How To Make Garlic & Herb Twister Bread

Garlic & Herb Twister Bread image — Image credit: Tales from the Kitchen Shed

There’s nothing that says ‘Welcome to my home’ better than the smell of freshly made bread and with this fantastic Garlic & Herb Twister Bread recipe from Sarah James at Tales from the Kitchen Shed your family and friends will be beating a path to your door to try it out.

Ingredients – you can find these at Tesco.com

Garlic & Herb Butter:

150 g softened butter
2 garlic cloves crushed
A handful of your favourite herbs, parsley, oregano, basil, chives

Bread dough:

700 g strong white bread flour
½ teaspoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
6 tablespoons olive oil
Approx 400 ml tepid water

You will need:

2 sheets of baking parchment 40 cm x 24 cm / 16″ x 9″
1 small cup or glass greased around the outside
1 large baking tray
Preheat your over – 400°F / 200°C / Gas Mark 6

Method:

Make your garlic and herb butter by mixing the softened butter with the herbs and garlic.
Spread evenly on one layer of baking parchment almost to the edge of the paper.
Place the other layer of baking parchment on top of the garlic and herb butter and roll out the butter to the edges.
Place in fridge while you make the dough.
I make the bread dough in my KitchenAid with a dough hook fitted but the dough can easily be mixed by hand.

By hand:

Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Add the oil and a little water, mix well adding a little water at a time until you have formed a ball of dough.
Transfer to a floured surface and knead for 10 to 12 minutes.

Food Mixer:

Add flour, salt, sugar and yeast to the mixing bowl, make a well add the oil and water.
Mix on slow speed number 1 for 1 to 2 minutes.
Mix on number 2 speed for 8 to 10 minutes.
Check your dough is ready by using the window pane test.

Window Pane Test:

THE WINDOW PANE TEST is a consistently reliable way to check your dough is ready. Pinch off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it apart, pulling and rotating the dough into a thin membrane, or window pane, which is translucent when you hold it up to the light.

Place your dough in a large greased bowl and cover
Leave to rest in a warm place for about one and a half hours or until doubled in size.
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces.
Roll out each piece into rectangles approximately 40 cm x 24 cm / 16″ x 9″
Remove the garlic and herb butter from the fridge.
Peel back top layer of baking parchment and place the butter face down onto a rectangle of dough.
Remove remaining layer of baking parchment from your butter.
Top with the second rectangle of dough.
Cut into 6 equal strands approximately 4 cm / 1 ½” in size.
Stack strips on top of each other.
Twist together like you would a breadstick to get a long twisty rope, try to keep even twists if you can.

Garlic & Herb Twister Bread - twist together — Image credit: Tales from the Kitchen Shed

Curve into a wreath shape and pinch the ends together to complete the circle, leaving a hole in the middle the size of your greased cup or glass.
Place around your greased cup or glass on the baking tray.
Cover with a large upturned bowl or use a large greased polythene bag to cover.
Leave to rise in a warm place for approximately 45 minutes to one hour.
See my Kitchen Shed Bread Making Tips to check when your dough is ready for the oven.
Remove the glass or cup from the middle of your twisted bread.

Garlic & Herb Twister Bread - remove the glass — Image credit: Tales from the Kitchen Shed

Place in the preheated oven for about 35 to 40 minutes until golden.
Half way through baking, baste with any melted garlic and herb butter which escapes whilst cooking.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving, if you can wait that long!
Image credit: Tales from the Kitchen Shed