Irish Cheddar Bread (with a twist)

Say Cheese!

There are good days. There are bad days. And there are days where things have gone so miserably south that all you can do is eat cheese.

When these cheese days fall upon me, I see it as two-part obligation. One: Ingest cheese to comfort oneself with its creamy goodness, and Two: Grin and try to feign joy. No, you can’t just devour the cheese, you have to smile and say it too. “CHEESE!”

Smiling (or fake smiling, in my case) during these days is therapeutic. I don’t relish the practice of categorizing every detail of life for which I should give thanks. It just makes me feel like a morally-bankrupt ingrate, on top of being extremely irritable. I think the “fake it ‘til you make it” approach is far more effective.

Irish Cheddar Cheese Twists should work perfectly to reflect my mood today. Twisted would be a fair description of how my face feels mimicking joy.

Note: An insincere grin can look a bit like indigestion. But the upside of this lowbrow observation is that is can be a catalyst for genuine smiling. So, should you find yourself feeling equal-parts bitter and immature, consider your problem solved with a few painful facial contortions.

So, mood be damned, I am throwing myself into baking. And again, I am treated to all of the requisite joys it has to offer—the feel of dough, the smell of the bread, the taste of something home-cooked and delicious—it was worth my effort to muster the energy. And when it comes out of the oven…it elicits a genuine smirk of pride.

Take that wretchedness!

The perfect balance of salt, sugar and yeast.

Distinctively sharp cheese for a cheddary bite.

Cheese! Beautiful cheese!

Mmmmm. More cheese.

Flour power and cheddar goodness. (I'm feeling better already.)

Not especially attractive in the beginning.

But the dough becomes remarkably airy after it chills out a bit.

Ready for the oven?

Not yet! The egg wash gives it that youthful glow.

Ta-da! Brings a smile to my face every time.

Irish Cheddar Cheese Bread

Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois

Makes four 1-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

3 cups lukewarm water

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)

1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Egg Wash: 1 egg (well-beaten) mixed with 1 tablespoon water

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast, salt and sugar with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or lidded (not airtight) food container.

2. Mix the dry ingredients and the cheese without kneading, using a spoon. You may need wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.

3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temp. until dough has risen and collapsed (or flattened on top), about 2 hours.

4. Refrigerate the dough in a lidded (not airtight) container for use over the next 7 days.

5. On baking day, dust the surface of the dough. Cut into 1-pound or grapefruit-sized pieces. Dust your working surface with flour. Quickly shape into loaves. For twists, divide each ball in half, make two long strands and twist together. Allow the dough to rest and rise on a pizza peel or cookie sheet dusted with cornmeal or covered with a silpat sheet.

6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a broiler tray half-filled with water on the lower rack to create steam while baking.

7. Brush the loaves with egg wash. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm in the center. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time.

8. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.