Cheddar & Herb Bread

Whisk together 2/3 cup of water, 2/3 cup of buttermilk and 1 packet of instant yeast until the yeast dissolves

Add the yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons of melted butter into the flour mixture

Mix until a soft dough forms

Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface

Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. The dough should feel soft and elastic, tacky, but not sticky. If the dough is sticky, add a bit more flour until it no longer feels sticky

Once you are done kneading, begin tucking the sides of the dough under to form it into a ball

Place the ball of dough into a large glass bowl that has been greased with 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 60-90 minutes in a warm place

Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it onto a floured work surface and roll it out into a large rectangle

Cover the entire surface of the dough with 2 cups of cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of finely chopped herbs

Roll the dough tightly, starting on the short end (see photos above)

Cut the rolled dough in half longwise

Gather the two halves together at the top and braid the dough three times over (see photos above) and finish the braid by gathering the bottoms together neatly

Transfer the braided dough into a buttered 9"x5" loaf pan and cover it loosely with non-stick plastic wrap

Rest for 20-25 minutes or until the dough has puffed up about 1 inch over the sides of the pan

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Remove the plastic wrap and place the loaf onto the middle rack in your preheated oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until the bread is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 185-190 degrees

Transfer the loaf (in the pan) onto a cooling rack and brush the crust with 1 tablespoon of melted butter

After 5 minutes, transfer the loaf out of the pan and directly onto the cooling rack

Allow the bread to cool for 60 minutes before cutting

Store in an airtight container at room temperature