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Baking recipe · from the recipe book

Cracked Pepper Cheddar Whole Wheat Boule

A crackly, blistered crust gives way to a nutty, open whole wheat crumb studded with melty pockets of sharp cheddar, a gentle mustard tang and plenty of cracked black pepper.

Cracked Pepper Cheddar Whole Wheat Boule

Ingredients

  • 3⅓ cups400 gWhole wheat flourdivided: 100 g for the poolish, 300 g for the dough
  • ¾ cup110 gBread flourdivided: 100 g for the dough, 10 g for dusting
  • 1⅔ cups400 gWaterroom temperature; divided: 100 g for the poolish, 300 g for the dough
  • ¾ tsp3 gInstant yeastdivided: 1 g for the poolish, 2 g for the dough
  • 1¾ tsp10 gSalt
  • 1 tbsp15 gYellow mustard
  • 1¾ tsp4 gBlack peppercoarsely cracked
  • 1⅓ cups shredded150 gCheddar cheesesharp; divided: 120 g cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 30 g shredded

Steps

  1. Evening, day 1: make the poolish. In a medium bowl stir together 100 g of the whole wheat flour, 100 g of the water and 1 g of the instant yeast until no dry whole wheat flour remains. Cover and leave at about 75°F (24°C) for 12 hours, until bubbly and domed.
  2. Morning, day 2: cut 120 g of the cheddar into 1/2-inch cubes and shred the remaining 30 g of cheddar; refrigerate both until needed.
  3. In a large bowl whisk the remaining 300 g of water with the mustard, then stir in the poolish to loosen it.
  4. Add the remaining 300 g of whole wheat flour, 100 g of the bread flour, the remaining 2 g of instant yeast, the salt and the black pepper. Mix by hand until a shaggy, sticky dough forms with no dry patches. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
  5. Bulk rise at about 75°F (24°C) for 2 hours. After the first 15 minutes, scatter the cubed cheddar over the dough and fold it in with a few stretch-and-folds. Do 3 more sets of stretch-and-folds, 30 minutes apart. The dough is ready when it has grown by about half, feels airy and shows bubbles on the sides. This dough is about 80% hydration and 2% salt.
  6. Dust the work surface with half of the reserved 10 g of bread flour, turn out the dough and shape it into a tight round, tucking any exposed cheddar cubes underneath. Dust a towel-lined bowl or banneton with the remaining half of the reserved bread flour and set the loaf in it seam side up.
  7. Cover and cold proof in the fridge for 10 to 14 hours. It's ready when it springs back slowly when poked.
  8. Day 3: place a lidded Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for 45 minutes.
  9. Turn the cold loaf onto parchment, sprinkle the top with the shredded cheddar, and slash a deep cross with a sharp blade.
  10. Lower the loaf on its parchment into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake 25 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to 450°F (230°C) and bake 18 to 22 minutes more, until the crust is deep brown and crisp and the center reads 205°F (96°C).
  11. Cool the boule on a rack for at least 2 hours before cutting into 12 slices, so the crumb sets and the crust stays crisp.

Food safety: Don't taste raw dough or batter: raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs.

Contains: Milk, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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