French Onion Bread with Gruyere Cheese (From Bake from Scratch French Baking)

This is the perfect bread to make when you are just puttering around the house, perhaps doing your Christmas cards or just hanging out watching Netflix.  Making bread is therapy in the most sublime way.  Watching the simplest ingredients alchemize into a work of art is highly satisfying. This unique bread is filled with succulent buttery onions and gooey gruyere cheese! Oh, you will enjoy! XOXO

Special note. The original recipe calls for 4 1/4 cups of flour.  I personally found this to be too much, but it may depend on the flour we use.  So, add the extra flour if you need, if your bread seems too sticky.  Otherwise, I used the following recipe.

1.  3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, 1/4 sugar, 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup butter, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 large egg, caramelized onions (recipe below), 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, 2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme, 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded and divided.

2.  In a bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt by hand.

3.  In a medium saucepan, heat milk, 1/2 cup water, butter and sour cream over medium heat until an instant read thermometer registers 120-degrees F.  Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture; using the paddle attachment, beat at medium. speed until combined.  Add egg, beating until combined.  With mixer on low speed, gradually add the rest of flour, beating until combined.

4.  Beat at low speed until a soft, smooth, and somewhat sticky dough forms and pulls away from bowl, 9-10 minutes. 

5.  Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a smooth round. 

6.  Lightly oil a large bowl.  Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft free place, until doubled in size - 1 to 3 hours.  (I actually put a little warm bean bag under the dough's bowl and opened the warm oven door near the dough to help with the rising process).

7.  Spray a 9-inch round cakepan with cooking spray.

8.  Lightly punch down dough.  Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 21X12 inch rectangle.

9.  In a small bowl, combine softened butter and thyme.  Spread thyme butter onto dough, leaving a 2-inch border on one long side.  Sprinkle and spread caramelized onions onto butter.

10.  Sprinkle 6 ounces cheese onto onions.  Starting with long side opposite border, roll dough into a log, pinching seam to seal.  Place log seam side down, and cut in half lengthwise, leaving 2 inches intact at one end.  Turn halves cut side up, and carefully twist dough pieces around each other; form into a circle.  Place cut side up, in prepared pan.  Cover and let rise in a warm draft free place until puffed, about 30 minutes.

11.  Put on middle rack in 350 degree oven and sprinkle any remaining cheese on top.  Bake bread for about 50 minutes.  Can cover with foil if it begins to get too brown.  You can put a knife in to see if cooked through.  It will come out clean if it is cooked.  Or you can pop a thermometer in center of bread to get a reading of 190 F.

Bon Appetit!