Blue Cheese and Rye

LeadDog's picture
LeadDog

I made a bread that has Blue Cheese and 45% Rye in it.  The bread got very good reviews on my test subjects at work.  One test subject said it was the best bread that she has ever had.

 Blue Cheese and Rye 

The first night I made the first build of my preferment.  The flour was fresh ground whole wheat.

1st Build Grams Percent 
 Starter7.5 50% 
 Flour15 100% 
 Water7.5 50% 

 The next morning about 12 hours later I made the next build.  The flour was fresh ground whole wheat and 20 grams of fresh ground whole rye.

2nd Build Grams Percent 
 1st Build30 47.37% 
 Flour63.33 100% 
 Water31.67 50% 

When I get home from work the next afternoon I mix the dough up, about 10 hours after making the 2nd build.
 Dough FormulaGramsPercent 
 Flour*500 350 
 Water350 70% 
 Salt10 2% 
 2nd Build125 25% 
 Blue Cheese150 30% 
 Total1135 227% 

 The flour for the bread is bread flour and 45% fresh ground whole rye.

 *FloursGrams Percent 
 Bread Flour275 55% 
 Rye 225 45% 
 Total500 100% 

I put the preferment into the mixing bowl with the water and broke it all up.  Next I added the flour and mixed the dough up into a shaggy mass.  Then I let it set for 30 minutes before I added the salt.  I mixed the dough up until the gluten was developed.  I turned the dough out onto the counter and flattened it out.  I then put a layer of cubed Blue Cheese on the dough and folded it up.  I did this three times to get all of the Blue Cheese into the dough.  The dough was very firm so I figured I would do a free form loaf instead of bread pans.  I let the dough ferment for four hours and I could feel it was just starting to lose it firmness and was starting to puff up.   The dough is put into the fridge until I can get back to it.  The next morning the dough has risen inside the the fridge.  When I get home the next day I take the dough out and let it warm up for 20 minutes then I form my loaf.  The loaf is ready to cook 1.5 hours later so I slash it and put it inside of my cast iron roasting pan.  The pan has been in the oven that is preheated to 460°F.  I cook the loaf for the first 25 minutes with the lid on and the last 15 minutes without the lid.  When I pulled the loaf out of the pan cheese ran out of the loaf.  The loaf is so soft and the crumb is very delicate.  Blue Cheese permeates the whole loaf every part of the loaf tastes of Blue Cheese.  This is a very wonderful bread for anyone who likes Blue Cheese.

Method: 

 

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Replies

LeadDog's picture
LeadDog 2009 July 1
The final verdict in my opinion is that this bread with a pepper jelly is very very good.  I think I would cut back on the Rye a bit as it made the crumb a bit fragile.  I'd love to hear about your results.
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2009 July 1

Blue cheese, pepper jelly (whazzat?)... Only blue cheese I've tried is gorgonzola, but the heavily blue ones look pretty (in a creepy way) intimidating. What do you suggest for a cheese noob?

Looking forward to your next bread discovery...

LeadDog's picture
LeadDog 2009 July 1
TP I'm a cheese nob too.  I went to the store and there was this nice package of some kind of blue cheese that was 25 grams more than I needed for the recipe so I bought it.  The jelly was a hot pepper jelly and was a great match with the bread.  I have friends that know the owners of the cheese shop here in town so I'm thinking of getting educated someday as to what cheese to use.
Next bread discovery is Lemon Zest and Rosemary.  It will come out of the oven in five minutes.
Johnny's picture
Johnny 2009 July 1
Lemon Zest and Rosemary hmmmm...sounds interesting.  So many great breads to try. Can't wait to see the results LD.
Johnny's picture
Johnny 2009 July 5
I decided on a 40% rye mix and used a light rye flour with 70% hydration -cause I love dem holes!
The blue vein cheese I bought was a King Island gorgonzola style called Endeavour Blue. Described as "traditional gorgonzola style cheese with a soft creamy texture and a feisty blue flavour with fruity overtones". Sounds impressive I pickedit because I wanted that full flavour and the Endeavour was the name of Captain Cook's ship and he is a bit of a hero of mine.
It certainly has a strong flavour but that's what I love about blue vein cheese. I remember as a kid watching my dad eat Danish blue vein on crackers with honey. I thought he was completely mad and could not even stay in the same room with that smelly cheese. It's funny how your tastes mature with age. Now I love the stuff - the stinkier the better!
By the way I think I said King Island was a New Zealand cheese. Actually I discovered it is a remote island discovered in 1791 in Bass Strait and located between Tasmania and the Australian mainland. Their dairy products are expensive but always excellent. I think it's because King Island to this day retains its pristine environment.

