It’s fall here in Germany, or how I call it: Soup Season. It’s colder than I like, and after spending a while under the portuguese and spanish sun, it feels even colder than usual.

Soup helps with the cold, and so does the cheddar jalapeno bread, because it has this slow burning heat that starts with a tingle in your throat and warms you right down to your toes. It’s perfect company for a creamy potato soup, or to be enjoyed for breakfast with a bit of cream cheese.

I used a whole jar of (homecanned) cowboy candy in the bread, including the sweet brine. The bread packs a bit of a punch, so I’d advise not to feed it to kids or people that are sensitive to spicy foods.

• 1 jar of candied jalapenos (mine was about 12 oz)
• 100g (or more) mature cheddar, cut into cubes
• 320g lievito madre
• 240g jalapeno brine + water to get the right amount
• 300g bread flour
• 10g salt

Mix the water/brine with the lievito madre, flour and salt and knead it until the dough passes the windowpane test. Thanks to the sugar in the brine you’ll end up with a lump of sticky dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, roughly chop the jalapenos and cube the cheddar. Don’t make the cheese pieces too small if you want them visible in the finished bread.

Pull the dough out as thinly as possible and spread the cheese and jalapenos all over. Then fold the dough several times and roll it into a ball. That’s an easy way to distributte the filling evenly.

Let the dough rest for an hour or so, then divide it into portions to form several rolls, baguettes, whatever you like. I made 5 rolls and 4 small baguettes.

Let your goodies rise until nearly doubled in size while you pre-heat the oven to 220°C / 430F.

You can score the breads if you want. I didn’t because I forgot the time and they were already at full proof then.

Bake with steam for about 25-30 minutes and turn the temperature down to 200°C / 390F after about 10 minutes. When the cheese bubbles out and the bottom is browned, they’re done.

Enjoy your cheddar jalapeno bread alongside a cup of soup, as a base for grilled cheese, or as a sandwich roll or burger bun. It’s also great when you slice it up and offer it as a little side dish to a salad buffet.