Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread
Soft homemade bread layered with garlic herb butter and Cheddar, then baked in a loaf tin. An easy vegetarian tear and share loaf, perfect with soup or for parties.
Equipment
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 7 g fast-action yeast 1 sachet
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 160 g milk
- 160 g water
- 25 g dairy-free spread or butter
Garlic herb butter
- 75 g unsalted butter extra soft (see notes)
- 3 garlic cloves finely grated or crushed
- 4 tsp dried Italian herbs
- ¼ tsp salt
Filling and topping
- 100-120 g extra-mature Cheddar (or parmesan-style cheese, or vegan cheddar) grated
- 1-2 tbsp milk of choice for brushing
Instructions
- Add the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Keep the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl before mixing (salt can inhibit the yeast if they come into direct contact). Stir the dry ingredients together.500 g strong white bread flour, 7 g fast-action yeast, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt
- Gently warm the milk, water and butter spread until the spread has melted and the liquid is tepid.160 g milk, 160 g water, 25 g dairy-free spread
- Stand mixer: Fit the dough hook and set to medium-low speed. Add the milk mixture and mix for 8 to 10 minutes. By hand: Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, then add the milk mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon and then knead with your hands for 12 minutes until a soft dough ball forms.
- Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about 1 to 1½ hours). If you are using the Kenwood Cooking Chef XL, use the splashguard to cover the bowl and warm the bowl to 30°C with the Cooking Chef induction plate.
- Meanwhile, make the garlic herb butter: mash the soft butter with the garlic, dried herbs and salt until evenly mixed. Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment.75 g unsalted butter, 3 garlic cloves, 4 tsp dried Italian herbs, ¼ tsp salt
- When the dough has doubled in size, deflate it with your fist. Gather the dough into a ball and tip it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for a minute or so, then divide in 12 equal balls (to make sure they are of equal size, I weigh each ball on a scale)
- Flatten and roll out each ball into an circle (you can use your hands or a rolling pin). Each circle should be slightly smaller than the width of your tin, so that once folded in half it has room to expand when the loaf proves.
- Reserving a generous tablespoon of garlic herb butter for later, spread each piece with garlic herb butter and sprinkle with 10–12g of cheese. Fold each piece in half, pressing gently so that the dough sticks together.100-120 g extra-mature Cheddar (or parmesan-style cheese, or vegan cheddar)
- Stand the folded pieces upright in the tin, folded edge up, packing them snugly side by side.
- Cover and leave to prove in a warm place for 30–45 minutes, until puffy and just above the rim of the tin. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
- Brush the top of the loaf with a little bit of milk. Bake for about 45 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding. Cover loosely with foil if it browns too quickly.1-2 tbsp milk of choice
- As soon as it comes out of the oven, brush with the reserved garlic herb butter. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out and serve warm.
Notes
Extra-soft butter: the garlic butter must be spreadable but not melted, or it will leak out during baking. Leave it at room temperature for a few hours or microwave in 5-second bursts.
Cheese: about 10–12g per fold keeps the layers defined.
Vegan: use plant milk, a vegan block in the garlic butter and vegan cheese.
Make ahead: shape the loaf, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.
Storage: keep wrapped in foil for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat wrapped in foil at 180°C (160°C fan) for 10–15 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 254kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 322mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 344IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 0.4mg