You May Want To Avoid Using Fancy Bread For Grilled Cheese. Here's Why
Grilled cheese is one of the ultimate comfort foods. The melted cheese and the buttery, crisp bread is simple yet iconic. Today's concept of grilled cheese dates back to the 1920s, according to HowStuffWorks. This is thanks to the invention of a bread slicer and processed cheese. But grilled cheese doesn't just stop with two slices of white bread and dairy slices. There are all kind of recipes out there for gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.
To elevate your sandwich, The Spruce Eats recommends fancy cheeses like Gruyere or Brie. Of course, you can also add other ingredients, such as meats, vegetables, fruits, and spreads, to compliment your selection. For example, Gruyere goes well with ham, caramelized onions, or pears. Brie, meanwhile, pairs well with turkey, sautéed mushrooms, or fruit spreads. But what about the bread? If you're thinking about trying to elevate your grilled cheese with a fancy bread, you might think twice about it.
Bread with holes could be detrimental to your grilled cheese sandwich
Fancy bread might seem like the perfect addition to jazz up your grilled cheese, but Bon Appétit cautions against it. A bread with a "tight crumb," such as white bread, is recommended. Breads like sourdoughs and focaccia are delicious but tend to have holes in them, which means your cheese melts through the holes — and it's better the cheese end up in your mouth rather than stuck on your pan.
LifeSavvy explains that these fancy breads are not the ideal "vessels" for melted cheese because of the extra yeast. More yeast is added to get a higher rise on artisan breads, but this leads to more gas bubbles. And, after it's baked, those bubbles result in large holes, meaning that you're left with a bread that's tasty but not an ideal support system for your cheese. So next time you're craving a grilled cheese, skip the fancy bread and reach for the standard, sliced loaf bread.
Sometimes you don't want to mess with a classic.