Garlic Cheese Bread

Garlic Cheese Bread

Ingredients

Dough
370 grams All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Warm Water
2 Tbsp Sugar
2 tsp Active Yeast
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

Garlic Herb Butter
1 Stick (1/2 Cup) Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley, finely chopped
Sea Salt, to taste

3 Tbsp Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, divided
180 to 200 grams Tex-Mex Shredded Cheese Blend, divided
Black Pepper

Round 8” Baking pan, oiled or lined with parchment paper

Method

Put the warm water in a measuring jug or bowl. Add sugar, stir to dissolve and add the yeast. Stir to mix. Set aside for 10-15 minutes or until the yeast mixture is frothy.

Place the flour and sea salt into a large bowl and mix well. Pour in the yeast mixture and add the vegetable oil. Knead the dough for about 10 to 13 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a piece of cling film and set aside in a warm place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in bulk.

Make the Garlic Herb Butter: Combine the butter, garlic & parsley and mix with a spoon or rubber spatula until well combined. Set aside.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

Divide it into 2 equal portions. Place a portion of the dough on a floured board. Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes. Flatten the dough with your palm, and roll into a thin rectangular shape (about 14 by 8-inches) with a rolling pin. Spread the surface with about 2 ½ to 3 Tbsp of garlic herb butter, black pepper, and scatter the cheese. Starting with the edge closest (the long end) to you and roll up the dough. Then gently roll the dough to even it, and fuse the two ends together. Start from one end of the dough, cut almost all the way through, at about ¾ to 1 inch intervals. Lift the dough and place on the baking pan. Spread some garlic herb butter on the top of the dough. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. (Repeat the process with the remainder dough) Then bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted, and golden brown in color.

Makes 2 (8-inches) Round Pull-Apart Garlic Cheese Bread