Home-made Garlic Bread

Who would have thought I could make home-made garlic bread? This is amazing, but you have to eat it warm out of the oven, while the cheese is still gooey.

As I was preparing this dish, I had a lot of thoughts run through my mind. Oh, the endless possibilities....

I can picture this turned into a pizza. Spread seasoned olive oil on the crust, top with thin sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, bacon; should I go on? Also the possibilities with the cheeses. Cheddar, mozzarella, Romano, Parmesan, Monterrey jack, even feta.

The bread under all that cheese is amazing.

I was rushed while making this recipe, and I did not get to experiment like I wanted too.

One thing I loved about making this bread; no kneading by hand. I stuck it in my Kitchen Aid with a dough hook and let it go to work.

Home-made Garlic Bread

For the dough:

1 c. plus 1/2 heaping c.

2 TBS milk powder

2 TBS plus 1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 c. luke warm water

2 TBS canola oil

For the topping:

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 1/4 TBS butter, softened

3 cloves garlic, crushed

I sprinkled Rosemary and Thyme in with my cheese mixture. I didn't measure, I just sprinkled. You can use your own judgement.

Method:

Mix water, 1/2 tsp. sugar and yeast in a small bowl. Leave until bubbles appear on the surface, about 10 minutes. Stir together the flour, 2 TBS sugar, milk powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture and the oil and mix to form a ball. Knead with a dough hook for about 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place it into a lightly greased bowl, cover the dough with cling wrap or tea towel and let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until double in size.

In the meanwhile, make the topping by mixing all ingredients together and set aside. Punch the dough down and push out the air bubbles. Roll the dough out into 9 inches round and fit it into a lightly greased 9 inch cake pan. Spread the topping over the dough and cover. Let it rise again for another 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the top is golden. Leave the bread in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Slice and serve while it's still warm.

One thing that runs through my mind while making home-made bread; Why does it take so long to prepare, but only a short time to bake? I wonder if that's the reason why it tastes so good?

Good luck~Happy eating~Enjoy