Onion Poppy Seed Bread

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients, reserving 3 tbsp of Cheddar cheese and ½ cup of all-purpose flour for later. Knead the ingredients in the bowl until the mixture becomes a dough.

Turn the dough out onto floured board and knead for about 5 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until it doubles in size.

Turn out the dough onto a floured board then punch it down and knead in the remaining ½ cup of flour. Shape the dough into a cylindrical loaf and re-wrap with the plastic wrap. Again, let the dough rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until it doubles in size. The loaf should spread out a bit thus shifting to a more oval cross section.

Unwrap the loaf and put it on a baking sheet that has been greased with cooking spray. Brush the top of the loaf with the beaten egg white. Slit the top down the center lengthwise then widen the cut into an opening about ½" wide. Stuff the reserved cheddar cheese into this gap.

Put the loaf into an oven preheated to 350°F and toss a handful of ice cubes into the bottom of the oven or on a baking sheet placed on a rack near the bottom; this helps to ensure that the crust forms nicely. Bake for 35 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown.

Remove the loaf to a cooling rack.