'Tis the season for some of my favorite foods- SUPER BOWL SUNDAY. Nachos, chicken wings, pretzels, dip-all right on the top of my list. Although my team rarely makes it to the playoffs, I always look forward to Super Bowl for the 1) food, 2) food, 3) food, and 4) friends. This Everything Bagel + Bacon Jalapeño Popper Braid is the perfect way to serve up jalapeño poppers to a crowd without the hassle and PAIN of slicing and seeding a million jalapeños. It is warm and gooey, cheesy and filled with bacon and spicy jalapeños. Slice it up, put it out, and it'll be gone in a minute.
In a large bowl:
1 1/2 cups (220 grams) bread flour
3 tablespoons (18 grams) dry milk powder
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup (150 grams) water, room temperature
On the sidelines:
Bacon Jalapeno Popper filling, recipe as follows
Everything bagel seasoning, for topping
Egg wash, for brushing
1
In the large bowl, combine all ingredients. Knead by hand or in a stand mixer for about five minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
2
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for about two to three hours.
3
While the dough is rising make the filling and set aside.
4
After the bread has risen for a few hours, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a large rectangle, say 9x15. Spoon the prepared filling down the center of the rectangle.
5
Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut slices into the dough along the sides of the center. Make sure the slits are even on both sides since we'll be overlapping them to make the braid.
6
On one long end, fold up the dough to cover the bottom inch of the filling. Begin to pull the strips of dough over the filling, alternating between the sides. Once you have braided it to the end, fold up the other end and tuck under the braids.
7
Let the assembled braid proof for an hour. Towards the end of the proofing time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
8
Lightly brush the bread with a beaten egg and sprinkle with the everything bagel seasoning. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown- about one hour. Let cool a bit before slicing into.
