Sweet Whey Bread with Fresh Rosemary Cheese and Bourbon Fig Compote

My, my that sounds complicated - but it isn't! I came up with this bread recipe because I hated to waste the left over whey that comes with making cheese. It is a sweet, dense bread with a light crust and it only uses a few ingredients that you most likely have on hand (with the exception of the whey of course). The compote is great for canning and looks beautiful when spread over the cheese*. With the sweetness of the bread, the saltiness of the cheese and the tanginess of the compote, this tasty tidbit it sure to please!

*see my previous post for the cheese recipe

What You'll Need:

Sweet Whey Bread

3 cups white flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup of whey

1 egg

1/3 cup of sugar

Bourbon Fig Compote

1 ½ cups dried, chopped figs

¼ cup bourbon

¼ cup fresh orange juice

2 tblsp brown sugar

¼ tsp orange zest

¼ tsp ground clove

For the bread:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine the flour, soda and salt in a large bowl. Sift them together, or do what I do and run a whisk through the mixture a few times.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the whey, egg and sugar. Beat on high until foamy and tripled in volume.
4. By stand mixer or by hand: 
• By stand mixer: switch to the kneading attachment and turn on to a low speed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 3 parts. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic about 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky and soft.
• By hand: slowly fold in the dry ingredients to the wet in 3 parts. Once all flour is incorporated, turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky and soft.
5. Once your dough is ready, form it into a loaf and place it on a buttered and floured cookie sheet. Brush the top with any leftover whey or melted butter. Run a knife down the center of the bread to make a slit for air to escape as it bakes.
6. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
7. Let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes before serving. Be sure to slice the bread as thinly as possible, about ¼" thick to serve.

For the compote:

1. Place all of the ingredients into a medium size sauce pot over medium heat.
2. Stir constantly until the liquid is absorbed and the fig starts to break down, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Serve warm or can it to save for later.

Yield: About 12 ounces

Enjoy!