Description
This Swirled Garlic Herb Bread is a soft, buttery homemade loaf infused with fresh herbs, garlic, and parmesan. Its impressive twisted design makes it visually stunning yet simple enough for beginners. Serve it warm with butter or alongside soups and pastas for the perfect comfort food experience.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup warm whole milk
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 large eggs
- 3 ½ – 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature, plus more for serving
- 1–2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and honey. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix the dough: Add eggs, 3 ½ cups flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Use a dough hook or mix by hand until combined. If the dough is too sticky, gradually add the remaining flour. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and continue kneading for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Let the dough rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Prepare the herb butter: In a small bowl, mix the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter with grated garlic, parmesan, basil, thyme, and sage. Set aside.
- Roll out the dough: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle. Evenly spread the garlic herb butter over the dough, ensuring full coverage.
- Shape the bread: Roll the dough tightly into a log from the long side. Using a sharp knife, slice the log lengthwise, keeping one end slightly intact. Twist the two halves over each other, exposing the herb-filled layers. Coil the twisted dough into an “S” shape and transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Second rise: Cover the shaped dough and let it rise for another 45 minutes until it puffs up slightly.
- Bake the bread: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Brush the warm bread with additional butter for extra flavor.
Notes
- If the dough is too sticky, add flour gradually until it becomes smooth and manageable.
- To make ahead, shape the bread and store it in the refrigerator overnight. Let it sit at room temperature for an hour before baking.
- Leftover bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 795 kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 110g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 110mg