Step 1

Add yeast, honey, and warm water to a large mixing bowl (you can also use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook). Let the yeast proof for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy. (If your yeast mixture doesn’t foam up, your bread won’t rise).

Step 2

Trim the stem off the jalapeño and cut 4-5 round slices off the top of the pepper. Set these slices aside (we’ll use them on top of the bread later)

Step 3

Deseed and dice the rest of the pepper. You should have about ½ cup of diced jalapeño.

Step 4

Add flour to yeast mixture. Mix with a sturdy spatula until nearly all of the flour is incorporated. Note: If you have time, let the bread rest here for 15 minutes or so before moving on to the next step - it will make it easier to mix everything together and give you a slightly taller loaf!

Step 5

Add salt, pepper, diced jalapeño, and most of the shredded cheddar cheese (save a handful of cheese for topping the bread later!). Use a sturdy spatula or clean hands to mix everything into the dough until ingredients are evenly distributed and no dry flour remains. The bread should be slightly shaggy and sticky.

Step 6

Cover bowl with a clean tea towel and let rise on the counter for about 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.

Step 7

When dough has risen, place an empty dutch oven (with the lid on) in your oven and heat to 460° Fahrenheit.

Step 8

Lightly flour a large cutting board.

Step 9

Tip the dough out of the bowl and onto the cutting board. DO NOT PUNCH THE DOUGH DOWN - you want to keep all those nice air bubbles intact so you have an airy, delicious loaf of bread. (Note: If the dough is sticking to the bowl a little bit, wet your hand with a bit of cold water and gently separate the dough from the bowl to get it all out).

Step 10

into a round loaf: Pull each corner of the dough in towards the center (like you're folding an envelope) and repeat until the dough feels tight and begins to resist your folds. Add more flour to the cutting board as you go if needed. Flip the dough over and pull it into a round loaf.

Step 11

Flour a proofing basket or a medium-sized mixing bowl and place your loaf into it seam-side down. Cover with a tea towel and let rise another 30 minutes or so while you preheat the oven. Note: I like to line my proofing basket or mixing bowl with a clean linen napkin to distribute the flour more evenly and help with cleanup.

Step 12

When the oven is hot, you're ready to go! Lay a piece of parchment paper down on your counter or cutting board (optional - it makes transferring the bread easier!)

Step 13

Tip your bread dough gently out of the proofing basket onto the parchment paper.

Step 14

Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of the bread. (If the surface of your loaf is try, brush it with a bit of water to help everything stick). Lay jalapeño slices across the top of the bread.

Step 15

Use oven mitts to pull the dutch oven out and remove the lid.

Step 16

VERY CAREFULLY (without burning yourself!) use the sides of the parchment to lift the bread up and place it into the hot Dutch oven.

Step 17

Put your oven mitts back on, place the dutch oven lid back on the pot, and slide the whole thing back into your hot oven.

Step 18

Cook bread for 30 minutes.

Step 19

After 30 minutes, remove the lid from your dutch oven. The bread should be taller, crusty, and very lightly browned. Continue cooking the bread, uncovered, for 5-15 minutes more until the bread has deepened in color and you have a beautiful brown crust.

Step 20

When bread is done, use oven mitts to pull the pot out of your oven.

Step 21

Use a long spatula or the corners of your parchment paper to lift the bread out of the dutch oven and onto a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into it.