Cheddar Cheese Bread

I've decided that this amazing quick bread will be the final post for the ode to America's Test Kitchen week. Mainly because it is something that is easy enough to put together on a weekday, but indulgent enough to munch on over your weekend. 

People go nuts for this bread. I am not over exagerating. I have even used this bread as an appetizer by cutting it into large yet still bite sized cubes served with no accompaniments, and the entire loaf was gone before any of the other goodies. It has everything you want in a savory snack - its cheesy, crispy, chewy, salty, a little spicy... its incredible.

And I haven't even begun to rave about the toast - it is crazy good. I've been known to toast a piece of this bread as soon as it has cooled down enough to cut. This bread is really the best toasted, and it doesn't even need butter! Butter does make it over the top, but it remains ridiculously good with out. This bread will keep for 5 days in an airtight container or ziplock bag. It also freezes well for up to a month.

INGREDIENTS

3 oz (1 cup) Parmesan cheese grated on large holes of box grater

3 c AP flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp black pepper

4 ounces (1 cup) extra-sharp cheddar cut into 1/2" cubes

1 1/4 c whole milk

3/4 c sour cream

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 ensuring there is a rack in the middle position. Sprits a 9 by 5" loaf pan with vegetable oil spray and sprinkle half of the Parmesan evenly over the bottom.

Whisk the flour, powder, salt, and peppers together in a large bowl. Add the cubed cheese and toss in the flour to ensure it is well coated. Whisk milk, sour cream, butter, and egg in a separate bowl. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry with a rubber spatula until it is just come together (no streaks of flour). The batter will be very thick, but do not over mix.

Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula. Evenly sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top. Bake 45 - 50 minutes until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs attached.

Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan onto a cooling rack. Leave bread to cool for at least 1 hour - this is always the hardest part, but so worth it.

This recipe is from the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook