By Savini Gauri
This Cheese and Chive Pull-Apart Bread is the real deal – buttery soft bread, a hint of garlic, with a pillowy texture, and generously filled with garlicky butter, fresh chives, and stringy cheese. It looks as beautiful as it tastes. Nice and golden brown on the outside and soft and white on the inside. It just screams indulgence. Cheese, garlic, butter, and chives together are a party in your mouth. As always, it's a no-fuss recipe with limited steps and minimal equipment. And the end result is just incredibly delicious. Even I couldn’t possibly make it any better.
This recipe has been at the top of my to-do list for months. I’ve made numerous iterations of it – some with different fillings and some in differently shaped tins.
And now, after so many recipe variations (I’ve honestly lost count), I am finally, sharing my favourite combination of cheese, chives, and garlic with you in this recipe of Cheese and Chive Pull-Apart Bread.
Another combination I love is Pesto, Ricotta, and Peanut Butter (no judgements please). I swear it tastes way way better than it sounds.
This bread recipe ticks all the boxes for me:
It’s wonderfully soft and pillowy. Without being indulgent this bread has a very soft and airy texture. It literally feels like the bread is melting in your mouth. The lightness of the bread aptly compliments the rich and buttery filling in it.
It has a wonderful buttery flavour. Without being too heavy on your palette and stomach you can taste the butteriness minus the greasy mouthfeel and touch.
The filling of cheese, chives, and garlic is just spectacular. It has just the right amount of filling and flavour. It's an explosion in your mouth that does not numb your mouth. Despite the strong flavours of chives and garlic, you can still taste the yeasty flavour of the bread itself.
It looks straight-up beautiful.
It’s surprisingly easy to make. It does not require you to test your arm strength like a maniac. It hardly requires any kneading. And there’s very little that can go wrong. Just follow the recipe to the letter, and the most perfect Cheese and Chive Pull-Apart Bread is within your reach.
It tastes great at any temperature or time (I consider this to be a totally acceptable option for breakfast accompanied by a giant cup of coffee). But it tastes especially good when it's still warm out of the oven, and you bite into it and encounter that wonderful cheesy and buttery filling along with the slight crunch of the chives… it's just divine.
Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.
Making the bread dough
This is an enriched, brioche-type dough with the goodness of butter and milk. As always, I have only used simple ingredients that can be found in our kitchens. All you need to make this dough:
Active dry yeast (I use the one by Urban Platter)
Powdered sugar
Salt
Milk (warm)
Butter
Garlic Powder or freshly minced garlic (both work fine)
Any dried herbs or pizza seasoning or oregano mix
Making this dough is very simple. In a large bowl mix the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. You will notice that the mixture will turn slightly cloudy or murky. Then add to it, the flour, salt, butter, garlic powder, and dried herbs. You will be able to mix it using a rubber spatula (without dirtying your hands). Then take out the dough on a clean surface and knead until smooth (it will take about 2 minutes). If the dough feels a little wet add 2-3 tablespoons of dry flour. Give the dough a round shape and keep it in an oiled bowl (make sure the bowl is big since the dough will rise). Cover the dough using plastic wrap and keep it in a warm corner of your house. Let it rest for about 60-90 minutes or until it doubles in size.
Note: Make sure the milk is warm as it will help the yeast act faster and spread more evenly in the dough.
Please ensure that the dough rises completely. If you don't let it rise properly the final product will turn out dense and hard. So to ensure that you get a soft and fluffy Cheese and Chive Pull-Apart Bread let the dough rise till it doubles (roughly 60-90 minutes). Keep it in a warm corner of your house where there is no direct source of sunlight.
How to make the Cheese and Chive filling?
Like the bread dough, the filling is also made using basic ingredients:
butter (soft enough to mix using a fork) but not melted
garlic, minced (if you don't have fresh garlic you can also use garlic powder)
chives (or spring onion greens, or even fresh herbs like basil or parsley)
salt (only if the butter you are using is unsalted)
mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded (or any other cheese you like, I sometimes add some ricotta or cheddar too)
To make the filling, put all the ingredients into a bowl (except the cheese) and mix using a fork. If you are not going to use it immediately, put this mixture in a cool place to prevent the butter from melting.
If you don't plan on using this filling soon then simply put it in the fridge. But make sure to bring it to room temperature whenever you use it.
Shaping and filling the Cheese and Chive Pull-Apart Bread
Here’s how you assemble the pull-apart bread: (picture reference below)
Take a loaf tin and brush some butter. Keep aside.
Take out the risen dough on the countertop.
Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (I would recommend using a bench knife to do that, as it applies minimum pressure on the dough while cutting)
take the dough and gently press into 4-4.5 inch circles. They don't need to be perfect.
Apply about 1/2 tablespoon of the filling.
Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of cheese.
Then fold it into a semi-circle.
