This made to share pull-apart rosemary garlic bread is baked until the crust is a gorgeous shade of gold, and the interior is soft and fragrant from the herbs, butter, garlic and parmesan cheese. It’s so delicious that you will be going back for seconds and thirds.
Food & Wine magazine mentions that making this bread is for bakers of all skill levels and after making it multiple times I absolutely agree. It’s a lot of fun to make and the final result is a delicious variation on garlic bread.
All-purpose flour, a bit of sugar, rapid rise yeast, milk, and butter are mixed up in a stand mixer before being formed into a ball and set aside in a warm area to rise.
When the weather is warm (always in Hawaii) I cover the dough and place the bowl out on the deck to rise. Some toaster ovens offer a dough proofing setting. If your climate is cool, you might put your bowl in the oven with the light turned on. Otherwise you may leave it out on your counter but expect it to take a bit more time to double in size.
While the dough is rising, make the filling.
Butter, cheese, parsley, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper are mixed in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
One hour of rise time and the dough has doubled in size.
It’s time to roll the dough into 12 round disks. Don’t worry too much about getting them perfectly round.
A tablespoon of filling is spread over the dough rounds that are stacked on top of one other before placing in the baking pan.
Occasionally the dough can be a bit uncooperative, meaning it will resist keeping its shape once rolled out. If it springs back just give it another roll or two and it should be fine.
The stacked dough circles are placed in the baking pan and set aside for the final rise.
After 45 minutes the dough has risen and filled up the empty spaces in the pan.
Baked for 45-50 minutes, the bread emerges from the oven looking spectacular.
The final touch is melted butter brushed over the warm bread followed by a sprinkling of Maldon salt.
This bread goes with just about anything. I serve it often with pasta dishes, but it is superb with roasted chicken, grilled steaks, fish and chicken, herb baked tofu and salads. Any leftover slices would be perfect toasted and topped with sunny-side up eggs for a quick lunch.
Adapted from Food & Wine
Ingredients
- For the dough
2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
2/3 cup (158g) whole milk, warmed
3 tablespoons (42.6g) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter
- For the filling and topping
6 tablespoons (85g) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (90g) finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary (1 1/2 teaspoons for a milder rosemary flavor)
1 large garlic clove, finely grated (Microplane works well)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter, melted (to brush on baked bread)
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt such as Maldon (to sprinkle on baked bread)
Directions
- Place flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With mixer running on low speed, beat in warm milk and Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter. Beat on low speed until just combined, 30-45 seconds. Remove paddle attachment from mixer; attach dough hook. Beat on medium speed until dough is smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Transfer dough to a medium bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. For colder climates, turn your oven light on when you start mixing the dough, then place covered dough bowl in oven. The warm oven environment will help your dough to rise.
- Meanwhile, stir together butter, parmesan, parsley, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Once dough has doubled in size, punch down in bowl and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough evenly into 12 pieces (about 3 tablespoons each). Using a small rolling pin, roll dough rounds into a 4-inch disk. You may also flatten each piece of dough with your hands (the disks do not need to be perfectly round). Spread about 1 tablespoon of filling onto one side of each disk. Stack disks, cheese side up, on top of each other. Turn stack of dough onto its side, and place in an 8 1/2-4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Slightly separate disks in loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Bake loaf on middle rack until golden brown, 45-50 minutes, covering loosely with aluminum foil if needed to prevent over browning. Transfer loaf pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Invert loaf onto wire rack, turn upright, and let cool for 10 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve warm.
Notes
- Leftover garlic bread can be frozen and reheated (covered in foil) in a toaster oven.