Soft Cheese Bread

120ml buttermilk

80ml water

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

25g sugar

72g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp garlic powder

375g bread flour (wheat 550)

250g shredded cheddar cheese

Topping: 30g unsalted butter

Topping: 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Mix warm buttermilk, warm water, yeast and sugar in a stand mixer with dough hook. Cover and let sit for 5min.

Add butter, egg, salt, garlic powder and a third of the flour. Mix on low speed for around 30s, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add remaining flour. Mix on medium speed until dough comes together and pulls from the sides, around 2min.

Keep dough in the mixer and knead for 2min more.

Grease a large bowl with oil. Place the doughball in the bowl, make sure all sides are coated in oil. Cover and let rise in a warm environment for 1-2h or until doubled in size.

Grease a loaf pan (source says 9x5in, I use a 32cm length pan for 750g loafs)

Punch the dough down to release air. Place on a lightly floured work surface and roll into a rectangle roughly at 23x38cm or 9x15in.

Sprinkle cheese on the dough rectangle, leaving a 2.5cm border uncovered.

Roll the dough into a log, place it on its seam. Using a sharp knife cut the log in half lengthwise, then twist the two parts together. You usually lose some cheese in the process, that is normal. Place in the loaf pan and cover. Let rest for 30min, let the oven preheat to 180°C during that time.

Whisk the melted butter and garlic powder for the topping together. Drizzle or brush on top of the dough.

Bake until golden brown, around 45-55min. If the top browns too quickly, put aluminum foil on top.

After baking, remove from the oven and let cool for 10min, then remove from the loaf pan and let cool on a wire rack.