Cheesy Mexican Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients:

For the bread :

3 7/8 cups white bread flour

2 T course semolina flour

1 package Fleischmann's active dry yeast

2 heaping tsp. fine grain salt

5 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups water

Spice Mixture:

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 T minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. onion flakes

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

For layering:

3 T jalapeno pepper, diced

3/4 cup finely grated pepperjack cheese

3/4 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Dough likes warm kitchens. 

Combine dry ingredients (flour, yeast, semolina, salt) in the bowl of a stand mixer. 

Using a bread hook, turn stand mixer onto its lowest setting. 

Slowly add oil and water. 

After liquid has been added, continue to mix at lowest speed for two minutes. 

Turn mixer to next highest speed and continue mixing for six minutes or until dough becomes firm and barely sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead for two minutes. Form dough into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a towel and let rest for one hour. While dough is rising, whisk together butter, oil and next eight ingredients in a small bowl.

Once dough has nearly doubled in size, lightly punch it down in the bowl. Pull off small pieces of dough from dough ball (roughly a tablespoon if you were to measure it), dip each piece in spice mixture and drop into a bundt pan. Once the bottom of the pan is covered with a layer of dough, sprinkle with 1/3 cup of mixed cheeses and 1 T jalapenos. Continue this process two more times (reserving a little cheese for the top once baked)

Cover pan and let rise for another 45 minutes to an hour, once the dough nearly reaches the top of the pan. Place into the oven and reduce heat to 425. Bake for 16- 20 minutes until top is dark golden brown and crispy. Let cool for 30 minutes and turn out bread onto serving platter. Top with remaining cheese and serve with salsa and queso for dipping. (As a chef's note, next time, we think it would be good to dice and saute red pepper and onions and jalapenos for the layering, too.)