Stilton and Bacon Bread
This multi-flavoured and coloured bread is ideal for indecisive families – there are rolls of four flavours in each loaf. It’s great for dinner parties, too. The dough can be frozen when made, if not using immediately, and then defrosted overnight before baking.
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
- 500 ml water
- 20 g yeast
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 75 g Stilton cheese crumbled
- 125 g bacon chopped and fried
Instructions
- Put 125 g/4 oz of the flour, 120 ml/ 4 fl oz of the water and 15 g/1⁄2 oz of the yeast into a bowl and mix together by hand, then whisk with a hand whisk for 5 minutes.
- Leave to rise in a warm place overnight.
- The dough will now smell fermented, rather like beer.
- Add the remaining flour, water and yeast and the salt and knead well for 5 minutes, then leave to rest for 30 minutes.
- Line a baking tray.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two pieces.
- Add half the Stilton and half the bacon into each piece, then shape them into two rounds, put on the baking tray and leave to prove for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
- Dust the loaves with flour and bake for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
