Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

Ingrédients

BRIOCHE DOUGH

15g (3 tablespoons) whole psyllium husk

180g (¾ cup) lukewarm water

160g (1⅓ cups + 1 tablespoon) tapioca starch

135g (1 cup) millet flour, plus extra for flouring the surface

25g (3 tablespoons) sorghum flour

25g (2 tablespoons) caster (superfine) or granulated sugar

6g (2 teaspoons) instant yeast

6g (1½ teaspoons) baking powder

5g (2 teaspoons) xanthan gum

5g (1 teaspoon) salt

100g (½ cup + 1½ tablespoons) whole milk, lukewarm

1 medium egg (US large), room temperature

35g (2½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus optional 1-2 tablespoons (melted), to finish

flaky salt (optional)

FILLING

55g (½ stick) salted butter, softened

1-2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, rosemary and oregano

¼ teaspoon pepper

80g (¼ cup) coarsely grated (shredded) cheddar

80g (¾ cup) coarsely grated (shredded) low-moisture mozzarella

Instructions

BRIOCHE DOUGH

1. In a bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and lukewarm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.

2. In a large bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer, whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.

3. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel, warm milk, egg and melted butter.

4. Mix the dough until smooth and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for 4-5 minutes if using a stand mixer, or 6-8 minutes if kneading it by hand. Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape down the bottom and inside of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour.

5. The final dough will be slightly sticky to the touch - that's okay, you'll be working on a lightly floured surface so it shouldn't be a problem. Resist the temptation to add more flour to the dough, as that can make the bread too dense and dry.

GARLIC BUTTER FILLING

1. In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, garlic powder, finely chopped fresh herbs and pepper until well combined. Set aside until needed.

ASSEMBLING & PROVING

1. Lightly butter a 23x13cm (9x5in) loaf tin. You can also line it with baking paper, although it's not essential.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large 30cm (12in) square.

3. Spread the garlic butter filling in an even layer over the rolled-out dough, all the way to the edges.

4. Evenly scatter the grated cheddar and mozzarella over the garlic butter, and press down gently to make sure it sticks.

5. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, divide the dough into 16 equal 7.5cm (3in) squares.

6. Stack eight of the squares, cheese side up, on top of each other, and carefully place them into the prepared loaf tin (so that a cheese-free square faces the end of the tin).

Repeat with the other eight squares, but make sure that the top square faces cheese side down. Carefully place the second stack into the loaf tin; you might need to squeeze them a bit to make them all fit.

7. Lightly cover the loaf tin with cling film and leave the dough to prove in a warm place for about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until about doubled in size.

BAKING

1. While the dough is proving, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

2. Once doubled in size, place the bread on to a baking sheet (to catch any drips), then place it into the oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until evenly golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out completely clean with no sticky, raw dough attached to it. If the top of the bread starts browning too quickly, cover it with a sheet of foil (shiny side up) and continue baking until done.

3. Remove the baked bread from the loaf tin straight away and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before serving. (Optional: brush with a bit of melted butter immediately out of the oven and sprinkle with flaky salt.)

STORAGE

Best served hot or warm, fresh from the oven. You can also store it for about 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature and reheat it before serving, in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or in a 180°C/ 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.