Thanks to Cabot Cheese for sponsoring this Shavuot post. All opinions stated herein are entirely my own. Enjoy this recipe for stuffed challah made with Cabot Cheddar and caramelized onions.

In my last post for cheddar walnut rugelach, I explained that eating dairy foods is one of the most beloved traditions for the upcoming holiday of Shavuot. The tradition may have an agricultural explanation or a religious one. I don’t know and frankly I don’t care. All I need is a reason to Eat. More. Cheese. And when I say “cheese,” of course, I mean award-winning Cabot cheddar.

Cabot’s classic cheddars have a smooth taste with just the right amount of bite. As if that weren’t enough, you can feel good about supporting Cabot because they are a cooperative. That means that the company is actually owned by the farm families in New England and New York that produce Cabot’s delicious dairy products, including cheese, butter, cream cheese and more. Cabot has been doing business this way for 100 years! Yes, 2019 is Cabot Cheese’s 100th anniversary as a cooperative.

Today delicious dairy-filled recipe is for challah – the rich, sweet eggy bread that is the centerpiece of most Jewish celebrations – stuffed with Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar and caramelized onions. What a treat! The sharp cheddar contrasts so beautifully with the sweetness of the onions.

This bread is so flavorful, it doesn’t need any butter or other spread. Just eat it plain as breakfast, a snack, or as an accompaniment to a special holiday meal. The day I made it, I could not stop getting up from my desk to sneak just one more taste. Although this bread is more than good enough to stand on its own, it also makes one heck of a sandwich. A little turkey, some Russian dressing, more Cabot cheese…yum!

Although I make challah all the time, this was my first attempt at a stuffed challah and I was a little nervous. Did you see the Great British Baking Show episode when the bakers made stuffed breads? It seems like there are a lot of potential pitfalls. But I was happy to discover that this stuffed challah was only slightly more work than plain challah and there was nothing especially difficult about it.

The trick is to stuff each of the three strands that make up the challah braid with the filling. After the dough has risen and you have divided it into three parts, roll each part into a long, thin rectange. Spread the filling in a line down the center of the rectangle, leaving a border around the edges. Then fold the sides in, covering the filling, and pinch closed. Roll each piece into a rope, as you normally do, but being a bit more gentle, and braid as usual. Nothing to it!

But when you cut the challah, the cheese and onion stuffing is distributed throughout, meaning that each bite contains the sharpness of the cheddar – and that gooey cheese pull – and the sweetness from the onions.

Now, let’s talk a minute about caramelizing onions. I’m not going to be one of those people who lie to you about how long it takes. You want to cook the onions on very low heat for a long time, maybe 45 minutes to an hour, stirring them every five minutes or so. I know that no one has time to spend an hour standing at the stove stirring onions. My suggestion is to caramelize the onions while you are making dinner. You’re standing at the stove anyway! It isn’t hard to occasionally reach over and stir something in another pan. You can do this part several days in advance, so choose a convenient time for you.

Whether you are planning to celebrate Shavuot in a few weeks, you are making challah for Shabbat or just love to bake bread, I hope you try my recipe for cheddar and caramelized onion stuffed challah. It is a real crowd-pleaser!

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Cheddar and Onion Stuffed Challah Bread

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water, approximately 110 degrees
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 TB sugar
• 2 TB honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 onions, sliced thinly
• 2 TB butter
• 8 oz Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar, grated

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, yeast and warm water. Stir to combine.
2. Add two of the eggs, the vegetable oil, sugar, honey and salt.
3. Mix the dough with the dough hook until a smooth dough emerges, about five minutes.
4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and knead by hand for an additional five minutes, adding more flour frequently to prevent sticking. The dough should be smooth and elastic. It may be slightly tacky to the touch.
5. Place the dough in a bowl that has been oiled on all sides. Cover the dough with a clean cloth and allow it to rise in a warm place for two hours or until doubled in size.
6. While the dough is rising, caramelize the onions. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, Add the onions and stir. Season well with salt. Turn heat down to medium-low and cook the onions very slowly, stirring every five minutes or so, until the onions are golden and caramelized, but not burnt, about 45 minutes. Allow onions to cool completely.
7. Punch down risen dough and divide into three equal parts. (I like to use my kitchen scale to ensure my pieces are of equal size.)
8. Roll the first piece into a long narrow rectangle. Spread 1/3 of the grated cheddar and 1/3 of the onion in a line down the center of the rectangle, leaving a border around all sides. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the seams closed. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
9. Roll each piece into a thin strand. Pinch the three strands together at the top and then braid until you reach the end of each strand. Take the ends and pinch them closed and tuck the under the loaf.
10. Carefully transfer the braided loaf to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
11. Preheat the oven to 350.
12. Cover the loaf with a clean tea towel and allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes to one hour, until puffy. When you press the dough with your finger, it should spring back but leave a slight depression.
13. Before placing the loaf in the oven, beat the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash on the challah, making sure to get in the crevices of the braids.
14. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
15. Allow to cool on a wire rack prior to cutting.

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