Garlic And Herb Bread Loaf (Printable)
Fluffy golden loaf with fresh herbs and aromatic garlic, ideal as a side or appetizer
# What you need:
→ Bread Dough
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet (2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
03 - 1 tsp sugar
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1 cup warm water (110°F)
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Garlic and Herb Mixture
07 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
08 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
09 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
10 - 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
11 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
12 - ½ tsp black pepper
13 - ¼ tsp salt
# Directions:
01 - Combine sugar, yeast, and warm water in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until mixture becomes foamy, indicating yeast activation.
02 - Add flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms and all flour is incorporated.
03 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, developing gluten structure.
04 - Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
05 - While dough rises, combine softened butter, garlic, parsley, rosemary, chives, black pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
06 - Punch down risen dough to release air. Roll out into a 9x13 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
07 - Spread garlic and herb butter evenly over the rolled dough, leaving a small border around edges.
08 - Roll up dough tightly from the short end. Place seam side down in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
09 - Cover loaf pan and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place. Preheat oven to 350°F during the final 15 minutes of rising.
10 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.
11 - Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Slice with serrated knife and serve warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The smell alone will make everyone pretend they just happened to drop by your kitchen at the exact moment it comes out of the oven
- You can slice and freeze half the loaf, then pop frozen slices directly into the toaster oven for emergency garlic bread cravings
02 -
- The water temperature is make-or-break, too cold and the yeast stays asleep, too hot and you kill it completely
- Rolling from the short end gives you more layers in each slice, which means more ribbons of herb butter throughout
03 -
- Reserve a tablespoon of the herb butter to brush over the top right after baking for an extra glossy finish
- If your oven runs hot, tent the bread with foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning while the center finishes cooking