She’s had a long bittersweet affair with the rain. She stared out the window, her chin on the windowsill padded by a book, taking in the smells of the earth. A chill went up her spine with the forceful drumming of rain falling hard and sudden on the tin roof. She was suddenly hungry. Something savory. It came in a flash. The idea of cheese, ham, bacon, and olive baked into a loaf of bread was irresistible from taking shape.
Flour to be sifted. A quick whisk of egg and milk. Bacon-ham-cheese in the mix. It’s a breeze. Nothing quite like the smell and taste of freshly baked bread. Serve warm, right out of the oven with a dollop of butter and cream cheese, and take yourself to a fuzzy and warm place.
Here is my adaptation of Cheese and Chive Bread from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table.
- 1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2¾ teaspoons baking powder
- teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk
- 6½ tablespoons olive oil
- 11/2 tablespoons ham, chopped into tiny bits
- 11/2 tablespoons bacon, cooked and chopped into tiny bits
- 11/2 Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1½ cups)
- ⅔ cup pitted black olives, sliced into rings
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a 8½-x-4½-inch loaf tin.
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together and make a well in the center.
- In another bowl lightly beat the eggs, then whisk in the milk, olive oil, and ham.
- Pour the egg mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently to blend.
- Fold in the cheese, ham, bacon and olives.
- Bake the loaf for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375F and continue to bake the loaf for approximately 35 minutes, until it’s puffed and golden, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let it rest for 5 minutes, then turn it out.
- Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop or butter.
Happy Baking!
Nice to wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread! I am not a huge fan of olives baked into bread but love the idea of a cheesey bacon bread :0)
This is a perfect bread. I could eat this all the time!
Daughter, although you are rebellious mommy admits the bread does look good.
So many of my favorite things in one delicious loaf!! Heaven :)
thank you thank you thank you for sharing this. i love olives in my bread.
Found you by chance than fell in love…I’m so hungry now!
Aww… Thank you, Callye.
I have that cookbook and have yet to cook from it! Thank you, An! I wish someone bakes for me, LOL ;-).
That bread with some soft butter and a hot cup of ginger tea .. that’s all I need now! Looks beautiful.
This looks so good and you know I love bacon! :) Love the addition of olives!
wow, this is the ultimate breakfast bread – cheddar, ham, bacon, olives. wowzers. you are a baking machine!
I loved that recipe and your loaf looks AMAZING with the addition of olives. YUM!
Well, I don’t see how this could possibly be anything but amazing. Beautiful job!
Aww… Thanks Brian.
This looks SO good! I want some right now, and in the fall with chili…. Mmmmm.
Bookmarked :)
Love the look of this bread (‘cept I’m not a fan of olives) and love your opening to the post. Great photographs!
Thanks Paula. The recipe is so versatile. The original has only chive and cheddar. You could add in any toppings you like.
OMG with that giant patch of butter this bread is divine!! Love all the salty flavors you added into it :)
The smell of freshly baked bread is just so amazing and when you have all those awsm goodness in them .. looks so lovely.
ooooh – that bread has my name all over it! I made a wholewheat bread with feta, spring onions and olives a coupe of weeks ago and it was HEAVENLY! Great minds think alike ;o)
I am making this today with olives only. :-)
Woot. Let me know how it turns out. You can also add in corn and mushroom that has been saute-d in a little bit of butter.
It turned out very good. Toasted it and had with cream cheese. served it to guests too. Was well received.
I did not have any other ingredients apart from olives..
Very nice it was … I still have some left.. will have it for breakfast with hummous.
Thanks a tonne for sharing the recipe.
This looks so mouthwatering… what a great combination of flavors!