Cheddar, Beer and Mustard Pull-Apart Rye Bread

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup ml beer preferably dark beer

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour divided

1/3 cup rye flour if you don’t have this, use additional all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 1 envelope, 1/4 ounce or 7 grams

1 teaspoon table salt

2 large eggs at room temperature

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or a mustard of your choice

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

dash hot sauce

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon table salt

several grinds black pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar

Equipment

stand mixer

dough hook attachment

small saucepan

pastry brush

sharp serrated knife

9-by-5 loaf pan

Directions

In a small saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup of beer, just until the butter has melted. Remove from heat and add the remaining 1/3 cup beer. Set aside to cool down slightly, so it's warm (110 to 116 degrees), but not steaming hot.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together 2 cups of the all-purpose flour, sugar, yeast and table salt. With the mixer on low, pour in the butter-beer mixture, mixing just until the flour is moistened. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Add the remaining 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and all of the rye flour, mixing just until combined. Replace paddle with a dough hook and knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes on low.

Oil a medium/large bowl and transfer dough to it. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside for 50 to 60 minutes, until doubled in size. (Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dough overnight, wrapped tightly with plastic. The next day, let it rest at room temperature for an hour before rolling out).

Prepare the filling. In the same small saucepan used for the butter-beer mixture, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together mustard powder, paprika, table salt, and black pepper. Add shredded cheddar and toss until the cheese is evenly coated with spices. Keep this in the fridge until needed.

Coat a 9-by-5 loaf pan lightly with butter or nonstick spray. Turn dough out onto a well-floured counter and roll into a 20-by-12-inch rectangle. Brush the butter-mustard-Worcestershire mixture evenly over the whole surface. Cut the dough crosswise into 5 strips, each 12-by-4 inches. Sprinkle the first strip with a heaping 1/4 cup of the spiced cheese. Gently place another strip on top, coat with another heaping 1/4 cup of cheese, and repeat with remaining strips until they are stacked 5-high and all the cheese is used.

With a sharp serrated knife, gently cut the stack into 6 to 7 2-inch segments (each should be 4-by-2 inches). Arrange stacks of dough down the length of the prepared loaf pan, like a card catalog drawer. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise again for 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake loaf for 25 to 35 minutes, until puffed and brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before flipping onto a serving plate/cutting board. Serve warm with cold beer. The loaf pulls apart easily when hot or warm. If cooled, serve in thin slices. Wrap leftovers in plastic and keep at room temperature for a day. Reheat leftovers with scrambled eggs for a delicious meal.