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A Clove a Day Keeps Vampires at Bay
Mar. 27th, 2020 11:28 amRoasted Garlic Bread
I originally planned to make garlic knots, which I'm pretty good at, but Fox wondered if we could make garlic knots, but as a loaf. The only problem I had with that idea is that the knots themselves are just plain dough, and the garlic topping is where the flavor's at. Many years ago I had a cookbook with a roasted garlic loaf recipe and it was amazing - you rolled up roasted, mashed garlic into bread dough, jelly-roll style. I don't have the cookbook, but the recipe above seems to be similar.
I'm using bread flour instead of AP flour, for a better crust and texture. I also happen to have bread flour and don't want it to get stale, even though it's in a sealed container.
I'm also using a terra cotta garlic roaster instead of wrapping the cloves in foil. Foil imparts a metallic taste, some of the cloves can stick to it and scorch, and the roaster allows me to utilize moist heat by soaking the lid in water before putting it in the oven. I bought mine ... oh man, in 1996. A completely different life ago. I think it also says something about me that as an almost broke college student, I spotted this thing in the window and a Williams-Sonoma for twenty five bucks and decided it was worth it. Still got it - still love it. So if you ever see one in a shop or at a yard sale, etc. go ahead and get it.
I've never tried her suggestion about the pan of water during baking. I have done this with rising dough, though. In winter when the house is open, it can sometimes be too cool inside for dough to rise properly, so I'll turn on the oven lights, which gets it up to around 110°, then I put a small dish of water in alongside the dough so that the interior stays somewhat humid. I've found that it helps the rise and the dough quality. But I'm going to give it a shot when I bake this loaf and we'll see what happens!
I originally planned to make garlic knots, which I'm pretty good at, but Fox wondered if we could make garlic knots, but as a loaf. The only problem I had with that idea is that the knots themselves are just plain dough, and the garlic topping is where the flavor's at. Many years ago I had a cookbook with a roasted garlic loaf recipe and it was amazing - you rolled up roasted, mashed garlic into bread dough, jelly-roll style. I don't have the cookbook, but the recipe above seems to be similar.
I'm using bread flour instead of AP flour, for a better crust and texture. I also happen to have bread flour and don't want it to get stale, even though it's in a sealed container.
I'm also using a terra cotta garlic roaster instead of wrapping the cloves in foil. Foil imparts a metallic taste, some of the cloves can stick to it and scorch, and the roaster allows me to utilize moist heat by soaking the lid in water before putting it in the oven. I bought mine ... oh man, in 1996. A completely different life ago. I think it also says something about me that as an almost broke college student, I spotted this thing in the window and a Williams-Sonoma for twenty five bucks and decided it was worth it. Still got it - still love it. So if you ever see one in a shop or at a yard sale, etc. go ahead and get it.
I've never tried her suggestion about the pan of water during baking. I have done this with rising dough, though. In winter when the house is open, it can sometimes be too cool inside for dough to rise properly, so I'll turn on the oven lights, which gets it up to around 110°, then I put a small dish of water in alongside the dough so that the interior stays somewhat humid. I've found that it helps the rise and the dough quality. But I'm going to give it a shot when I bake this loaf and we'll see what happens!