Place this semi-circle in the baking tin (round side facing up)
Repeat this with the rest of the dough balls.
Then let the assembled bread proof and rise for 45 minutes. (and then I always say a little prayer to the yeast and bread gods)
Baking the Cheese and Chive Pull-Apart Bread
It is finally time to get this beauty baking in the oven. You will notice that the bread has risen quite a bit in this time.
Simply preheat the oven to 180ºC.
While the oven preheats, lightly brush some butter on the surface of the bread. You don't need to be very generous. Just a light coat will do.
Now, put the bread in the oven and bake it at 180ºC for 25 minutes.
Then, lower the temperature to 160ºC and bake for another 20 minutes.
Note: if you notice that the bread is browning too fast, just cover it with aluminium foil for the remaining baking time.
Take it out of the oven and let it rest on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Take out the bread from the tin and brush the bread with some butter (you can go as generous as you want).
This Cheese and Chive Pull-Apart Bread can be had for breakfast, as an appetizer, for dinner with pasta, a snack with tea or coffee or even as a midnight feast.
Happy Baking!
When you make this awesome recipe, do tag me on Instagram using #savinithebakeshop
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Cheese and Chive Pull Apart Bread
This Cheese and Chive Pull-Apart Bread is the real deal – buttery soft bread, a hint of garlic, with a pillowy bread, and generously filled with garlicky butter, fresh chives and stringy cheese. It looks as beautiful as it tastes. Nice and golden brown on the outside and soft and white on the inside. It just screams indulgence. Cheese, garlic, butter and chives together are a party in your mouth. As always it's a no-fuss recipe with limited steps and minimal equipment. And the end result is just incredibly delicious. Even I couldn’t possibly make it any better. Course Breakfast, Bread Prep Time 45 minutes Bake/Cook Time 50 minutes Chill + Proof Time 2 hours 15 minutes Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes Servings 1 loaf Author Savini Gauri | Savini The Bakeshop
Ingredients
For the bread dough:
2 1/4 tsp (7 grams) active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups (300 grams) maida or pastry flour
1/4 cup (32 grams) powdered sugar
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp (60 grams) unsalted butter (softened)
190 ml milk (warm)
1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves of garlic, minced)
1 tbsp Any dried herbs or pizza seasoning or oregano mix
For the filling:
5 tbsp (75 grams) unsalted butter (softened)
1/3 cup chives, chopped (or spring onion greens)
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1/2 tsp salt (if the butter is unsalted)
3/4 cup (95 grams) mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded (or any other cheese you like, i sometimes add some ricotta or cheddar too)
You will also need:
1 tbsp of butter, to brush on the bread, before and after baking
2-3 tbsp of flour, incase the dough is wet while kneading
Instructions
For the dough:
In a large bowl mix the warm milk, yeast and sugar.
Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. You will notice that the mixture will turn slightly cloudy or murky.
Then add to it, the flour, salt, butter, garlic powder and dried herbs. You will be able to mix it using a rubber spatula (without dirtying your hands).
Then take out the dough on a clean surface and knead until smooth (it will take about 2 minutes).
If the dough feels a little wet add 2-3 tablespoons of dry flour.
Give the dough a round shape and keep it in an oiled bowl (make sure the bowl is big since the dough will rise).
Cover the dough using plastic wrap and keep it in a warm corner of your house. Let it rest for about 60-90 minutes or until it doubles in size.
Making the filling:
To make the filling, put all the ingredients into a bowl (except the cheese) and mix using a fork. If you are not going to use it immediately, put this mixture in a cool place to prevent the butter from melting.
If you don't plan on using this filling soon then simply put it in the fridge. But make sure to bring it to room temperature whenever you use it.
Assembling and baking the bread:
Take a loaf tin and brush some butter. Keep aside.
Take out the risen dough on the countertop.
Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (I would recommend using a bench knife to do that, as it applied minimum pressure on the dough while cutting)
take the dough and gently press into 4-4.5 inch circles. They don't need to be perfect.
Apply about 1/2 tablespoon on the filling. Then, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of cheese.
Fold it into a semi-circle.
Place this semi-circle in the baking tin (round side facing up)
Repeat this with the rest of the dough balls.
Then let the assembled bread proof and rise for 45 minutes. ( and then I always say a little prayer to the yeast and bread gods)
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
While the oven preheats, lightly brush some butter on the surface of the bread. You don't need to be very generous. Just a light coat will do.
Now, put the bread in the oven and bake it at 180ºC for 25 minutes.
Then lower the temperature to 160ºC and bake for another 20 minutes.
Take it out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Take out the bread from the tin and brush the bread with some butter ( you can go as generous as you want).
Note: if you notice that the bread is browning too fast, just cover it with aluminium foil for the remaining baking time.
Storage Instructions: Cover and keep the leftovers at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave if required.
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