Cheddar Jalapeño Bread

Steps

1. Combine the granulated sugar and active dry yeast with 120 ml of the water heated to 38–43°C (100–110°F), stir, and let stand for 10 minutes until the surface is foamy and smells bready.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour and fine sea salt until evenly combined.
3. Pour the foamy yeast mixture into the flour, add the remaining 70 ml water at 20–22°C (room temperature) and 65 ml of the whole milk at 20–22°C (reserve the remaining 10 ml milk for brushing), and mix with a dough hook or sturdy spoon until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
4. Add the unsalted butter softened to 20–22°C in small pieces and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, by mixer or by hand, until it becomes smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the bowl or work surface cleanly.
5. Work the jalapeño and 130 g of the cheddar cheese into the dough until the pieces are evenly distributed; the dough should feel soft and slightly tacky but not sticky, and it should stretch thin enough to see light through without tearing easily.
6. Lightly grease a clean bowl with the neutral oil, shape the dough into a tight ball with a smooth surface, place it in the bowl, cover, and let rise at 24–27°C (75–80°F) for 60 minutes, until doubled in size and very puffy.
7. Gently deflate the dough, turn it onto a lightly floured or unfloured smooth surface, pat it into a rectangle, roll it into a snug log, pinch the seam closed, and place it seam-side down in a greased 23 × 13 cm loaf pan so the surface is smooth and taut.
8. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the remaining 50 g cheddar cheese and a few bits of jalapeño if desired, cover loosely, and let rise again at 24–27°C (75–80°F) until the dough crowns about 2–3 cm above the rim of the pan and feels airy and delicate when gently pressed, about 40 minutes.
9. While the loaf finishes rising, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
10. Brush the top of the risen dough gently with the reserved 10 ml milk, taking care not to deflate the loaf, so the crust bakes up glossy and the cheese browns nicely.
11. Bake the loaf at 175°C (350°F) for about 45 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown, the cheese on top is melted and browned at the edges, the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers about 93°C (200°F).
12. Cool the bread in the pan briefly, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing; the crumb should be moist, tender, and slightly chewy with visible pockets of melted cheddar and flecks of jalapeño throughout.