Heart warming freshly baked Savoury Cheese and onion cob

On a cold wintry day like today what could be better than baking a lovely savoury cheese and onion cob. This late winter doesn't want to let go at the moment here in the UK, so I have decided to hunker down, keep warm and bake some fresh bread. The recipe is a straight forward 500g strong white flour mix with the addition of some savoury ingredients including strong mature cheddar, finely chopped onion and garlic with a sprinkling of dried coriander to give it bite.

The process of bread making has to be fairly precise, its all about developing the dough. Because of the extra savoury ingredients used in this Savoury Cheese and Onion Cob recipe I have given the dough two knock-backs (rest and knead the dough) before moulding or shaping the dough for the final prove, this will allow the dough to develop flavour and hold up better. I have used a mixing machine fitted with a dough hook, if you're feeling energetic you can do it by hand.

Ingredients for savoury cheese and onion cob


 500g Strong white bread flour (go for a quality flour like Allinson)

1 and half teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of sugar
15ml vegetable oil or baking margarine
15g dried fast baked yeast
300ml to 330ml warm or tepid water
half a small onion finely chopped (some longer pieces for décor)
2 small pieces of fresh garlic
about a 100g of mature grated cheddar
2 teaspoons of dried chopped coriander (freshly chopped is better)
1 beaten egg to brush cob 

Method for Savoury Cheese and Onion Cob

Weigh off all your dry ingredients including the margarine or oil and put into your preferred mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, keep the dried yeast till last, mix in the coriander then pop in your dried yeast, add the tepid water and set your machine to its lowest speed and mix for about a minute or until the dough starts to come together and leaves the side of the mixing bowl.



Switch up to second gear/speed and mix for a further 5 minutes, take the dough hook off and cling-film the bowl, leave to double in size usually around 40 minutes depending on your water temperature. Knock-back the dough by hand, knead a little to develop the gluten then pop back into the mixing bowl and add your chopped onion and garlic along with the grated mature cheddar.

Mix until all your savoury ingredients are combined smoothly into the dough (don't over mix), now wrap the bowl again with cling film and leave for the final knock-back.

After you have knocked-back the final dough, shape or mould into round cob like shapes, i got two 500g Cobs and egg wash then sprinkle with some onion,  prove for another 40 minutes, you will need at least double the size of the cob you just moulded before placing into the oven. Just before placing into the oven carefully egg wash again.

Set your oven to its highest temperature and bake for 5 minutes then reduce heat to around 200 C electric for another 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. You can freeze this Savoury Cheese and Onion Cob for a month if you want, i'd rather eat it now ;)