Helen Oless's Cheddar Cheese Ring
- 1 package dry yeast
- 1 cup milk, heated
- 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (1 pound of cheddar cheese)
- 2 cups semolina flour
- 2 tablespoons caraway seeds, braised
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 5 cups bread flour, (approximately)
- 2 cups warm water
- Cornmeal for baking sheets
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
- In a saucepan, heat milk, butter, salt and sugar to lukewarm.
- Add 4 cups of cheese gradually and stir until cheese and butter are melted.
- Pour into a large bowl and when lukewarm, add yeast mixture and 2 cups semolina flour.
- Work the mixture with a wire whisk until smooth then add caraway seeds and dry mustard.
- Mix.
- Batter will begin to thicken and take on a grainy look.
- Add 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Mix.
- Add 3 cups bread flour, gradually, stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Dough will be sticky.
- Turn out on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, gradually adding remaining 2 cups of flour.
- If you want to make a braided loaf, shape the dough into 3 balls of equal size and roll out each ball into an 8-inch-by-12-inch rectangle with rolling pin.
- Starting two inches from the top, slice each rectangle into three equal-size strips.
- Loosely braid the strips on each rectangle.
- Pinch the braided ends and form a circle with each piece of dough by connecting it with the other end.
- This will yield three rings.
- (If you want a nonbraided ring, simply roll out the three equal-size dough balls into loaves in the shape of French bread, and make a ring.)
- Make slashes on top of the ring with a sharp knife.
- Place dough rings on baking sheets dusted with cornmeal and let them rise until doubled.
- Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, until a hollow sound is heard when the bottom is tapped.
yeast, milk, butter, salt, sugar, cheddar cheese, flour, caraway seeds, mustard, bread flour, water, cornmeal
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2487 (may not work)