Description
I love this pull apart bread; it is easy to make, great for sharing, and it’s deliciously cheesy and garlicky!
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 Cup of Warm Water
- ½ a Heaped Tablespoon of Yeast
- 1 ½ Tablespoons of Sugar
- ½ Tablespoon of Olive Oil
- ½ Teaspoon of Salt
- ¾ Teaspoon of Bread Improver (Optional)
- 4 Cups (500g) of Crusty White Bread Flour
Topping
- 15g (1/2 oz.) Melted Butter
- Garlic and Herb Seasoning Mix to taste
- 30 – 60g (1 – 2 oz.) Shredded Tasty Cheese
Instructions
- First measure out the yeast, sugar, salt, bread improver, oil, and water into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm location (5 – 10 mins) until the mixture gets foamy/bubbly looking. As suggested in the original recipe – I ran some warm water into the kitchen sink and sat the bowl in the water to warm it up.
- Then add the flour gradually (either by hand or using a mixer with dough hooks). If mixing by hand add the last of the flour while kneading it for several minutes and continue adding the flour till the dough is not sticky but not too dry either. If using a mixer with dough hooks, add almost all the flour and mix the dough for 7 – 8 minutes. Then use the remaining flour as you shape the dough into a ball.
- Grease a bowl with more olive oil and roll the dough round in the oil to prevent it sticking.
- Place the bowl in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size (30 – 45 minutes). For this step I covered the bowl in cling wrap and a tea towel and placed it in a sheltered sunny position outside.
- Now lightly knead the dough to degas it and shape it into 15 roughly even pieces of dough. Arrange the pieces into a 18cm x 28cm baking dish and again place the dough in a warm place till it doubles in size*.
- Brush the top of the bread with the melted butter then sprinkle with the garlic and herb seasoning and scatter the cheese over the top. Place in preheated oven and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 – 25 minutes.
- If bread browns very quickly shield top with a piece of aluminium foil. Bread is done when golden brown and a hollow sound is heard when you tap the top of the bread.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Can be served warm or cold.
Notes
* You can alternatively divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and arrange them in a 24 cm square baking dish.
