Ingredients
240 g all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
5 g salt
1 sprig rosemary
150 g cheddar cheese, grated (other firm cheese can be used)
1 medium egg (about 50 g), lightly beaten
115 g buttermilk
1. Strip rosemary leaves from stalk and chop finely. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius/400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Combine first four ingredients into bowl and stir to mix evenly.
3. Add rosemary and cheese and stir to mix.
4. Combine egg and buttermilk in a separate container (preferably one with a spout).
5. Add 1/2 of liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and cut in with a dinner (or other dull) knife. Avoid stirring, as doing so will develop the gluten in the flour and make your dough tougher.
6. Add remaining liquid and cut in with a knife. Your dough will look shaggy and rough.
7. Knead gently until the dough comes together into a loose, sticky ball.
8. Lightly dust counter with flour, then turn out dough and gently fold 3-4 times, turning 90 degrees after each fold. Don’t overwork your dough, or it will be tough. Form into a ball.
9. Line a baking sheet with parchment, then place dough ball on it.
10. Press the back of a dinner knife deeply into the dough to form a vertical line; then press knife deeply into dough horizontally (you should now have a cross shape pressed into the dough).
11. Bake for about 30 minutes (although check at 27 minutes), until the surface is golden. Internal temperature should be 92-95 degrees C/200-203 degrees F if you’re that sort of person. If your oven cooks unevenly, at 15 minutes, rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees.
12. LET COOL BEFORE CUTTING. The bread will continue to cook for about 15 minutes after removing from the oven. If you have no willpower, don’t complain when the middle of your bread is squidgy!