Beet Bread with Goat Cheese and Thyme

Here's how:

• 1

  Day 1 – Pre-dough
  – Mix together the ingredients for Day 1, and let it rest for a couple of hours or overnight.

• 2

  Day 2
  Dissolve the yeast in the pre-dough and add the remaining ingredients except for the salt. (If you’d like chunks of goat cheese in the bread instead of having it evenly distributed throughout, you can crumble the cheese into the dough after kneading.)

  Knead on low speed for 10 minutes, add the salt, and knead for another 4–5 minutes. Double the time if you’re kneading by hand. The dough should be very elastic.

   

• 3

  Let the dough rest in a box or lightly oiled bowl for 60 minutes, then punch it down on a floured work surface. Place it seam-side down in the box, let it rest for another 60 minutes, and repeat the punching.

• 4

  Divide the dough into 3 pieces, shape them into rounds, and place them seam-side down. Let the loaves rise on a floured cloth or in a proofing basket for about 60 minutes, depending on the room temperature.

• 5

  Preheat the oven to 250 °C, and place a baking stone or baking sheet inside.

• 6

  Place the loaves on the baking sheet or baking stone.

• 7

  The internal temperature of the bread when it is done should be 98 °C; this takes about 25–30 minutes.