This week’s episode of Great British Bake Off is definitely not one to watch whilst hungry.
After the novelty of Audience Choice Week last week, episode 4 marks the return of a Bake Off classic with Bread Week and it all kicks off with a garlic bread themed signature challenge. There were garlicky Chelsea buns, knitted loaves, tear-and-share rolls and one plaited creation involving an impressive 12 bulbs of garlic. We can only imagine that the tent smelt amazing.
This was followed by a struggle of a technical challenge where the majority of the bakers efforts were deemed inedible, and then a fun celebration-themed showstopper challenge that took us all over the calendar from Christmas stollens to Easter hot cross buns and even a summer solstice themed bake, complete with a bread maypole.
But it was the garlic bread that really stuck with us. We’re not short of garlic bread recipes ourselves: we’ve got you covered with everything from a cheesy confit garlic bread baguette and mozzarella-stuffed garlic bread doughballs to a tear-and-share cheddar and harissa garlic loaf. These garlic bread nachos take the snack to a new level of extra decadence. We’ve even turned garlic bread into the star of a meal with this decadent garlic bread steak sandwich – it’s the ultimate Friday night treat.
But to truly embrace the spirit of Bake Off, it’s time to make garlic bread from scratch. These tear-and-share cheese and garlic rolls are brushed with plenty of garlic butter and topped with a double whammy of melting mozzarella and cheddar for maximum cheesy indulgence. It’s a highly rewarding weekend baking project. They’re great for feeding a crowd and serving alongside soups, stews and casseroles for dunking. Definitely handshake-worthy in our book!
Ingredients
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 450g strong white bread flour
- 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tsp golden caster sugar
- rapeseed oil, for the bowl and tray
- 2 tbsp polenta or cornmeal
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 100g mozzarella, grated
- 50g cheddar, grated
Method
- Heat 280ml water in a saucepan for a minute until warm but not too hot to stick your finger in (don’t burn yourself!). Remove from the heat, then add 50g butter. Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl or a tabletop mixer. Add the warm water and butter mixture and beat to make a soft dough. Knead for 10 mins by hand, or 5 mins in a mixer, until the dough feels stretchy and smooth. Tip into a clean, oiled bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Leave to rise for 1½-2 hrs, or until doubled in size.
- Brush a large baking tray with oil and scatter over the polenta. Knock the air out of the dough. Pinch off small pieces (about the size of a walnut), then roll each piece into a ball and put on the baking tray. Leave a little space between each dough ball.
- Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cover the tray with oiled cling film, then prove for 30 mins-1 hr until the dough has doubled in size and the balls are touching. Mix the remaining butter with the garlic. When the rolls are ready to cook, brush the tops with the garlic butter and scatter with the cheeses. Bake for 25-30 mins until the dough balls are cooked through. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then serve.
