...you're wishing you could scratch and sniff your computer monitor right now...
Using the Garlic Bread And French Bread Dough Recipe, you've gotten to this point.
You have chosen this option well, Grasshoppa!
What I've chosen to do is to braid my bread so that it becomes pull-apart serving.
You'll need:
Butter
Garlic paraphernalia
Cheese some sort of white, I use mozzarella because I can't find white cheddar locally
Dough from the Garlic Bread And French Bread Dough Recipe
To make 2 baguettes: Section the dough into 2 pieces. Roll each out into a long noodle almost the length of the cookie sheet. Wrap the ends underneath and make sure any seams are on the bottom (touching the pan). Lay them both on the cookie sheet a few inches apart. Cover with the oiled cling wrap.
To braid: Section the dough into 3 separate pieces. I've found it easiest to loosely roll the dough and then pinch and twist to separate.
Roll (literally roll the dough, not "use a rolling pin to roll it flat". you're making a strand, here.) each section out to the length you'd like your bread to be. It WILL stretch out a bit more during it's second rising so don't worry.
Fun Fact: Rolling the dough lines up the grains, so to speak. When you pull garlic bread apart you'll notice that the bread all sort of goes one way. Think "string cheese".
It's much easier to have one person hold the ends together while you braid the rest (exactly like hair only less pulling and whining) but if you don't have someone around, just start braiding one side and then go to the other side and braid it out. Make sure to pinch the ends together and tuck them underneath. Try not to pull on the strands too much, it will break them. Cover loosely with the oiled cling wrap.
NOW: Preheat your oven to 350* and let the dough rise for about 20 minutes or so. As the loaf is rising you can very gently lift the ends one side at a time and tug it longer. I do this about 3 or 4 times.
Bake it for about 20 minutes.
I'm sure you've remembered to take the cling wrap off first.
While the bread is baking, make a mixture of butter and your favorite garlic seasonings. I take a stick of unsalted butter, put it into a cup and shake my California Blend Garlic Salt into it, add a bit of minced garlic and microwave it until it's melted. Taste and add garlic as necessary.
Pull the loaf of the oven and brush it with the garlic butter mixture.
Bake for another 5 minutes. It should be lightly browned.
Slice your cheese into 1" squares (one square for every "bump" or inch if baguette)
Take the loaf out and let it cool for 15 minutes. Keep the oven on.
After the bread has cooled, cut slits 2/3 into each bump and down the center in a zigzag (if you've chosen to make 2 baguettes instead of 1 loaf, you would cut a slit about every inch) taking care not to cut down to the bottom.
Use a brush to fill the slits with the garlic butter mixture. Press 1 cheese square into every bump (or inch, if baguette).
Dough from the Garlic Bread And French Bread Dough Recipe
To make 2 baguettes: Section the dough into 2 pieces. Roll each out into a long noodle almost the length of the cookie sheet. Wrap the ends underneath and make sure any seams are on the bottom (touching the pan). Lay them both on the cookie sheet a few inches apart. Cover with the oiled cling wrap.
To braid: Section the dough into 3 separate pieces. I've found it easiest to loosely roll the dough and then pinch and twist to separate.
Roll (literally roll the dough, not "use a rolling pin to roll it flat". you're making a strand, here.) each section out to the length you'd like your bread to be. It WILL stretch out a bit more during it's second rising so don't worry.
Fun Fact: Rolling the dough lines up the grains, so to speak. When you pull garlic bread apart you'll notice that the bread all sort of goes one way. Think "string cheese".
It's much easier to have one person hold the ends together while you braid the rest (exactly like hair only less pulling and whining) but if you don't have someone around, just start braiding one side and then go to the other side and braid it out. Make sure to pinch the ends together and tuck them underneath. Try not to pull on the strands too much, it will break them. Cover loosely with the oiled cling wrap.
NOW: Preheat your oven to 350* and let the dough rise for about 20 minutes or so. As the loaf is rising you can very gently lift the ends one side at a time and tug it longer. I do this about 3 or 4 times.
Bake it for about 20 minutes.
I'm sure you've remembered to take the cling wrap off first.
While the bread is baking, make a mixture of butter and your favorite garlic seasonings. I take a stick of unsalted butter, put it into a cup and shake my California Blend Garlic Salt into it, add a bit of minced garlic and microwave it until it's melted. Taste and add garlic as necessary.
Pull the loaf of the oven and brush it with the garlic butter mixture.
Bake for another 5 minutes. It should be lightly browned.
Slice your cheese into 1" squares (one square for every "bump" or inch if baguette)
Take the loaf out and let it cool for 15 minutes. Keep the oven on.
After the bread has cooled, cut slits 2/3 into each bump and down the center in a zigzag (if you've chosen to make 2 baguettes instead of 1 loaf, you would cut a slit about every inch) taking care not to cut down to the bottom.
Use a brush to fill the slits with the garlic butter mixture. Press 1 cheese square into every bump (or inch, if baguette).
