Baking Cheddar Cheese: A Step-By-Step Guide

how to bake cheddar cheese

Cheddar cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be baked into a variety of dishes, adding a creamy, nutty, or sharp flavour. From savoury snacks to hearty meals, baking cheddar cheese enhances its flavour and texture, creating a delicious experience. Whether you're looking for a quick bite or a comforting feast, baking with cheddar cheese offers endless possibilities. You can bake it into crispy keto cheese crisps, a flavourful broccoli bake, or a comforting macaroni and cheese. For a more sophisticated touch, try a pound cake with a savoury edge or a decadent croque monsieur. With its ability to elevate any dish, baking with cheddar cheese is a delightful way to explore new flavours and textures.

Characteristics and Values Table for Baking Cheddar Cheese

Characteristics Values
Oven Temperature 350°F-400°F (175°C-200°C)
Baking Time 7-50 minutes
Cheese Type Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Extra-Sharp Cheddar
Cheese Form Shredded, Sliced, Blocks
Additional Ingredients Broccoli, Potato Starch, Corn Starch, Flour, Black Pepper, Mayo, Sour Cream, Boursin Cheese, Cottage Cheese
Dish Types Crisps, Broccoli Bake, Macaroni and Cheese, Biscuits, Bread, Pound Cake, Spread
Dietary Considerations Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

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Baked cheddar cheese & black pepper spread

This baked cheddar cheese and black pepper spread is a quick, simple, and delicious recipe that takes only four ingredients and a few minutes to put together. It is perfect for entertaining, holidays, and game days.

Ingredients:

  • Cheddar cheese
  • Black pepper
  • Mayo
  • Sour cream

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray an oven-safe dish. Shred the cheddar cheese and place it in a mixing bowl. Grind in freshly ground black pepper and mix. Stir in mayo and sour cream until well combined. Scrape the mixture into the greased dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture is golden brown. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Serve with crackers, hard or soft pretzels, baguette slices, or pita triangles. Enjoy!

cycheese

Cheddar cheese broccoli bake

This delicious bake is a great way to get some extra veggies into your diet without compromising on taste. The recipe is super creamy and flavourful, thanks to the combination of cheeses used. It's an excellent side dish to elevate your meal and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, even converting some self-proclaimed broccoli haters!

Ingredients:

  • Broccoli
  • Cheddar cheese (grated)
  • Cottage cheese
  • Boursin cheese (or cream cheese, herbs and garlic)
  • Eggs
  • Olive oil
  • Potato starch (or corn starch, arrowroot powder or regular flour)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Onion
  • Butter
  • Chicken or vegetable broth

Method:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook, uncovered, until bright green (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from the water and spread out to dry.
  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Combine the cottage cheese, eggs, olive oil, Boursin cheese, potato starch, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth.
  • In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt, cooking until softened. Stir in flour and garlic, then gradually whisk in broth until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened.
  • Stir the broccoli into the sauce and cook for 1 minute.
  • Transfer the broccoli mixture to a baking dish. Pour the cottage cheese mixture over the broccoli, then top with grated cheddar cheese.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown.
  • Enjoy your creamy, cheesy, broccoli bake!

Tips:

  • You can use any shredded cheese you like in place of cheddar.
  • If you want to add some extra crunch, try sprinkling crackers or crispy wonton pieces on top.
  • This dish can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge, but be sure to assemble with the sauce on the day of baking.

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Baked macaroni and cheese

This baked macaroni and cheese recipe is a family favourite, loved by both children and adults. It uses a combination of cheeses, layered in the dish as well as melted into a rich and creamy cheese sauce. It's perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish.

Ingredients

  • Macaroni
  • Cheese (cheddar, gruyere, gouda, swiss, mozzarella, gouda, smoked gouda, swiss, monterey jack, colby jack, colby, parmesan, or pepper jack)
  • Milk
  • Butter
  • Egg
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Panko

Method

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. Boil macaroni in a large pot of salted water until barely done, about 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Whisk milk and egg together in a large bowl; stir in cheese and butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the milk mixture over the macaroni and stir until combined. Press the mixture evenly into the baking dish. For a crunchy topping, mix 1 cup of panko with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle on top.

Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until the top is browned, about 30-40 minutes. If you prefer a more well-done topping, broil for an additional 2-3 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!

Tips

  • If you want a creamier cheese sauce, use cheeses like American or Velveeta.
  • If you want a crispier topping, mix Parmesan into the panko.
  • If you want to avoid a dry macaroni, bake covered instead of uncovered.

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Cheese crisps

Ingredients

  • Cheddar Cheese (you can also use Parmesan, Asiago, or aged mozzarella)
  • Butter
  • Flour
  • Paprika
  • Baking powder
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Seeds (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Avoid using foil as the cheese might stick to it.
  • Grate the cheese using a fine grater. Larger shreds will also work but you may have to adjust the cooking time.
  • Place 2-tablespoon piles of cheese on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1-2 inches of space between each pile.
  • You can also use a 2-inch round cookie cutter as a mold to keep the cheese from scattering. Place the cutter on the baking sheet, drop a spoonful of cheese mix into it, and repeat until you have made all the crisps.
  • Sprinkle on any herbs or spices if using them. You can add dried herbs like thyme or spices like cayenne pepper or black pepper.
  • Bake for about 6-10 minutes, keeping an eye on the crisps. You want the cheese to melt and stop bubbling. Do not let it brown as it will be bitter.
  • Remove from the oven and let the crisps cool completely on the baking sheets.
  • Lift the edge of the parchment paper to lift the crisps off the baking sheet, then peel them off.
  • Store the crisps in an airtight container.

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Focaccia di Recco

To make the dough, start by stirring together bread flour, salt, a pinch of sugar, water, and a generous amount of olive oil. Form a shaggy dough and turn it onto the counter. Knead the dough by hand until it is mostly smooth, then divide it into four portions. Let the dough rest at room temperature to make it easier to roll out and stretch. The olive oil in the dough makes it easy to work with and helps limit gluten formation.

For the filling, use stracchino, a creamy, soft, cow's milk cheese from the Lombardy region. It has a mild, slightly tart flavor. If you can't find stracchino, you can use Taleggio or a Camembert-style cheese as substitutes. However, keep in mind that these cheeses are more aged and have a stronger flavor and firmer texture than stracchino. Dollop the cheese over the surface of the dough, being generous with the amount.

To assemble, roll or stretch the dough into a thin, paper-thin layer. Drop the cheese in small lumps over the top, leaving a border. Brush the edge of the border with water. Roll out another piece of dough and lay it over the top, pressing the edges to seal. Cut a few small slits in the top to allow steam to escape and for the cheese to bubble through. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Bake on the bottom rack of a preheated oven at the highest possible temperature, ideally on a Baking Steel or stone, until the top and bottom are crisp and golden. The ideal temperature range is between 500° to 550°F (260° to 290°C). Serve the Focaccia di Recco as a delicious snack or appetizer.

Frequently asked questions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Shred generous amounts of cheddar cheese. Arrange the cheese in 24 small heaps on the prepared baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 7 minutes.

For a crumb-topped version, use extra-sharp cheddar cheese for more flavor. For an old-fashioned baked macaroni and cheese, add ground mustard and hot pepper sauce.

You can make a broccoli bake with cheddar, cottage cheese, and boursin. You can also make a pound cake with cheddar cheese mixed into the batter and sprinkled on top.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an oven-safe dish. Shred cheddar cheese and mix it with ground black pepper, mayo, and sour cream. Scrape the mixture into the greased dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

You can make Mexican cornbread, baked eggs in cornbread cups with cheddar sauce, or grilled cheese sandwiches.

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