Cheesy Garlic Puff Pull Apart Bread

One of the blogs I read posted about Cheesy Puff Pull Apart Bread, using sharp yellow cheddar. I took this recipe one step further by using both yellow and white sharp cheddar cheese and adding in minced garlic. I must say I love the results.

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 envelope)
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup milk (I used 2%)
¼ cup butter
¼ cup water
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 heaping table spoon of minced garlic
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (1 1/2 bricks)
{Note: I used equal parts yellow and white sharp cheddar cheese}
¼ cup butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of all purpose flour {You will use the remaining ¾ cup of flour later} and 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour with sugar, salt and yeast, and stir to mix. If you are going to a stand mixer, go ahead and use the bowl for it to combine all of those dry ingredients. 

In a small saucepan heat milk and butter over low heat until butter is just melted, then set aside for 1 minute and add water. Add milk mixture to the flour and stir to combine. I used the dough hook on my electric mixer, but you can stir with a spatula. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is combined. Add in the garlic, to taste and add in 8 ounces of the grated cheddar cheese and mix with your hands to incorporate the cheese. Add the remaining all purpose flour, using the mixer and then knead the dough. Even though it’s sticky, do not add any more flour.

Set the dough in a bowl that has been lightly oiled or sprayed with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap or a towel, then set in a warm place to rise for one hour. As it’s the summer time and I have my A/C running, I turned on my oven, left the door cracked and set the bowl onto of the range. After one hour, punch the dough down and either refrigerate for later/tomorrow use, or use it now. Lightly flour your workspace and using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a giant rectangle. Mine was not a perfect rectangle, but this is not an issue. Brush the dough with melted butter then cover it with the remaining grated cheese.

Using a pizza cutter, or in my case a knife, slice the dough from top to bottom into 6 even strips – they do not have to be perfect. Lay the strips on top of each other, being careful that the cheese does not fall off the strips, and then cut into 6 pieces again. Butter and lightly flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan and layer the square slices into the loaf pan cut side down and cover the dough with a towel and let rise for another hour.

{It's alive!}

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set the loaf pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. 

With about 10 minutes left in the baking time, I coated the bread in melted butter.

Let it cool for about 10-15 minutes and then turn the bread out of the loaf pan. 

One great alternate way of making this would be to make it a dessert. Leave out the cheese and garlic but other wise make the dough the same way as the directions call for. However, add in 1 tsp of cinnamon, ¼ tsp of nutmeg, and chopped nuts, to taste {such as walnuts, or pecans}.  Once you roll out the dough, butter it as directed, and sprinkle on brown sugar {or in my case, I'd coat the entire piece of dough with sugar}, raisins {if you like those}, and maybe more nuts. Cut the dough as directed and place into the loaf pan and let rise for an hour. Bake and then top with a cream cheese frosting. Oh holy cow I’m making myself hungry and I just had the cheese garlic version of this.

Enjoy!