one sourdough recipe transformed into two Jalapeno Cheese Sourdough Baguettes… A delicious twist that is perfect for sharing!
Jalapeno Cheese Sourdough Baguettes offer the familiar tang of sourdough bread, a flavorful and spongy crumb dotted with little pockets of cheese, and the subtle heat of fresh jalapenos. This recipe checks all the boxes and opens up the possibility of customizing your sourdough bread with whatever flavors sound good to you!
The business of making sourdough bread is a master skill that can be hard for a lot of at home bakers but this is another great starter recipe for those of us that are still learning!
What is Sourdough Starter?
Sourdough starter is an established colony of wild yeast that can be used for baking. It adds a more complex flavor and texture and once you have some, you can make literally every baked good that you can think of with it.
I built my starter from scratch because I love the science of it but you don’t have to. You can get sourdough starter from all sorts of places, a family member, a friend, a generous bakery… you can even buy it on Amazon!
The thing with starter is that you need to “feed” it to use it. I store mine in the refrigerator where it stays dormant. When you feed it, it gets very active and happy and rises to at least double it’s volume like in the picture above. This is what they refer to when they say that you should use it for baking at the time of or just past the “peak”.
How do you use Sourdough Starter?
For this recipe, I pull the starter out of the fridge in the morning and I feed it. About 4-6 hours after feeding, once it has doubled in volume, I can use it to create the dough.
I mark the amount of fed starter with an elastic band around the outside of the jar (picture above) then keep an eye on it until it has doubled in volume, it is bubbly and active (like the picture below), and is ready to be used.
Whatever method you choose to use (because there are many and they are varied!), you need 50 grams of active, happy and fed started to make the dough.
Why Make Sourdough Baguettes?
Sourdough bread is a labor of love and there’s nothing better than that thick crunchy crust when it comes to a delicious, traditional sourdough boule. Even with our Same Day Sourdough Bread recipe the process takes time but there’s no argument that the delicious results are worth it.
After making sourdough for a while I realized that sometimes we don’t eat it all as fast as we should. I am always trying to be better about not wasting food so I started experimenting with splitting the dough in half. I found that by purchasing an inexpensive baguette pan from Amazon I could easily transform the dough into two or even three baguettes (long narrow loaves) without very much effort.
Once I started making the baguettes, I started to think about how I could add different flavors to the sourdough with different additions and mix-ins. Literally the sky is the limit with flavors and I think I have tried most of them. My favorite so far is these Jalapeno Cheese Sourdough Baguettes!
This twist on sourdough has become the standard for our family It’s nice to be able to make two smaller loaves so that we can eat one and freeze one for another time. Also, making two makes it so much easier to share with your friends… and mine really seem to appreciate it!
How to make Jalapeno Cheese Sourdough Baguettes
Preparing the starter: Feed the sourdough starter in the morning. Once starter has at least doubled and then starts to fall (just past peak) you will make the dough. Typically this is 4-6 hours after feeding but depends on your starter and method.
This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of active starter (about 50 grams). The method that I use is to create a mixture with a ratio of 1:1:1. This means I combine 25g of mature (established) starter, 25 g of warm water and 25 g of flour and let it rise for 4-6 hours or until doubled. I use all but 25 grams, leaving me just enough starter left to feed it again and put it back in the fridge until next time.
In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook, combine starter, warm water, sea salt, bread flour and everything bagel seasoning (if using).
Allow the dough to come together and then mix on low speed for 5 full minutes. If dough seems too sticky, add a little extra flour, if too dry add a little extra water.
Lightly spray a medium glass bowl with cooking spray. Remove dough to the bowl and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place. Over the next 2-3 hours, perform stretch and folds (4-5) every half hour or so to help build the gluten structure. Cover and allow to rest between stretch and folds. The dough will not appear to rise during this time.
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Using your hands, spread each portion out into a rectangle shape about 10 inches by 12 inches. Divide the chopped jalapenos and cheese chunks evenly between the two rectangles.
