pepperjack

While experimenting with different enriched sourdough ingredients, I decided to incorporate sour cream. What a great decision it was, as this dough for sourdough pepperjack buns is enriched with sour cream instead of butter and cream, for a refreshing sharpness and creamy elasticity.

Sourdough pepperjack buns have a slight sweetness from the brown sugar and a unique richness from the sour cream and egg. Adding some cream cheese, pepperjack cheese, and crushed red pepper makes for a bun that is perfectly balanced with cheese and spice. Enjoy these sourdough pepperjack buns as a pick-me-up snack or to complement a larger meal. 

ingredients

for the dough

  • 120g sourdough starter 
  • 200g sourcream
  • 1 egg
  • 70g brown sugar
  • 10g salt
  • 450g all-purpose flour

for the filling and assembly

  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 4 ounces pepper jack cheese
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

dough steps

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and pinch and squeeze the dough to work the ingredients together until all is incorporated. Wet your hands and stretch the dough up and fold it in half over itself. Turn the bowl clockwise 90° and stretch and fold it once again. Turn the bowl twice more, each time 90° and stretch and fold each time, for a total of four stretches and folds. Then let the dough sit for 30 minutes. Repeat the stretch, fold, rotate, and rest sequence for a total of 6 times, over the course of 2 and a half hours. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let the dough sit until it has doubled and nearly tripled, about 14-16 hours at room temperature.

filling and assembly steps

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Divide the dough into roughly even pieces. Roll each piece out into a log and coil it on top of itself to create a little nest in which to place the filling. Repeat with each piece of dough. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the softened cream cheese and pepper jack until evenly combined. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each of the dough “nests” then sprinkle each with a pinch of crushed red pepper.

Bake for 25 minutes until lightly golden!