Herbs and Cheese Pull apart Bread

February 25, 2014

I always thought that bread making is impossible since my previous attempts were failure.  Since, then I never attempted to make bread again at home.  As I going through various blogs, came across this recipe.  In this blog I found that there a group of bloggers baking bread every month.  This gave me confidence that if they can do it I, too should try making this bread.  The original recipe is from here.

Herbs and Cheese Pull apart Bread

Ingredients

For the Dough

Warm Milk   1/2 cup

Sugar     1 tsp

Active dry yeast  2.1/4 tsp (I used a rapid rising yeast 2.25 tsp)

All-purpose flour   3 cups

Salt                    1 teaspoon

Butter (soft)     4 tablespoons

Garlic-Red Chili paste   (3 garlic cloves + 2 dry red chilies)

Milk                       3/4 cup + 3tblsp for brushing over the bread

For the Filling

Melted Butter                               15 to 20gm (about 3-4tblsp)

Dried Italian seasoning herbs       2 tsp (contains dried oregano, thyme, parsley)

Roasted cumin seeds                    2 tsp

Saunf powder                               3 pinches (optional for flavor)

Grated cheddar cheese                 1/2 cup

Method

In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar and the yeast in 1/2 cup of warm milk. Keep aside for about 5 minutes till the yeast mixture bubbles up. Grind 3 cloves of garlic with 2 dry red chilies to a coarse paste. Put 3 cups of flour, salt, softened butter, and garlic-red chili paste in a large bowl mix it well. Then add the yeast mixture and 3/4 cup of milk, knead till you have a soft, smooth dough which is not too sticky.  Oil your palms and shape the dough into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl, coat the dough with oil. Cover and let it rise for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until almost double in volume.

Dust the work surface lightly with flour. Punch the dough and deflate it,  shape it into a square and roll the dough out into a larger square that is about 12" by 12".

Brush the surface of the square with the melted butter. Mix to together herbs, cumin seeds, powdered saunf and evenly sprinkle it over the square and then spread the grated cheese. Use a rolling pin to very lightly press the topping into the dough to ensure the topping sticks.

Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough from top to bottom into 5-6 long and even strips – they do not have to be perfect. Lay each strip on top of the next, with the topping facing upwards, until you have a stack of the strips. Cut straight down through the stack dividing it into 6 equal pieces (6 square stacks).

Butter and lightly flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Layer the square slices, cut sides down into the loaf tin. Cover the loaf tin dough with a towel and allow the dough to rise double its size.  I preheat the oven for 5 minutes at 100 degree C and placed the loaf tin inside. It took more than 2 hours for it rise since it was winter.

Lightly brush some milk over the top of the loaf and Bake the dough at 350F for about 30 to 40 minutes until it is done and the top is golden brown.

My daughter was so thrilled to see this bread and was waiting for it cool down as when it was being baked the aroma of the bread filled the full house. As soon as the bread was cooled she sliced it and had it with butter and omelet. My friend and her family too had this bread and enjoyed it. I made this bread twice and she too tried it twice. My friends too enjoyed this bread on Valentine’s day.

Do give this bread a try and post your comments.

Labels: Breads, Healthy, Eggless, Herbs, Cheese