Sam's Kitchen

I have updated the recipe with additional step by step pictures for this aromatic and delicious pull apart garlic bread.
It’s a yummy bread that is packed with flavour, and it’s so much fun making it :). My 5-year-old daughter loves helping to make it, and then, of course, eat it in par with her little brother and friends :).

I grow my own herbs regardless of where I live; be it in an apartment or back in our house in Australia. There we have a lovely veggie patch where we organically grow our own herbs and vegetables.

There are absolutely no tricks to making this bread; it’s easy and straight forward.
The amount of flour may vary from brand to brand, as some are denser than others, and may require a lesser amount to use. When I make bread using a new brand of flour I start by adding half of the amount and gradually increase until the dough is soft and elastic. Kneading is important as it makes the dough come together and gives it more elasticity. I usually knead for about 10 minutes.

The amount of herbs used in this recipe can be increased or decreased, depending on preference. The kind of herbs are used can vary depending on what you can get your hands on, and again, depending on what flavours you and your family prefer.  I can never skip using rosemary in this recipe as it’s so fragrant, and I love the smell of it in the combination with garlic. So here it is, my recipe for pull apart garlic bread!

Ingredients

For the dough

1 cup lukewarm water
1 sachet dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1 tbsp olive oil and extra for greasing
1 1/2 tsp salt
450g ( 3 cups ) unbleached bakers flour sifted and extra for kneading

For the garlic butter

100g salted butter, at room temperature
3-5 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1/2 tsp dry
1/2 tbsp finely chopped chives or 1/2 tsp dry
2-3 finely chopped sage leaves ( optional )
2-3 springs of thyme hard stems removed or 1/2 tsp dry
( There should be about 1/2 cup finely chopped herbs )
1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Method

Dissolve yeast in a bowl of lukewarm water and set aside till becomes frothy.

Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and make a well, then add salt, yeast mixture, oil, and lukewarm milk. Knead for 8-10 minutes into a soft dough.
Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and leave in a warm place to rise till doubled in size 1 to 1,5 hours.

In the meantime, prepare garlic butter by mixing all ingredients together in a bowl.

Preheat oven to 200C and prepare a 24×12 cm bread tin.

Punch the dough down and lightly knead.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a log and cut into 18-20 pieces, then roll them into small balls.

Prop the bread tin into a vertical position.

Flatten each ball with a rolling pin or by hand. Spread about a teaspoon of butter and herb mixture evenly on one side, then stack one on the top of another into the bread tin. You may require giving the tin a light shake, one or two times half way through the process of stacking to avoid the dough from overlapping. Once finished stacking place the bread tin into a normal position, gently even out the stacks ( the tin will be full once risen ) and brush the top lightly with milk. Cover with a damp towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 45 min to 1 hour. The timing will depend on the temperature and the activity of the yeast, but once the dough reaches the top sides of the bread tin, it’s ready to be baked. Brush with milk and place into preheated oven and reduce heat to 180. Bake for 40 minutes or till cooked through.

It’s important to use correct measuring equipment when baking

In the meantime while waiting for the dough to rise prepare butter and herb mixture

Roll 18-20 small balls

Gently even out the stacks by giving the tin a shake side to side. Cover with a damp towel and leave to rise

Once your bread is cooked brush it with more butter or if there are herb and butter mixture leftover brush it on top of still hot bread. The aromas will spin your head.

Aromatic and yummy 🙂