There’s no kneading, proofing or bread machine needed to make this irresistible fresh-baked olive cheese bread at home. IT’S SO SIMPLE!
Why is this bread magical?
This olive cheese bread is extremely easy to make, so simple that the hardest part of it all is waiting for it bake as it smells incredible!
It’s magical because you skip the kneading and the proofing process associated with making bread and there is no need to use a bread machine!
With such little effort, you’ll end up with insanely delicious bread. Trust me, you have to try it to believe it!
This tasty bread comes out of the oven with a beautiful crust and the inside taste and texture are similar to sourdough and Turkish bread. It is slightly moist, chewy but not super dense thanks to air-pockets inside the bread.
It’s so delicious and morish that you can eat it on its own with no spread or topping! The olives and cheese filling makes the bread even more flavoursome and adds savoury goodness.
The secret is we’re slowing down the yeast by placing the dough in the fridge and chilling it for 8 hours so it rises at a lower rate. The cheese mixed into the dough creates air-pockets due to the fat which does a great job preventing the bread from becoming rock hard and too dense.
8 LONG HOURS? Yes, I know how this sounds but the prep time for the dough takes no longer than a few minutes to prepare.
If you love freshly baked bread in the morning make the quick dough just before going to bed. If you want the bread to serve with your dinner then prepare the simple dough first thing in the morning. It’s a win-win situation for everyone!
Why even give it a second thought, just grab your ingredients make this now!
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Get the BREAD outta here!
I am the first to admit that I am intimidated by the thought of making anything with yeast. There were so many times I felt angry and was left deflated because my dough failed. It’s more of a kick in the teeth when there was so much work involved, like kneading and proofing it several times!
A few years ago I surprised Tomasi by making his favourite sweet bread, the Boston bun. Boston buns are common in Australia and New Zealand, it’s a large round sweet bread with sultanas and is topped with coconut icing.
I was still proofing the dough as it hadn’t doubled in size by the time Tomasi came home from work. When he saw what I was making his eyes lit up but that excitement was for nothing. After 4 hours of proofing that damn sweet dough I shoved it in the oven angrily.
As an instinctual cook, I already knew my Boston bun was a BIG FAIL. When I pulled it out of the oven my sad bun looked exactly the same as it did before I put it in, except it looked darker. Feeling frustrated I let it cool down, iced it half-heartedly and pushed my wonky Boston bun towards Tomasi to try.
I knew Tomasi took pity on me and he tried his best to get through his slice. He said ‘it’s a shame because the taste is there but the texture is all wrong’. The yeast I used must have not activated in my dough or was dead, to begin with.
I can now look back and laugh at my own expense. Though I can gladly say that this olive cheese bread never failed me ever!
Serve your bread with these mouthwatering dishes:
Chicken, Potato & Olive Provencal
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
Ukrainian Beef and Potato Stew
Meatballs in Tomato Herb Sauce
Ingredients for Olive Cheese Bread
You will only need 5 ingredients (water excluded) to create this ridiculously simple bread.
Bread flour – Use bread flour because it’s higher in protein which is needed to produce more gluten. This is important because it helps the bread maintain its structure and help it rise up nicely.
Instant dried yeast – The most common yeast we have here in our supermarkets are dry yeast and dried instant yeast. Dry yeast needs to be proofed in warm water and sugar first before adding to the flour, whereas instant yeast can be added straight into the flour. For this type of bread, instant dried yeast is needed.
Sliced back olives – Black olives are firmer and will hold their shape when cooking. Mine was already sliced and pitted from a jar.
Lukewarm water – This is probably the trickiest part if you don’t have a food thermometer, aim for lukewarm temperature between 37°C to 40°C (98.5 to 104°F). Anything lower may not activate the yeast and anything higher may kill it.
Shredded tasty cheese – (Cheddar cheese) I used store-bought shredded tasty cheese but if preferred you can grate your own. Any variety of cheese that melts when cooking can be substituted.
How to make Olive Cheese Bread
Step-by-step guide with photos
In a large bowl add in the flour, yeast and salt. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients together.
Get the water at the right temperature, if using a thermometer aim for a temperature between 37°C to 40°C (98.5 to 104°F). Pour the lukewarm water into the flour.
Stir the flour and the water until well combined. Gently fold in the olives and cheese making sure that they are evenly distributed into the dough.
Using cling wrap cover the bowl with the dough. Transfer the bowl into the fridge and chill for 8 hours.
Before cooking transfer the dough out of the fridge and leave it on the kitchen bench for an hour. The dough should have doubled in size and it will be airy.
Preheat oven to 220°C (428°F) or 220°C (392°F) for fan-forced ovens.
Line non-stick baking paper on a baking tray and dust it generously with flour. Carefully divide the dough into 4 and shape them, the dough is sticky so make basic bread shapes such as circles or logs.
Baked the dough for 35 to 40 minutes. The bread is ready when it sounds hollow when knocked on the base. This bread is best eaten fresh on the day of it being baked but it’s still good the next day.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Olive cheese bread
Ingredients
- 500 gm bread flour (extra to dust) (NOTE 1)
- 2 tsp instant dried yeast (NOTE 2)
- 2 tsp salt
- 480 ml water (lukewarm) (NOTE 3)
- 1 cup shredded tasty cheese (NOTE 4)
- ½ cup sliced black olives (NOTE 5)
Instructions
- In a large bowl add in the flour, yeast and salt. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients together.
- Get the water at the right temperature, if using a thermometer aim for a temperature between 37°C to 40°C (98.5 to 104°F). Pour the lukewarm water into the flour and mix until well combined.
- Gently fold in the olives and cheese making sure that they are evenly distributed into the dough. Using cling wrap cover the bowl with the dough. Transfer the bowl into the fridge and chill for 8 hours.
- Before cooking transfer the dough out of the fridge and leave it on the kitchen bench for an hour. The dough should have doubled in size and it will be airy.
- Preheat oven to 220°C (428°F) or 220°C (392°F) for fan-forced ovens. Line non-stick baking paper on a baking tray and dust it generously with flour. Carefully divide the dough into 4 and shape them, the dough is sticky so make basic bread shapes such as circles or logs. Baked the dough for 35 to 40 minutes. The bread is ready when it sounds hollow when knocked on the base.
