Diane's Cowboy Candy Bread

Diane's Cowboy Candy Bread

   Yes! you read that right.  I invented a new bread that uses my canned Cowboy Candy (aka candied jalapenos.) A few years back cowboy candy for canning was 'all the rage' and is still a much loved and shared canning recipe today.  I wanted to use some of my cowboy candy in a fun and tasty way.  I made up this recipe using cowboy candy, some of the brine, cheese and bacon woven throughout the bread.  If you can spare a jar, try baking up some of this! It's a savory yeast bread with a slight heat, and sweet candied jalapeno kick.
Enjoy! Diane
 
Diane's Cowboy Candy Bread

Ingredients:
3-1/2 cups Unbleached All-purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Instant Yeast
1-1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 cup Shredded Mexican Blend Cheeses
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
1/4 cup Cowboy Candy, Finely Diced
1/4 cup Bacon Crumbles
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Softened
2 Tbs Warmed Water, plus more if needed *see below
2 Tbs Cowboy Candy Brine
1 cup slightly warmed Milk

Topping:
a few slices of  Cowboy Candy
save some bacon crumbles for topping, if preferred

Directions:
Stir together flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Mix in all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl. Mix with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until it forms a rough dough. Switch over to the dough hook and mix on low speed for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth.
If kneading by hand, knead 10 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Add as little extra flour as possible.
Loosely cover dough in a lightly olive oiled bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour.
Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan. Remove the dough to a lightly oiled surface and shape into an 8-inch loaf. Place in the pan. Cover the pan with a lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes, until the bread has risen above the sides of the pan.
Heat the oven to 350ºF. Top the bread with sliced cowboy candy and a few bacon crumbles. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until golden.
Place pan on a wire cooling rack, remove bread from pan after 15 minutes to cool completely.

Recipe Note *add water if your dough is too dry and not coming together while mixing, add a little at a time...as always with bread making - add a little flour if too wet, a little water if too dry. 
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Want to make your own Cowboy Candy - click HERE 
Recipe & Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home