Soft Peanut Cheddar Seeded Spelt Loaf

Steps

1. Prep first: coarsely chop the dry-roasted peanuts, cube the cheddar, warm the milk and melt the butter. Set aside one quarter of the chopped dry-roasted peanuts for the topping; the remaining three quarters go into the dough.
2. In a large bowl whisk the whole spelt flour, bread flour, instant yeast, salt and ground flaxseed.
3. In another bowl whisk the warm milk, lukewarm water, peanut butter, honey and melted butter until smooth.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the spelt and bread flour mixture and stir into a shaggy dough. This is about 68% hydration counting the milk and water, with about 1.8% salt.
5. Knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky; spelt tears if overworked, so stop once it feels supple.
6. Flatten the dough, scatter the cheddar and the three quarters of chopped dry-roasted peanuts over it, then fold and knead 1 minute to spread them evenly.
7. Brush a clean bowl with half the canola oil, add the dough, cover and rise at about 75°F (24°C) for 60–75 minutes, until doubled in size.
8. Brush a 9x5-inch loaf pan with the remaining half of the canola oil. Press the dough into a rectangle, roll it up tightly from the short side and set it seam-down in the pan.
9. Lightly mist the top with water from a spray bottle (not from the recipe water), then sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the reserved quarter of chopped dry-roasted peanuts, pressing gently so they stick.
10. Cover and proof at about 75°F (24°C) for 40–50 minutes, until it crowns about 1 inch above the rim and springs back slowly when poked. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last 20 minutes.
11. Bake 35–40 minutes, tenting with foil after 20 minutes if browning fast, until the center reads 190°F (88°C).
12. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour, before cutting into 12 slices; for an extra-soft crust, cover loosely with a towel while it cools.