Description
This Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic Bread recipe combines soft, fluffy bread with rich garlic butter and gooey mozzarella cheese, making it the perfect appetizer or side dish for any meal. Featuring a tender homemade dough enriched with cream cheese and a flavorful garlic butter swirl, this bread pulls apart easily to reveal layers of cheesy goodness infused with fresh parsley and seasoned with flaky sea salt and black pepper.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 20g bread flour
- 80g whole milk
- 300g bread flour
- 15g granulated sugar
- 6g sea salt
- 6g instant dry yeast
- All the tangzhong (pre-made roux with flour and water/milk)
- 90g whole milk (room temperature, 77°F/25°C)
- 40g cream cheese (full fat)
- 50g egg (1 medium egg)
- 20g unsalted butter (softened)
Garlic Butter
- 1 head garlic
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 70g unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tbsp chopped parsley
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Cheese & Finishing
- 100g grated mozzarella (plus a little extra for topping)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Prepare the Tangzhong: Make the tangzhong by cooking 20g bread flour with 80g whole milk over medium heat until thickened. Allow to cool before using in the dough.
- Make the Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine 300g bread flour, granulated sugar, sea salt, and instant dry yeast. Add the tangzhong, room temperature milk, cream cheese, egg, and softened butter. Mix and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
- Prepare Garlic Butter: Mince the garlic finely. In a pan, warm olive oil over low heat and gently sauté the garlic until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat and mix with softened butter, chopped parsley, flaky sea salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Shape the Bread: Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangle. Cut the dough into even squares. Brush each piece generously with garlic butter and sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese.
- Assemble Pull-Apart Bread: Stack the squares, one on top of the other, to form a tall stack. Place the stack into a greased baking pan. Repeat if necessary for layers, ensuring cheese and butter are evenly distributed.
- Final Rise: Cover the assembled bread and allow it to rise again until puffy, about 30-45 minutes.
- Prepare Egg Wash: Whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash. Brush the top of the risen bread with the egg wash, then sprinkle a little extra mozzarella on top.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm to enjoy the cheesy pull-apart effect and rich garlic flavor.
Notes
- Ensure garlic is not browned when sautéing to avoid bitterness.
- Use room temperature ingredients for better dough rise.
- The tangzhong method helps create a soft and fluffy bread texture.
- You can substitute mozzarella with other melting cheeses if desired.
- Store leftovers wrapped in foil to keep bread soft.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