My Results:LD is correct in saying that the blue cheese leaks out of the loaf during cooking. I had a bit of a blow out on one side where a cube of cheese must have been close to the surface and had cheese leaking all over my baking stone. The smell of the cheese cooking was right throughout the house and after waiting for it to cool the crumb was soft and airy. The blue cheese taste does permeate all the bread and makes for some wonderful combinations with other foods...I might even try some with honey and make my old Dad proud.
Thanks for posting this LD... and now for the lemon and rosemary bread :)
Johnny

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2009 July 4

I think I can smell it from here! Hubby ain't very keen....unless, unless, I bake it on a day when he has flu.

Happy weekend!

LeadDog's picture
LeadDog 2009 July 5
The cheese you used sounds in characteristics like the cheese I used.  I cut mine into small cubes and some of the cheese just crumbled into little bits.  You can see on my loaf where the cheese was close to the surface and leaked out.  This bread is beyond a shadow of a doubt the best tasting bread I have ever made.  The Lemon Rosemary was just ordinary after making this bread.  I'm going to have to make this bread again soon.  It might just be time to go to the cheese shop and get educated.
TP make the bread and put some like hot pepper jelly on it, Hubby might change his mind.
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2009 July 16

Erm...we've been gingerly exploring more cheese. We've gone past Lancashire, now on Wensleydale...crumbly stuff but flavourful. Working our way to blue..., it's not the colour nor the smell (hey, we eat durian) that's bothering us, it's more of the smurfy beasties potentially playing havoc with our system.

Up to no good, eh? Sounds like something we want to do in future.

Johnny's picture
Johnny 2009 July 16
Aw come on TP if you can eat durian you can eat anything! You know the blue smurfy beasties as you call them are actually just penicllium cultures. Would you balk at using a starter if the cultures were blue?
celia's picture
celia 2009 July 17
Teep,

The advantage of being an Asian growing up in Oz is that I have lots of access to and absolutely adore blue cheese.  Even the really bad stinky ones made from unpasteurized milk in France.  I've never gotten sick from blue cheese.  I'm actually far more concerned about the tung chai that sits in an unrefrigerated terracotta pot for a decade, or the chemicals in the salted dace with black bean that comes in a tin and tastes like pure delicious wickedness. :)

But my mother won't touch cheese, and she would shoot me if she knew how often I ate blue (ie. to her, "off") cheese...

Celia
Millciti's picture
Millciti 2009 July 17

All of them have no problem eating gorgonzola or Brie... So what is the fuss really?
My hubby is the picky one by the way and I am the one who is not allergic.

Johnny and Duane your breads both look pretty darn delicious if you ask me.  i will have to get some blue
cheese and give it a try... I just made some Chocolate, Cherry  & walnut sourdough bagels that were so good ... all the evidence was destroyed at once:)  Maybe I'll get pictures next time.

TP you could try the Wensleydale in this bread or if you want to work towards blue try some gorgonzola
a mild italian Blue.

And Celia I agree about the Asian Cuisine lots of scary stuff there... As well as great food too!  Sorry I still haven't had time or the right ingredients for your gluten free yet...  But I will eventually try it.

Cheers
Terri
LeadDog's picture
LeadDog 2009 July 17
TP the Blue Cheese information wasn't pointed at you.  I think Johnny was interested in what kind of Blue Cheese I used.

Here is a picture of the next experiment, walnut and blue cheese.
Walnut Blue Cheese

I'm taking it to work with some homemade hot pepper jelly.  I guess I'll have to take my camera and get a picture of the crumb.
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2009 July 17


Nah I didn't think you were speaking to me, I brought out my blue qualms to help distract and wrench some poor folks off da monitor...from their fixation on these gorgeous breads. BTW, how do you make your hot pepper jelly? ;) Sounds the perfect companion for your blue cheese range of breads.

I get the safe2consume and u-won't-b-sorry message, guys...thanks!...going for it SOON.

