The previous two breads I made were both repeats that I chose not to write up again here: Shiner Bock Cheddar from Laurence Simon, and Sourdough Chèvre from Brody and Apter. Of those two, the Shiner Bock Cheddar (with Cabot Sharp Cheddar) came out pretty well: I used a custom cycle on it, and still had some top crust problems. I added the jalapenos and sesame seeds right after the third rise started, and found that the peppers stuck better; the sesame seeds did not. Probably I’ll keep this one in the rotation, but won’t be making it again until I try some newer recipes.
The Sourdough Chèvre I jacked up with a tablespoon of Pensys “Italian Herb Mix”. The top crust would have come out okay, except the bread collapsed in the center. Adding the herb mix did make a difference in taste; specifically, it seemed less blah to me. My personal feeling, though, is that it is still a little bland: I’m not keeping that bread in rotation, as I just don’t feel the results are worth the effort.
New bread: Cheddar and Herb, from the Laurence Simon songbook.
Photos and comments after the jump.