Cheese muffin チーズマフィン

This is another one of my wife's baking. The original recipe is from the "Beard on Bread" cookbook. This is a very cheesy muffin and we really like it.

Since this is very cheesy, it is best suited as a dinner roll rather than a breakfast roll. But it works for us either way.

Ingredients:
 1 package yeast
1/4 cup warm water + 1/2 tsp sugar to bloom the yeast
4-6 cups bread flour
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup (one half stick) butter softened
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less depending on taste)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or slightly more to taste)
3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese.

Directions:
Bloom the yeast in the 1/4 cup water and 1/2 tsp sugar. Add 4 cups of the bread flour (to start) to stand mixer with dough hook. Add the sugar, salt, 1 1/2 cup water. While mixing on speed 2 add the butter cut into smaller pieces, the pepper, the cheeses and amalgamate after each addition, . Keep adding flour until a soft smooth dough is formed around the hook. Then knead for 7 to 10 minutes.

Place the dough in a warm bowl and coat it with a small film of vegetable oil. Let rise until doubled. Punch down the dough.  If making loaves form dough into two loaves of equal weight and put into heavily greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise until dough is slightly higher than the edges of the loaf pan. Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

 If making rolls use a heavily greased medium sized Pyrex baking pan. Make rolls weighing 2 1/2 oz. each. Bake at 400 for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. For both the loaves and rolls immediately remove from the pans and cool on a rack.

These rolls are full of savory flavor. First the cheesy, parmesan flavor steps forward followed by the pleasant zing of the cayenne pepper. They have a lovely tender texture.  This is a great accompaniment for brunch or lunch