After many weeks the search was over, I'd found what I hoped would be my winner -- the Stud Muffin.
The Stud Muffin was exactly what I was looking for . . . something different . . . a little provocative . . . but with all the delicious ingredients of a top-notch candidate.
But if that wasn't enough, there was a bonus, the Stud Muffin had an Italian background. Torta di Pasqua { Easter cake} is actually a bread that is filled with cheese and meats.
Stud Muffin in a Soufflé Dish Cooling
This was the inspiration I needed.
I was so excited I couldn't wait for the charity bread baking contest to begin.
The judges, participants, and audience were going to be awed by the three-cheese bread that looked like a gigantic muffin.
The rules of the contest stated that I had to make two loaves.
I started to plan --the entire recipe would take three days to make.
The first day is the sponge starter.
The next day consists of making the dough and letting it rise in a dough-rising container or bowl that is greased with cooking spray or oil. The dough rises in the refrigerator where it will ripen overnight.
This dough requires a long slow rise, but the actual hands-on work is quite minimal.
On baking day, I shape the dough and push it into an oiled soufflé dish, give the top a quick oil spritz and then cover it with a piece of wax paper and put the dough in a warm place to rise. Our warm place is on top of the stove with the vent hood's lights on.
The bread has to almost triple in size before it can be studded with the little cubes of Gruyére. First, the top of the stud muffin gets an egg wash bath, being careful not to get egg on the inside of the dish -- the egg may prevent the dough from rising properly.
I use a chopstick to make little holes in the dough and prod the cheese cubes into the holes. As the bread bakes some of the little cubes melt into the dough and some of them form delicious brown crusty bits on top that are delicious. When the Stud Muffin is finished baking it needs to cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack, then the finished loaf is carefully removed from the mold. I place the loaf on its side on top of a soft pillow that I covered with plastic wrap and a clean dishcloth. This prevents the fragile sides from collapsing.
The round loaf needs turning several times to speed the cooling process. It takes about an hour to cool completely.
I've been making this recipe for quite a few years now and The Stud Muffin always inspires culinary appreciation and pleasure.
The bread is delicious when it's still warm. It will stay moist and soft for 2 days and it's great lightly toasted or heated for a few minutes in the oven to remelt the cheese.
Was my Stud Muffin a winner? 😉
YES!!!! First Place!!
The Stud Muffin - A First Place Winner
Ingredients
Dough Starter
- 1 cup plus 1 ½ Tablespoons 156 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon 2.4 grams instant yeast
- ¾ cup 177 grams water, at room temperature (70 to 90 F.)*
Dough
- 2 ounces 56 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 ounces 56 grams Romano or Pecorino
- 2 cups plus a scant ½ cup 343 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon 4 grams instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon 6.6 grams kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon 2.5 grams black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons 56 grams unsalted butter, softened
- ½ liquid cup 118 grams water, room temperature *
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons divided (70 grams) imported Gruyére cheese, cut into ¼ inch dice
Glaze
- lightly beaten egg
Instructions
Make the sponge
- In a mixer bowl , place the flour, yeast, and water. Whisk until very smooth, to incorporate air, about 2 minutes. The sponge will be the consistency of a thick batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to ferment for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
Make the dough
- Grate the Parmesan and Romano or Pecorino cheeses with a hand grater. Set aside.
- In a measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the water and egg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk all but a scant ½ cup of the flour, the yeast, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the sponge.
- Add the softened butter and mix with the dough hook on low speed while gradually adding the water/egg mixture until the flour is moistened, about 1 minute. Add the Parmesan and Romano/or Pecorino cheese, raise the speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes or until elastic and bouncy. The dough should be slightly sticky. If it does not pull away from the bowl, beat in some or all of the remaining flour by the tablespoon. The dough should feel slightly sticky.
- Empty the dough onto a lightly floured counter and flatten it into a rectangle. Press ½ cup of the Gruyére into the dough, roll it up, and knead it to incorporate evenly.
- Place the dough in a 2-quart dough-rising container or bowl, lightly greased with cooking spray or oil. Push down the dough and lightly spray oil the top. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap -- I use a shower cap. With a piece of tape, mark the side of the container at approximately where double the height of the dough would be. refrigerate the dough. Allow it to chill for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days to firm and ripen (develop flavor). Pat it down two or three times after the first hour or two , until it stops rising. Once the dough is cold, it will stop rising.
- Following day turn the dough out onto a counter and knead it lightly. Round it into a ball and push it down into the oil sprayed soufflé dish. Spray the dough top and cover it lightly with a piece of wax paper and let it rise in a warm area ( 80 to 85 F) until it almost triples, about 3 to 4 hours. The center should be at least ½ inch, preferably 1 inch, above the top of the dish.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F 45 minutes before baking. Have an oven shelf at the lowest level and place a baking stone or baking sheet lined with foil on it before preheating.
- Glaze, stud, and bake the bread. Brush the surface of the dough with the lightly beaten egg, being careful not to brush it on the insides of the dish , which would impede rising. Gently insert the remaining 2 Tablespoons Gruyère cubes into the dough using a chopstick; first gently twist it into the dough to make a shallow hole, then use the chopstick to push in a cheese cube; it should be visible. Don't by shy with the cheese -- I do use more than the 2 Tablespoons -- we really like cheese.
