I have 2 downfalls when it comes to food.  One is dark chocolate. I find it hard to resist, but because of its rich flavor, I am usually satisfied with small portions of it. That’s a very good thing! My other downfall isn’t quite as easy to regulate. It’s bread. I love fresh baked bread of all kinds. I know I am not alone in this passion.

Humans have been making bread for 30,000 years. No wonder we are so addicted to eating it! Wheat and barley, the first plants domesticated about 10,000 years ago, enabled bread to became a diet staple and hunter-gatherer cultures to become agricultural based cultures. This was an important turning point in human history. Agricultural societies were able to sustain larger populations, allowing for the rise of civilized states. You could say bread was the crucial “ingredient” in the making of societies. Bread civilized the human race.  What a concept! Time to make some bread, no bread maker needed!

(You’ll notice at the end of the post that I have included the recipe again, sans pictures. I had a request for this feature a while ago from my sister-in-law, Karen. Thanks for the suggestion! I will try to do this for each post.)

Cheesy Onion Bread  (adapted from foodandwine.com)

ACTIVE: 20 MIN  TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 10 MIN 

Ingredients:

• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 stick butter, melted & divided
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (3 ounces)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk

Butter or use non-stick spray to coat a 9-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan. In a large skillet, melt the 1/2 stick of butter. Pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into a small bowl and reserve for the top of the bread. Add the chopped onion to the butter in the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it is softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds and season with salt and pepper.

Saute the onions in melted butter, then add in the poppy seeds.

Scrape the onion mixture into a medium bowl and refrigerate it for at least 5 minutes, until cooled slightly. Stir in the Gruyère.

After the onion & poppy seed mixture cools, grate the Gruyere and add it into the onion mixture.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer or large food processor, combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the cubed butter and mix until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the buttermilk and mix just until a soft dough forms.

The dough will be very soft. Use lots of flour when rolling it out!

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead a few times. Split the dough in half and roll each half into a 4-by-16-inch rectangle. Spread the onion-cheese mixture on top of each rectangle of dough.

The filling is spread over the rolled out dough sections.

Cut both sections of dough crosswise into 2 pieces, ending up with a total of 4 4×8 pieces of dough with the onion-cheese mixture on top. Stack 3 pieces, onion-cheese mixture side up, then top the stack with the final piece of dough, onion-cheese side down.

The layers get stacked, filling side up until the last one which is filling side down.

Carefully place the stack in the prepared loaf pan and brush the top of the stack with the reserved butter.

Spread the reserved melted butter over the top layer.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Bake the loaf in the center of the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until it is golden and risen. Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding and serving. The bread will keep, in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature. Refrigerate any portion that will be kept longer than 2 days. Rewarm the bread before serving.

Mmmm!

Long live bread!   ~Linda

Cheesy Onion Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 stick butter, melted & divided
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup coarsely shredded Gruyère cheese (3 ounces)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk

Butter or use non-stick spray to coat a 9-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan. In a large skillet, melt the 1/2 stick of butter. Pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into a small bowl and reserve for the top of the bread. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it is softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds and season with salt and pepper. Scrape the onion mixture into a medium bowl and refrigerate it for at least 5 minutes, until cooled slightly. Stir in the Gruyère.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer or large food processor, combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the cubed butter and mix until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the buttermilk and mix just until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Split the dough in half and roll each half into a 4-by-16-inch rectangle. Spread the onion-cheese mixture on top of each rectangle of dough. Cut both sections of dough crosswise into 2 pieces, ending up with a total of 4 4×8 pieces of dough with onion-cheese mixture on top. Stack 3 pieces onion-cheese mixture side up, then top the stack with the final piece of dough, onion-cheese side down. Carefully place the stack in the prepared loaf pan and brush the top of the stack with the reserved butter.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Bake the loaf in the center of the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until it is golden and risen. Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding and serving. The bread will keep, in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature. Refrigerate any portion that will be kept longer than 2 days. Rewarm the bread before serving.