 

LeadDog's picture
LeadDog 2009 July 20
That is a Swallowtail Butterfly.  They are not really very common here and only twice in my lifetime have I got a picture of one like that.
Here is the crumb shot of the bread.  The volunteers ate it up in a hurry once they started on it.  I think the Blue Cheese this time was a little bit to strong.  I couldn't even tell there were walnuts in the bread but I have an idea for my next experiment.  The cheese shops here should have some milder cheese so I'm going to check them out.
Walnut Blue Cheese Crumb
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2009 July 20

Thanks, first, for the walk in your neighbourhood....the butterfly's real pretty....and, 2nd, for the crumb shot which looks as inviting as ever.

 

TP

LeadDog's picture
LeadDog 2009 July 21
TP I forgot to tell you about the hot pepper jelly.  I don't know how to make it.  My neighbor gave me some.  I'll see if I can get the recipe.
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2009 July 21
Now...you don't go over and twist his/her arm!!! On the other hand, you may get another jar. You're going to split, right?
LeadDog's picture
LeadDog 2009 July 23
After eating the first Rye and Blue Cheese bread I had in my mind that I could make it better, so that is the quest I have been on.  Here is the latest version.  I found a blue cheese that I like even better than the first one, Stella Blue Cheese.  I'm also looking into making my own cheese.  Here are the pictures of the lastest bread.





This is Pumpkin Seeds and Blue Cheese.  I really like pumpkin seeds in my bread.

Hydration was 70%
Preferment was 20%
Salt 1.75%
Blue Cheese 9%
Pumpkin seeds 9%
Flour was Whole Wheat 12%, Bread Flour 78%, and Rye 10%.

There wasn't enough Blue Cheese in this loaf so next batch is going to have double the amount.  For me it seems the the formula will have to be adjusted to the type of Blue Cheese that is used.  This is going to be a great bread when it gets dialed in.
Johnny's picture
Johnny 2009 July 23
Wow I love the look of the crumb Duane. My kinda bread. I am going for a different style this weekend. A blue cheese and walnut twist. It's more of a bread with a blue cream cheese filling. I'm using a mild blue cream cheese with some crumbled hard core blue beastie in the middle. Hope I don't go overboard...but hey you only live once? right..
LeadDog's picture
LeadDog 2009 July 24

Yea it was a nice open crumb with a crisp crust.  There wasn't any Blue Cheese running out of the loaf when it was done so I know I need more of it.  My co-workers made short work of it and people from other parts of the building were getting slices of it too.
Johnny's picture
Johnny 2009 July 25
Couldn't resist adding some prosciutto and fig jelly in the last 10 minutes of baking. This is a very rich loaf but tasted very nice although I think it would be a little overpowering if you ate too much. The blue cream cheese was a bit of overkill so next time I would use plain cream cheese. I was a little disappointed in the crumb as it was a bit on the doughy side because I was worried about burning the top I might of pulled it out early. Making the twist was fun. After spreading the cream cheese, walnuts and crumpled blue cheese, over the flattened dough, you roll it up tightly. Roll a bit more to about 60cm and then cut the roll down the centre. Twist the two strands cut side up and form into a circle.

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2009 July 25

Both your breads look like very delicious meals in themselves. Johnny, I expect you know that loosely covering the top with foil while you bake the bread to doneness will prevent burning, but, sometimes, we forget.

I love the way you play with your breads.

 

 

LeadDog's picture
LeadDog 2009 July 27
Johnny I'm still trying to get my mind wrapped around this twisting up of the dough. :)  What an interesting idea.
  I had 47 grams of Blue Cheese crumbs left over last week so I put them into my weekly lunch bread, 2200 grams of dough.  Monday when I tried it you could barely tell there was any Blue Cheese in it.  A week later and the bread tastes noticeable of Blue Cheese.  That is an interesting development that might become useful in making Blue Cheese breads.
Johnny's picture
Johnny 2009 July 28
Yeah mate I found the twisted recipe in easy baking by Linda Collister and I thought it looked interesting. Actually it is not a bad little book which I picked up cheap at the book club at work. My twisted beastie did not look much like the picture in the book as you can see....But I like the idea and want to try other fillings in a twist. Maybe a sweet bread with custard and jam.The actual instructions are to roll out your dough into a rectangle roughly 33 X 30 cm (that's 13 X 12 inches for all you seppos:) ). Spread your mixture over the top (In this case cream cheese), then scatter with blue cheese and walnuts. Roll up the dough fairly tightly from one long side, like a Swiss roll, then roll this into a longer, thinner cylinder about 60 cm (24") long. Cut in half lengthways with a sharp knife. Twist the halves together, cut sides up, and shape into a neat ring on the baking sheet.

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