English cheddar cheese turns a warm orange color when baked on top of the bread.

Easy Rustic White Bread Recipe- Crafted with Creamy English Cheddar

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Have you ever opened the front door to a home where a fresh loaf of bread has been loving prepared and carefully baked? If you have ever stepped into such a cozy reception, then you can appreciate that warm smell that almost seems to say, “Welcome home.”

Easy rustic white bread recipe- crafted with creamy English cheddar- is a simple recipe to make. Plus, it pairs perfectly with homemade soups, salads, and Italian main dishes. My family enjoys this bread on a regular basis. 

Recently, I made it to go alongside a beef and sausage pasta bake dish that I made for a new mom who had recently given birth (*See that post here). This bread is lovely wrapped in parchment paper and placed in a basket for a friend.

I would be thrilled to make my rustic white bread recipe- featuring creamy English cheddar with you. If you enjoy baking and hearing stories, then this is the blog post for you. 

Won’t you come along?

What Makes English Bread Special?

My time living in England taught me many things about English food. One of my favorite English foods was the bread. There was so much variety on the grocery store shelves and all of it was delicious. Never did I “meet” an English bread that I did not enjoy.

When I first moved to England, I can remember reading the ingredients and labels of bread products. Straightaway, I noticed less preservatives than the American grocery store breads. Soon, due to experience, I would note how the English breads would not last long before they began to get moldy.

There were notable differences in the taste as well. The English bread was so soft when fresh… but it also toasted beautifully. Less sugar was generally present in each slice. Bakeries and farm shops would be a step above the grocery store breads- but, either way, English bread is delicious.

Therefore, if you find yourself in England, don’t forget to sample some of their breads. Warburton’s bread was a favorite for toast; toasted tiger bread was a favorite for dinner. (*See my recipe for tiger bread here.)

Cotswold Bakery Bread Inpiration

Side story, when my daughter was only three weeks old, we visited a bakery in the Cotswolds. It was close to closing time and the owner kindly asked us if we would like to have some bread for free. Bakery Bread for free? Of course, we happily said “YES!” 

Excitedly, we brought two loaves home and enjoyed them immensely. In fact, it is this Cotswold bakery bread, which is often at the front of my mind when I am baking bread of any kind. 

Indeed, it is always good to have an inspiration behind a recipe. Now you know my inspiration behind my rustic white bread recipe crafted with creamy English cheese.

Easy Rustic White Bread with Creamy English Cheddar Recipe:

English cheddar cheese turns a warm orange color when baked on top of the bread.
Elizabeth

Easy Rustic White Bread Crafted with Creamy English Cheddar

Easy rustic white bread crafted with creamy English cheddar is a delicious- soft on the inside, crisp on the outside- bread. This bread is easy to make as it requires no kneading. It is delicious served fresh with a salad, soup, or main meal. The English cheddar topping is both sharp and crispy- making this recipe a family staple.
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Prep Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 10
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: English
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 Cups Warm Water
  • 1 Packet Active Dry Yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Salted Butter (melted or very soft)
  • 3 1/4 cup Bread Flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 – 1/2 Cup English White Sharp Cheddar Cheese (freshly shredded) *If you cannot find an English cheddar cheese block you can use another sharp cheddar cheese.
  • Pinch Coarse Sea Salt/Kosher Salt *Optional for the top of the bread.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch Oven If you do not have a Dutch oven, you can use another heat proof baking container (and a steam bath) to create a similar effect.

Method
 

  1. Using warm water (not too hot and not cool), add one packet of active dry yeast to the top of the warm water and stir. Add 1 tsp sugar to the water and stir again. Allow the yeast mixture to activate for approximately 10 minutes.
  2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the bread flour (measured by spooning the flour into the measuring cup and smoothing). Add the salt and stir to combine.
  3. Melt the 2 Tablespoons of salted butter and set aside.
  4. Once the yeast has activated and is bubbly/foamy on the top, gently pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients.
  5. Add the melted butter and gently fold in the ingredients until the flour is no longer visible. The dough will be sticky. (I find a rubber spatula is the best stirring utensil to use.)
  6. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise. Leave the dough untouched for 2 hours. The dough will rise and will still be sticky. Small bubbles will form on the top.
  7. One and a half hours into the rise. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Once the oven is preheated, place the bottom of a Dutch oven pot into the oven. Heating the Dutch oven for 25 minutes. *Heating the Dutch oven allows the pot to be very hot before placing the dough inside it- creating the perfect bread baking environment.
  8. *Turn the oven temperature down to 400 degrees F.
  9. Adding a sprinkle of flour to the bread dough if necessary. Gently use a bread scrapper to remove the sticky dough from the sides of the bowl. Add the dough to a piece of parchment paper (large enough to fit inside the Dutch oven). Roughly form the dough into a round shape… but don't focus on the shape too much here.
  10. Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the hot oven. Using the corners of the parchment paper, carefully gather the edges and lift the paper (and the bread dough) up and into the center of the hot Dutch oven. Note: Be very carefully not to touch the hot Dutch oven sides.
  11. Place the Dutch oven back in the oven and bake with the lid on for 30 minutes. After this time, carefully remove the lid. Add the shredded English cheese and a pinch of coarse salt to the top of the bread. Placing the lid-less Dutch oven back into the oven, bake the bread for another 15 minutes. The bread is ready to come out of the oven when a food thermometer reads 190 degrees F, and the bread is golden brown on the top.
  12. Allow the bread to cool a few minutes and then serve with a pat of butter or with soup…or on its own. Enjoy!

