2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup melted butter
3 to 4 cups flour
2 pounds, Sweet Muenster cheese, grated or ground
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter
Sprinkle yeast over the warm water, stirring with a fork until dissolved. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, sugar, salt, and melted butter. Blend well and add the yeast mixture. Beat in 2 cups of flour until mixture is smooth. Add sufficient flour to make a soft, workable dough. Turn out on a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and satiny, about 8 minutes. Round into a ball and place in a warm, greased bowl, turning to coat the top. Allow to double in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down and allow a second rising, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the filling by combining cheese, egg and butter.
Spray a 10″ cake pan. Punch the dough down, turn out on a floured board, cover, and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Roll into a large circle 24 to 26″ in diameter. If dough resists, cover and let rest again. Fold circle of dough in half and lay across half of the cake pan. Unfold the dough. Carefully lift and press dough to fit into the pan leaving a skirt of dough draped over the rim. Mound the cheese on the dough forming it higher in the center. Pick up the skirt of dough and begin to pleat in loose folds around the mounded cheese, lifting and rotating the pan as you progress. Gather the ends on top together and twist into a knob. Take both hands and encircle the bottom of the knob and give a firm twist. If any dough is torn, pinch together firmly.
Set loaf aside 15 minutes. Give the knob one more twist. Bake in a preheated 375F oven 1 hour, or until golden brown. If top becomes too brown, cover with foil the last 15 minutes. Let bread cool in cake tin on a wire rack. Do not attempt to slice until the cheese has congealed. Reheat if you wish to serve warm.
This bread stems from middle Europe. It can be frozen, served warm, room temperature, or chilled. Do not substitute any other cheese.
This is particulary popular around Halloween when there seem to be an extraordinary number of ghouls and Muensters prowling about.