time, to make a smooth batter.
Stir 2 cups of the remaining flour together with the cheese, reserving the
rest. Beat the floured cheese and the hazelnuts into the batter until well
mixed, then beat hard (or knead by hand in the bowl) for 2 minutes, or
beat at medium mixer speed for 1 minute.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until dough is
smooth and elastic but still somewhat soft, adding more of the four as
needed. (If mixing by machine, change to the dough hook and knead
the dough at low speed for 2 minutes, then at medium speed for 2
minutes.) Form the dough into a ball.
Butter a large bowl, turn the dough around in it until coated, cover, and
let rise until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours. Punch the dough down, turn it
over, and let it double again, about 45 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface, flatten it to expel air, and cut in
two. Form each half into a fat cylinder and place it in a buttered 8- to
10-cup bundt or kugelhopf mold, pinching the ends together. (Or use
two standard loaf pans.) Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45
minutes. Before rising is complete, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter. Bake the bread in the
center of the oven for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F;
bake 30 to 40 minutes longer, until the tops are golden-brown and the
loaves have shrunk slightly from the pan sides.
Turn the loaves onto a rack, cover with a towel, and cool. Wrap in foil
or plastic and store 24 hours or longer before slicing.

Note: This bread keeps for several days at room or refrigerator temperature,
or freezes for up to 6 months. Thaw completely before unwrapping.

Sweet Dough for Christmas Breads

Makes 2 generous loaves

2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/3 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into slices
Pinch of sugar
4 teaspoons (about 1 1/3 envelopes)
active dry yeast
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 packed teaspoons grated or
fine-chopped lemon zest
About 6 cups all-purpose flour

Heat milk to simmering. Stir in 2/3 cup sugar, salt, and butter; stir until dissolved; cool to tepid (100 to 110 degrees F).
Combine 1/4 cup lukewarm water and the pinch of sugar in a mixing bowl
and stir in the yeast; leave until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Combine tepid milk mixture with yeast mixture; add eggs and lemon zest;
beat to mix. Beat in most of the flour, a cupful at a time, reserving about
1 cup; beat well, by hand or machine.
Turn dough out onto a kneading surface spread with half the remaining
flour and repeatedly scrape, turn, and cut the soft dough, using a dough scraper or a wide spatula, until the flour is incorporated. Sprinkling with
more flour as needed, knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic;
form into a ball. (A mixer with a dough hook may be used for these
steps; knead about 4 minutes.)
Butter a large bowl, turn the dough around until it is coated, cover, and
let the dough rise until doubled, 2 hours or more, depending on room temperature.

[The cookbook includes a recipe for Christmas-Greeting Currant Loaves made
with the above dough, as well as the following festively glazed cranberry-and-
walnut bubble or “monkey” breads:]
 

Cranberry-Walnut Bubble Rings

Makes 2 loaves

Sweet Dough for Christmas Bread (above), fully risen
2 cups coarse-chopped cranberries
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar,
or 3/4 cup each light brown and white sugar
1 1/2 cups coarse-chopped walnuts

While the dough is rising, combine the cranberries, butter, and sugar
in a saucepan and cook them over low heat, stirring, until the sugar and
butter melt and the cranberries soften slightly. 3 to 5 minutes. Cool. Stir
in the nuts.
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten to
remove air. Cut the dough in two. Form each half into 1-inch balls.
Spoon a generous layer of cranberry-nut sauce into each of two well-
buttered 10-cup bundt or one-piece tube pans.  Arrange a layer of dough
balls 1/2 inch apart in each pan; scatter some of the cranberry and nut
mixture over the layer; repeat layers, dividing ingredients equally, until
dough and sauce have been used. Cover pans with towels and let rise
until dough has doubled, about 1 hour.
Before rising is complete, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake loaves in the center of the oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until the tops
are moderately brown and the sides have shrunk slightly from the pans.
Cool loaves in pans for a few minutes, then turn onto racks and cool completely. Wrap in foil or plastic and store.

Note: These will keep for several days if refrigerated; they may be frozen
for up to 2 months. Thaw before unwrapping.
 

Featured Archive Recipes:
Christmas Morning Breakfast
Gingerbread Waffles with
Ginger Lemon Sauce
New Year's Day Brunch
 

More Christmas Memories:
Robert Finigan
Edward Giobbi
Marcella Hazan
Jenifer Lang
Jacques Pepin
Julee Rosso
 

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