Notes

*If you do not have a Dutch oven, you can also bake this bread in an oven safe baking pan. You can mimic the steaming effect of the Dutch oven by creating your own steam bath method.  Use the steam bath method for approximately twenty minutes and then carefully remove the water pan from the oven so that the bread’s crust can have a chance to crisp. Be very carefully with this method as removing the water bath from the oven can be dangerous. Also, make sure to use the appropriate heat safe pan as thin baking sheets can warp in the heat.
*Store leftover bread in an airtight container… but make sure to allow it to cool before doing so.  Fresh bread is best eaten immediately- or the following day. However, the leftovers of this bread taste lovely toasted and buttered. 
*You can use AP flour instead of bread flour
*This recipe can be made without the cheese topping, and it is also delicious.

Step By Step Bread Making Instructions (in Photo Form):

The yeast is added to a measuring cup with warm water.
*Activating the yeast in warm water.
Active dry yeast packet, a bit of sugar, and some warm water.
*Warm water, active dry yeast, and a bit of sugar is all you need to "wake" the yeast up from its slumber.
The yeast is being activated before adding to the flour to create a dough.
*Give the yeast ten minutes to become active. When the yeast is ready, a bubbly foam will have formed on top of the warm water.
The warm yeast liquid is added to the center of the flour.
*Pour the yeast mixture into the center of your flour. I like to make a center well to pour the mixture into before mixing all together.
Bubbles will form on the top of the bread as the bread dough slowly rises.
*Small bubbles will form on the surface of the sticky bread dough.
English cheese shredded on a cutting board.
*English cheddar is sharp and delicious. You can purchase this cheese at Aldi. Otherwise, sharp cheddar cheese can be used. However, I do find the English cheese is my absolute favorite.
The bread dough will be slightly wet and sticky when added to the baking dish.
*The dough will still be a bit wet.
Carefully add the shredded English cheese to the par-baked white bread.
*Add the English cheddar to the top of the par-baked bread. This allows the cheese to have plenty of time to melt -but not burn from too long in the oven.
English cheese is added to the top of the par-baked bread.
*Shredded English cheese...yes, please!
When the bread is fully cooked, the internal temperature will be 190 degrees.
*When the bread is fully cooked it will reach 190 degrees F. The bread top will be golden brown and firm.
The bread is fully baked and ready to come out of the oven.
*The white English cheese becomes a lovely golden orange color when baked.
Crispy English cheese acts a as a delicious topping for my white bread recipe.
*Bits of the cheese crisp on the edges of the soft bread.
English cheddar cheese turns a warm orange color when baked on top of the bread.
*Rest the bread on a cooling rack before serving. This way you do not burn your hands and flatten the bread trying to slice it.
A warm slice of my freshly baked and buttered bread.
*Truly, a generous pat of butter on warm bread is a simple delight.

FAQ

  1. Do I have to use bread flour? You do not have to use bread flour. You can use All-purpose flour. However, bread flour has more protein than AP purpose flour and creates a stronger, stretchier bread dough (due to its higher gluten content). In this recipe, the bread flour allows the bread to hold its shape while giving the bread strength. Using all-purpose flour will produce yummy results- albeit with a slightly softer texture.
  2. Do I have to add the cheese topping? No, you can make this bread without the cheese topping, and it will still be delicious served with a pat of butter. The cheese topping does give the bread a rich, salty flavor and a nice crisp top.
  3. What temperature will the bread be when fully baked? I generally bake my bread until it reaches 190 degrees F. I do not like the bread to reach higher than 200 degrees F- if I can help it. In my opinion, this temperature produces a soft and light interior without overbaking or drying the bread out.
  4. How do I store leftovers? Like all homemade breads, this recipe is best eaten fresh. However, if stored in an airtight container or Ziplock bag- it will remain fresh for two days. It is worth noting that this bread is delicious toasted and slathered in butter. I never can decide if I like this bread better fresh out of the oven… or toasted the next day.
  5. What pairs well with this bread? Butter! I like to serve this bread as a side dish to many of my family dinners. Rustic White bread goes well with my pasta bake, my lasagna, or with creamy soups, and fresh salads.
  6. Do I have to use a Dutch oven for this recipe? No. However, the Dutch oven does produce the best results- as the steam is trapped inside the pot while the bread bakes- thus producing a soft interior. Once the Dutch oven lid is removed (during the last half of the bake)- a crisp outside crust will then be produced. You can also use a bread pan or the bottom of a cast iron (heat safe) pot. If you do not have a lid, you can add a pan of water to the oven to also mimic a steaming effect.

Until Next Time

Well, that is it for this post. I hope you leave today filled with new recipe ideas and inspirations. Whether you plan to create a thoughtful meal for a new mom (or a loved one) or whether this easy rustic white bread recipe crafted with creamy English cheddar is meant to accompany a lovely family meal- I hope you enjoyed the journey. Baking bread is a rewarding task and one that brings great joy and warmth to a home. 

If you enjoyed this post, do stop by my guide page for more traditional English recipes here. And don’t forget to subscribe to my blog (it is free), this way you do not miss a post. For more inspirations and ideas also visit my Facebook and Pinterest pages for more content. 

As always, I hope to see you all again here very soon. Until next time…

~Elizabeth~

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