Roll the dough up into loaves, pinching the seams to seal. Place each loaf seam side down on a parchment lined baguette pan. Lightly spray plastic wrap with cooking spray and place over the dough. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and allow to rest overnight in a warm place on the counter. Do not disturb.
Set a baking rack in the middle position in the oven. Place a second baking rack below it. Fill an ovenproof pan halfway with water and place on the lower rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Uncover and score the loaves in 3-5 places (if desired).
Bake for 25 minutes and then turn off the heat, crack open the oven door slightly and leave the baguettes in the oven for an additional 15 minutes before removing.
Allow to cool completely before serving. Store wrapped in foil or in a large zip top bag at room temperature for up to three days. Enjoy!
Here’s some other bread recipes you may like:
Jalapeno Cheddar Focaccia Bread – Flavorful Italian inspired bread gets kicked up a notch with the addition of cheddar cheese and spicy jalapenos. The perfect combination of yum.
Same Day Sourdough Bread – Making traditional Sourdough Bread is not as hard as you think and this recipe allows you to make the dough and bake all in one day!
Cheddar-Dill Dutch Oven Bread – Easy to make bread with a great texture and a complex flavor.
No Fail Pizza Dough – Simple and delicious – great in the oven or on the grill, just add your favorite fixins!
Pull Apart Sourdough Dinner Rolls – These soft and fluffy pull apart Sourdough Dinner Rolls are easy to make and bake up golden brown, Sweet and delicious!
Get the Printable Recipe Here
Did you enjoy this recipe for Jalapeno Cheese Sourdough Baguettes? Be sure to leave a rating and comment below!
Jalapeno Cheese Sourdough Baguettes
Ingredients
- 50g Sourdough Starter (about 1/2 cup)
- 350g warm water – 105-115 degrees F (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 10g fine sea salt (about 2 tsp)
- 500g bread flour (about 3 cups)
- 1 tbsp Everything Bagel Seasoning OPTIONAL
- 1 cup cheddar cheese cut into small chunks
- 1-2 medium jalapeno peppers diced
Instructions
Preparing the Starter
- Feed the sourdough starter in the morning. Once starter has at least doubled and then starts to fall (just past peak) you will make the dough. Typically this is 4-6 hours after feeding but depends on your starter and method.
Making the Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook, combine starter, warm water, sea salt, bread flour and everything bagel seasoning (if using). Allow the dough to come together and then mix on low speed for 5 full minutes. If dough seems too sticky, add a little extra flour, if too dry add a little extra water.
- Lightly spray a medium glass bowl with cooking spray. Remove dough to the bowl and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place.
- Over the next 2-3 hours, perform stretch and folds (4-5) every half hour or so to help build the gluten structure. Cover and allow to rest between stretch and folds. The dough will not appear to rise during this time.
Final RIse – Shaping, Dividing, Adding the Jalapenos and Cheese
- Divide the dough into two equal portions. Using your hands, spread each portion out into a rectangle shape about 10 inches by 12 inches. Divide the chopped jalapenos and cheese chunks evenly between the two rectangles then roll the dough up into loaves, pinching the seams to seal.
- Place each loaf seam side down on a parchment lined baguette pan.
- Lightly spray plastic wrap with cooking spray and place over the dough.
- Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and allow to rest overnight in a warm place on the counter. Do not disturb.
- In the morning, the dough will have noticeably risen. Uncover and score the loaves in 3-5 places (if desired).
Baking the Sourdough
- Set a baking rack in the middle position in the oven. Place a second baking rack below it. Fill an ovenproof pan halfway with water and place on the lower rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Bake for 25 minutes and then turn off the heat, crack open the oven door slightly and leave the baguettes in the oven for an additional 15 minutes before removing.
- Allow to cool completely before serving. Store wrapped in foil or in a large zip top bag at room temperature for up to three days. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply