Hey, Stud Muffin

While I was working on my undergrad, someone mentioned The Bread Bible to me, more or less offhandedly.  I followed up by checking it out of my local library first chance I got.  My sister and I made crumpets right away.  I didn't have another chance to make something from it for a while, when I finally decided it was time to try the "Stud Muffin" recipe.  It was a little tricky, because you need a soufflé dish, which I did not (and do not) have.  So I did the best I could and made my casserole work, because as far as I can tell, a soufflé dish is just a taller casserole.  But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself.  Here's the recipe, from Rose Levy Beranbaum,  the apparent queen of baking.  I give only the measurements that I used, which are an inconsistent mix based on convenience and almost certain to give professional bakers blood pressure issues; in her book, she gives measurements in volume, grams, and ounces, so you can use what you're comfortable with.

Stud Muffin, from The Bread Bible
Starter:
156 g unbleached flour 
3/4 tsp instant yeast
3/4 C room temperature water

Dough:
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 oz. Romano
343 g unbleached flour, with a skimpy 1/4 C reserved
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
56 g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 C room temperature water
1 large egg, room temperature
2.5 oz Gruyère, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Begin by combining the starter ingredients in a mixing bowl, and whisking like crazy to incorporate air.  After about 2 minutes, it should be smooth and have a thick batter consistency.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to stand 1-4 hours at room temperature.

After allowing your starter to develop, grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano and Romano cheeses.  In a small liquid measuring cup, whisk together the water and egg.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour that is not reserved, the yeast, salt, and black pepper.  Sprinkle the flour mixture over the starter, then add the softened butter and mix on low speed with a dough hook. (I don't have one, so this was something I had to do by hand.)  As you do so, gradually add the water/egg mixture until the flour is moistened.  Add the cheeses, and raise the speed to medium (Knead vigorously in the bowl), for 5 minutes until the dough is elastic and springy, yet slightly sticky.  If it doesn't pull away from the bowl, it's too sticky, and you need to add some of the reserved flour, a spoonful at a time.  Sprinkle flour over your workspace, and dump the flour onto it.  Spread it into a rough rectangle, and sprinkle about half a cup of the Gruyère cheese into the dough.  Roll it up like a cinnamon roll, then knead it.  This all serves to incorporate the cheese as evenly as possible.

Lightly grease a 2-quart bowl and place the dough in it to rise.  Push the dough down slightly and grease the tops, then cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap.  Put the bowl in the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 8 hours of two days to firm up and develop flavor.  Pat it down a couple times during the first hour or so, until it becomes cold and stops rising.  (I know, this is somewhat counterintuitive.  What you're doing is letting flavor develop; if you let it rise the whole time, your yeast population would grow too much and die off.)

After the dough has chilled for a good while, dump it out and knead it lightly.  Form the dough into a ball.  Grease the heck out of your soufflé dish (or use a coffee can-- with neither of these vessels, I was forced to use my casserole dish, which was a bit too short to be ideal.) and push the dough down into it; it should be about half full.  Cover it lightly with wax paper and let it rise in a warm area until it almost triples, about 3-4 hours.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with foil, and place it on the lowest shelf in your oven.  Preheat the oven to 350˚F about 45 minutes before baking.

After the dough has risen, brush the surface of the bread with a lightly beaten egg, being carful not to let the egg touch the dish (which will seal in the dough and prevent proper rising).  Gently push the remaining Gruyère into dough.

Place the dish on the hot baking sheet.  Bake 45-50 minutes, until the bread is golden and a skewer can be inserted and come out clean.  Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool on a rack for 30 minutes.  Use a knife to gently loosen the bread from the sides of the container.  Put plastic wrap over a cushion or folded towel, and gently dump the bread onto it.  (It's supposed to be delicate.)  Keep it laying on its side, and allow the bread to finish cooling, about an hour.  Then you can finally tuck in and enjoy it!

Ok, as I said, I had to improvise and use my casserole dish.  I decided this was a reasonable substitution after checking the dimensions of soufflé dishes online.  My casserole dish was shorter and wider than a soufflé dish would be, so it wasn't the best stand-in.  Yes, I was able to enjoy a cheesy bread with the delightful name, "Stud Muffin," which was what I really wanted.  However, the texture was denser than I reckon it ought to have been, because I was unable to let the dough triple.  After only doubling, it had already filled my baking dish completely, so I had to stop and bake it off.  That's not to say it was super-dense.  It just wasn't light and airy; it was a more or less standard bread texture.  I also didn't need to let it rest on its side.  In addition to the extra density, it was wider than it was tall.

But it was a delicious, moist bread, and the bits of cheese were like little gems of salty, cheesy goodness.  We ate it alongside soup and salad, with steaks, and by itself.  I loved just helping myself to a heart slice as a quick snack or a tasty breakfast.