Print

Caramelized Onion And Gouda Sourdough Bread Recipe

Caramelized Onion And Gouda Sourdough Bread Recipe
Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 22 reviews

This Caramelized Onion and Gouda Sourdough Bread recipe combines the rich sweetness of slow-cooked onions with the creamy, melting quality of shredded Gouda cheese folded into a tangy sourdough loaf. The process involves developing a flavorful, well-structured dough through stretch and folds, lamination with caramelized onions and cheese, and a long cold retardation to enhance flavor and texture. The result is a crusty, golden loaf with a soft, cheesy interior perfect for sandwiches or enjoying on its own.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 350 g water (room temperature)
  • 100 g sourdough starter (active)
  • 500 g bread flour (unbleached)
  • 12 g sea salt (coarse)

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion (medium-large)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 80 g Gouda cheese (shredded)
  • Approximately 120 g caramelized onions (used in lamination)

Instructions

  1. Make The Dough: In a large bowl, combine 350g of room temperature water with 100g of active sourdough starter and whisk until mostly combined. Add 500g of unbleached bread flour on top, sprinkle 12g of coarse sea salt over the flour. Mix using a Danish dough whisk, spatula, or spoon to form a shaggy dough, then knead by hand until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 60 minutes.
  2. Stretch And Fold: With damp hands, grab the dough and gently stretch a flap long enough to fold over itself, fold the flap, then rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the stretch and fold three more times (total of 4 folds). Cover and rest the dough for 60 minutes. Repeat this stretch and fold process once more followed by another 60-minute rest.
  3. Caramelize Onions: Slice the yellow onion thinly and add to a heavy skillet with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring often until onions become deeply brown, fragrant, and sugars caramelize fully. Once done, cool the caramelized onions in the fridge until ready for lamination.
  4. Laminate + Bulk Ferment: Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out. Carefully press and stretch it into a rectangle; allow resting if it resists. Spread about half (around 120g) of the caramelized onions on the top two-thirds of the dough, then evenly sprinkle 80g shredded Gouda over the onions. Fold up the bottom third of the dough and add half of the remaining onions and cheese. Fold the corners inward tightly to seal. Spread remaining onions and cheese on the top portion and fold down to form a neat dough package. Use a bench scraper to transfer the dough seam side down into a large bowl. Cover and bulk ferment for 2 hours.
  5. Pre-Shape and Shape: After bulk fermentation, check that the dough has risen and shows visible bubbles with a smooth surface. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and press into a large rectangle. Fold like a letter bottom to top, then fold both sides about a third across the width. Roll from folded bottom up creating a log shape. Cover with a kitchen towel and rest for 30 minutes. Uncover, flip dough over, clasp ends inward pressing to seal, rotate 90 degrees and clasp to form a batard shape. Dust with rice flour and place seam side up into a banneton.
  6. Prove + Cold Retard: Let the loaf prove in the banneton at a warm place for 2-3 hours. After proving, cover and refrigerate the dough for cold retardation up to 3 days for enhanced flavor. Baking immediately after proving is possible but slower resting improves flavor and texture.
  7. Bake: Preheat oven with Dutch oven or cloche inside to 450°F (232°C). When preheated, invert banneton onto parchment paper and score the dough using a lame or sharp blade. Carefully transfer dough on parchment into the hot Dutch oven. Bake covered at 450°F for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake additional 10-15 minutes until crust is deeply browned and loaf temperature reaches 205–210°F (96–99°C).
  8. Cool: Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely at least 2 hours before slicing to allow the crumb to set properly and prevent gummy texture.

Notes

  • Using a cold retardation step enhances flavor complexity and improves crumb structure.
  • If the dough tears while shaping, allow it to rest for a few minutes to relax the gluten before continuing.
  • Choose a sweet yellow onion for best caramelization results and flavor pairing with Gouda.
  • Use a bench scraper to help handle the sticky dough efficiently.
  • Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly to get good rise and fermentation.
  • An instant-read thermometer is recommended to check bread doneness accurately.
  • Rice flour dusting on the banneton prevents the dough from sticking and helps with an easy release.
  • Slicing the bread too soon can cause a gummy crumb; patience is key.

Nutrition

Keywords: sourdough bread, caramelized onion bread, Gouda cheese bread, artisan bread, laminated dough, cold retard bread, homemade sourdough, cheesy bread

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/caramelized-onion-and-gouda-sourdough-bread-recipe/