- Place the dish on the hot stone or hot baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the bread is golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will read about 190 F.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack for 30 minutes. With the tip of a sharp knife, loosen the sides of the bread where the cheese may have crusted and unmold the bread onto its side onto a soft pillow (covered with a piece of plastic wrap and then a clean dish towel towel) on the counter to finish cooling. This will prevent the soft fragile sides from collapsing; turn the loaf a few times to speed cooling, but always leave it on its side. It will take about 1 hour to cool completely.
- The bread stays moist and soft for 2 days but is really good lightly toasted or heated for 3 to 4 minutes in a 400 F oven to remelt the cheese.
Notes
- * I use bottled water when I bake -- it is just a personal preference. I don't want any chemicals to affect the taste.
- Adapted from "The Bread Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum
- The times may vary for you depending on how long you let your bread rest and rise. The time the dough spends in the refrigerator and on the counter will depend upon you.
Nutrition
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Gloria
HAHAH....had a great laugh with the title of this recipe. As for the recipe....it sounds delicious. I am a huge bread lover...AND cheese lover. This is a match for me. In fact, I have always said if I was stranded on an island and could only bring 3 things to eat they would be: bread, cheese and wine. With this recipe I only have to bring THIS and wine. Bonus...more room...maybe I should take some water too.
Priya Srinivasan
oh my that looks awesome! loveee the way you have explained! Those cheese cubes melted inside to make a nice texture, lip-smacking good!!!! wish i could taste!!!! So beautifully made and that texture is awesome!!!!
Heather
Yay!! This big boy is gorgeous! I love the bits of cheese and who doesnt love a savory muffin packed with flavor and homemade love? Great recipe and you make it look so easy to make 🙂
April
I have never heard of this bread before and it definite looks like a muffin. Your bread looks so rich and golden. I just want to reach out and grab a slice!
swathi
Torta di Pasqua is in my do list may be next Easter I will make it. By the way this Stud muffins looks perfect I can have them for my breakfast.
Veena Azmanov
It is weird but I too am attracted to recipes that take longer to make? This looks so awesome and looks like a winner. I love savory muffins but don't make it as often as I should. This looks like one I definitely must try.
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh
Meat, cheese, and bread? I'm sold! This looks like a wonderful muffin that my family would devour!
Claudia Lamascolo
I havent had many savory muffins before but boy this one would be a winner for sure in our home I can see how it was a winner for you too
Marisa Franca
Hi, Claudia! Thank you! Everyone in our family always asks for it.
Nicolas Hortense
You sure have put a lot of time into this stud muffin!! The process looks well worth it, you've done a fantastic job (:
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Nicolas. The bread goes well with meats since it is savory.
Adriana Lopez Martin
Congrats on your win! No doubt that muffin looks like the real deal stud muffin, loving the name and all the flavors. I am a fan of Italian Easter bread so this I know I will love. Specially with all that cheese!
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Adriana! It does have it's inspiration from the Italian Easter Bread only without a meat. Just delicious cheese.
Shobee
Saw the picture and I am convinced that this tastes sooo delicious. It looks so rich and I think I need more than one slice of this.
Marisa Franca
It is hard to stop at one slice, Shobee!????
Tammy
My goodness this looks fantastic! I'm loving all that beautiful Italian cheese in there too! I cannot wait to make this 😀 It just looks sooo good ^_^
Marisa Franca
It tastes better than it looks! I do hope you give it a try, Tammy!
Rosemary @anitalianinmykitchen
Hi Marisa, sounds delicious and something I would love to try! Congrats on the win!
Marisa Franca
If you try it let me know how you like it.
Simply Suzannes at Home
Congratulations, Marisa!!
That is so exciting . . . #1!!
I've never heard of a Stud Muffin. It sounds delicious!
I'm amazed at how long it takes to make! You have the patience of a saint ;0)
It looks (and sounds) delicious! I think my family would love it.
Thanks for sharing with us!
Have a great weekend,
Suzanne
Cecilia
Wow, it certainly sounds like a winner. I never heard of Stud Muffins, but now I'm intrigued, I have to try it, hope it turns out well. Thanks for sharing.
Marisa Franca
I'm sure it will turn out great for you. If you have any questions just let me know and I'll try to help. Let me know how it turns out!!
Ciao Chow Linda
Wow, what a treat. This would be perfect for today - Pasquetta.
Marisa Franca
It would be good with left overs but I'm sad to say I never have any left over 🙁 We have three growing grandsons who LOVE to eat and two sons and one son-in-law who really enjoy the finer things in life. I'll be making the Stud Muffin again soon -- it is now a family member.
Diane P.
Ooooooooo!!! I can't wait to try this recipe. I've heard of Italian provolone bread, but nothing made with Gruyére. Very interesting. And the bread looks beautiful!! Great recipe, beautiful pictures!
Buona Pasqua!
Jovina Coughlin
How fantastic. I have not ever seen this bread and I am not familiar with the Easter cake you refer to but it sure looks delicious.
Marisa Franca
Thank you! I it is really good -- I've made it quite a bit for our family. Carol Field has a bread called Casatiello in her cookbook "The Italian Baker". It reminds me of the The Stud Muffin only she adds salami to the dough -- how could you go wrong?? Rose Beranbaum in "The Bread Bible" said she was inspired by a recipe from Perugia, Italy, by cookbook author Jane Freiman. I'm unfamiliar with Ms. Freiman's cookbooks. One of these days I will add the salami to it -- I don't think I'll be able to keep my boys away from it.