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Baking recipe · from the recipe book

Crusty Cheddar Pecan Dutch Oven Boule

A crackly, blistered crust gives way to a chewy, open crumb studded with toasted buttery pecans and sharp pockets of melted cheddar.

Crusty Cheddar Pecan Dutch Oven Boule

Ingredients

  • 3¼ cups450 gBread flourplus extra for dusting from the total
  • ½ cup50 gWhole wheat flour
  • 1½ cups360 gWaterlukewarm, about 90°F (32°C)
  • ¾ tsp3 gInstant yeast
  • 1½ tsp9 gSalt
  • 1 cup chopped100 gPecanstoasted and coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup shredded110 gCheddar cheesesharp, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • ¾ tsp2 gBlack pepper
  • 1 tbsp8 gYellow cornmeal, whole-grain

Steps

  1. Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant; cool, then chop coarsely. Cube the cheddar and keep it chilled until needed.
  2. Set aside about 10 g of the bread flour for dusting. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining bread flour with the whole wheat flour, instant yeast, salt and black pepper.
  3. Add the lukewarm water and mix until no dry bits remain, a shaggy dough of about 72% hydration and 1.8% salt. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
  4. Scatter the pecans and cheddar over the dough, then fold and squeeze until they are evenly distributed.
  5. Cover and let rise at about 75°F (24°C) for 2 hours, doing a stretch-and-fold every 30 minutes for the first 1 1/2 hours, until the dough is puffy and about 50% larger.
  6. Dust the counter with the reserved bread flour and shape the dough into a tight round boule, tucking any exposed nuts and cheese under the surface.
  7. Sprinkle the cornmeal over a sheet of parchment, set the boule on it seam side down, cover, and refrigerate overnight, 10 to 14 hours.
  8. Place a lidded Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for 45 minutes.
  9. Take the dough from the fridge; it should spring back slowly when poked. Score the top with a sharp blade.
  10. Lower the boule on its parchment into the hot Dutch oven, cover and bake 25 minutes.
  11. Uncover, reduce to 450°F (230°C) and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until deep brown and 205°F (96°C) in the center.
  12. Cool the loaf on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing into 12 slices.

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

Contains: Milk, Tree nuts, Gluten.

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

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