If you do anything today, MAKE.THIS.BREAD! I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this is quite possibly one of the best things I have ever made. This bread pairs perfectly alongside any Italian dish or by itself as an appetizer. This bread has several flavours that complement each other so well, and has a perfect balance between cheese, herbs, garlick, and sweet honey. Delightful!
Let's get right into it:
Cheesy Herby Garlicky Pull Apart Bread
Servings: 8
Cal: 480 Fat:20 Carbs: 57 Fiber:2 Protein: 15
Prep Time: 1 hr. 45 min.
Bake Time: 35 min.
Total Time: 2 hr. 20 min.
Ingredients:
For the dough:
1/2 cup water (warm)
1 cup whole milk (warmed to 110F)
2 1/4 tsp rapid-rise yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1.5 tsp salt
1/2 heaping tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/4-1/2 tbsp dried, depending how herby you like it)
1/2 heaping tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (or, use 1/4-1/2 tbsp chopped, dried rosemary, depending on how herby you like it)
4 cups flour, divided
For the butter sauce:
6 tbsp butter, sliced
4 good-sized garlick cloves, no scrawny ones, grated on the small side of a box grater
2.5 tbsp honey
Other:
8 oz Gruyere or White Cheddar Cheese (Something that melts well. These two or a combo of each is preferred.)
Olive oil for greasing your bowl
Extra butter for greasing your bundt pan
Instructions: (*Refer to the notes for pictures of dough consistency and the layering process.)
Combine 1/2 cup warm water, 1 cup warm milk, 2 1/4 tsp yeast, and 1 tbsp sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let it set for a minute.
Add 1 egg, 1.5 tsp salt, and 3 cups flour, and mix on medium speed.
Add chopped herbs. (TIP: If you find that your dried rosemary flies everywhere while you are trying to chop it, add some oil so it coats the herbs, and then chop!) Mix until combined. *
Add remaining 1 cup flour and mix on medium - medium high speed for 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead for 10 minutes, adding as little flour as possible. Dough should be sticky but not wet.
Transfer the dough to an olive oil greased bowl, cover, and let it sit until doubled, about an hour.
When your dough has doubled, make the garlick butter. In a saucepan combine the sliced butter and the honey. Warm only until the butter has melted. DO NOT BOIL. You should still be able to stick your finger in the butter without it hurting, although the butter should be very warm. Add the grated garlick and take it off the heat. Let it sit while you grate the cheese on the large side of a box grater.
Punch down your dough, and make several small dough balls, no larger than a golf ball. Make some small and some a little larger.
Grease your bundt pan, and layer the bottom with a thin layer of cheese.
Add a layer of dough balls.
Add a layer of garlick honey butter.
Add a layer of cheese.
Add a layer of dough balls, fill the gaps.
Add a layer of garlick honey butter.
Add a layer of cheese.
Add whatever dough you have left. If you have nothing left, finish with the remainder of your cheese and drizzle the rest of your butter over the top.
Preheat oven to 350F while dough rises for 15 minutes.
Grease foil and tent it over the top of your bundt pan.
Bake for 25 minutes, remove foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden on top.
Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the bundt pan onto a cutting board or serving platter. Let cool another 10 minutes and serve warm.
Notes by instruction step number:
3*
4*
5* Such a nice dough ball!
6*
7* Make the dough balls no larger than a gold ball. Make smaller ones, too, to tuck into gaps!
8-10*
11-12*
13-15*
18* Grease your foil well so that it does not stick to your cheese, like mine did.
19* Look at that! YUM!
I ate half of this bread by myself, it is THAT good. If you make this, let me know in the comments how it turned out!
See you next Monday!
Mary