Today I’m going to share the secret recipe for my all-time favorite sourdough – jalapeno & parmesan loaf. With a kick from jalapeno and tangy parmesan cheese, this sourdough is so delicious by itself! Besides the spiciness of the jalapeno and the sharpness of parmesan, you will also taste the nutty, creamy flavour of flour. It has such a complex of flavours and it explodes in my mind every time I grab a bite. Give it a try, I’m sure you will fall in love with it too.
RECIPE
| weight | ingredient | baker’s percentage |
| 500g | baker’s flour | 100% |
| 360g | water | 72% |
| 10g | salt | 2% |
| 125g | starter | 25% |
| 60g | jalapeno | 12% |
| 90g | parmesan | 18% |
Schedule
| Day 1 | |
| 10:00 | feed starter |
| 14:30 | mix dough (window pane test) add jalapeno and parmesan |
| 15:00 | bulk ferment start |
| 21:00 | pre-shape |
| 21:30 | final shape |
| 21:45 | cold retard in the fridge |
| Day 2 | |
| 10:00 | pre heat oven/ roast dish tray |
| 10:45 | score and bake at 250 degrees for 20 mins with steam, 230 degrees without steam |
Before you start:
- I used Defiance white baker’s flour for this recipe. Defiance is one of the bread flours you can easily find at Woolworths supermarket in Australia. There is another brand but I prefer Defiance because of its protein content (12.5%). Any flour that has a similar protein level will work. (If your flour has a higher protein content than that, feel free to add more water during the mixing process)
- For people who can’t eat too spicy, use pickled jalapeno. Remember to get rid of the seeds and pat dry before adding to the dough.
- I cut the parmesan into cubes. It is also fine to use shredded ones. If you prefer milder cheese, use cheddar instead or any cheese you like.
- Stand mixer is your best friend in the kitchen! I use a Kenwood stand mixer for mixing the dough. It saves so much time and allows me to reduce the folds needed during bulk ferment.
- At the time I made this loaf, it was winter time, and the bulk ferment was around 6 hours. I didn’t perform any fold this time as the mixer mixed the dough really well, and the gluten was well developed. Also, the hydration of the dough isn’t too high. It has enough structure to hold itself.
Workflow:
- Mix flour and water (save about 30g for later) first until the dough is formed. Then I add in the starter and continue mixing until gluten starts to form (the dough is getting stretchy). At this moment the dough should be more smooth and if you perform a window pane test, the dough won’t tear easily and there will be a rather thin and translucent layer. That means the gluten is developed. I then add the salt and the remaining water. Mix for 3 more minutes or until the dough is smooth.
- Spread the dough on the bench and fold in jalapeno and cheese.
- Transfer the dough to a container (a transparent square container is ideal). Bulk ferment starts.
- Poke test to see if the dough is ready. Pre-shape the dough into 2 balls and rest on the bench for 30 minutes.
- Final shape. Shape the dough again and leave it in bannetons. (or any containers of your choice) Bench rest for 15 minutes and transfer into fridge for cold retard overnight.
- The next day, preheat the oven to max setting. I also leave a roast tray(where the dough will be baked on it, at the lower-middle layer) and another baking tray (where the boiling water will go to create steam, at the bottom layer) in the oven during preheating. Boil some water when the oven is preheated.
- Take out the bread from the fridge. Score and carefully transfer the dough onto the roast tray. Pour the boiling water into the bottom tray. Bake at 250 degrees for 25 minutes. Take out the bottom tray with water. Lower the temperature to 230 degrees and bake for another 20-25 minutes. Turn the tray if necessary.
- Cool down for at least 1.5 hours before cutting.
Hope you will enjoy this divine sourdough as I do. Let me know if you have any questions.
