Cheese Pull-Apart Garlic Bread l Made With No-Knead Focaccia Dough

Ingredients

• 680 g Water (lukewarm, about 95°F (35°C))
• 7 g Active Dry Yeast (one 7‑gram sachet, activated in water)
• 1 tbsp Honey (feeds the yeast, adds a hint of sweetness)
• 700 g Bread Flour (high‑protein flour for strong gluten)
• 12 g Salt (fine sea salt)
• 4 tbsp Olive Oil (divided: 2 tbsp for dough, 2 tbsp for tray and roasting garlic)
• 200 g Unsalted Butter (softened, used for garlic butter and brushing)
• 4 Garlic Bulbs (whole bulbs, tops sliced to expose cloves)
• 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley (finely chopped, added to melted butter)
• 300 g Mozzarella Cheese (shredded, divided between filling and topping)
• to taste Black Pepper (freshly ground, for roasted garlic)

Instructions

1. Activate Yeast

   Place 680 g lukewarm water in a bowl, add 7 g active dry yeast and 1 tbsp honey. Whisk to combine and let sit 5 minutes until foamy.

   Time: PT5M

2. Combine Dry Ingredients

   Weigh 700 g bread flour into a second large bowl, add 12 g salt and whisk to aerate.

   Time: PT2M

3. Mix Dough & Autolyse

   Pour the yeasty water into the flour mixture and stir with your hands (or a wooden spoon) until all flour is hydrated. The dough will be very wet and shaggy.

   Time: PT5M

4. First Rest (Bulk Fermentation)

   Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let rest 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

5. First Stretch & Fold Series

   With wet hands, perform 4 stretch‑and‑folds: pull a corner of dough up, fold over the opposite side, rotate bowl 90°, repeat for each corner.

   Time: PT5M

6. Second Rest

   Cover again and let rest another 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

7. Second Stretch & Fold Series

   Repeat the stretch‑and‑fold process for another 4–6 folds until the dough feels smoother and more elastic.

   Time: PT5M

8. Oil the Dough & Cold Ferment

   Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over the dough, fold it in until fully coated. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours (up to 48 hours).

   Time: PT2M

9. Roast Garlic for Butter

   Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Slice the tops off 4 garlic bulbs, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast 1 hour until caramelized. Cool, squeeze out the softened cloves and mash into a paste.

   Time: PT1H

   Temperature: 200°C

10. Make Garlic‑Butter Spread

    Spread softened 200 g butter on a board, fold in the garlic paste, then fold the butter edges to enclose the garlic, creating a marbled butter.

    Time: PT5M

11. Shape Dough with Fillings

    Remove dough from fridge, discard plastic wrap. Gently stretch onto a lightly oiled surface, spread generous pieces of garlic‑butter and sprinkle shredded mozzarella. Fold the dough over itself to encase the filling, forming a rough ball.

    Time: PT10M

12. First Proof (Room Temperature)

    Place the shaped dough into an olive‑oil‑drizzled baking tray, stretch to the tray edges, cover, and let rise in a warm spot 1.5 hours until doubled in size.

    Time: PT1H30M

13. Prepare Parsley Butter

    Melt the remaining butter in a microwave‑safe bowl (1‑2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds). Stir in 1 tbsp chopped parsley.

    Time: PT2M

14. Divide & Rest

    Using a bench scraper, cut the dough into 12 pieces, shape each into a small bowl, place snugly back into the tray, drizzle with half of the parsley‑garlic butter, and let rest 15 minutes.

    Time: PT15M

15. Dimple, Oil & Top

    Dimple each dough bowl with oiled fingertips, drizzle a little more olive oil, and sprinkle additional mozzarella on top.

    Time: PT5M

16. Final Bake

    Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tops are golden and crunchy.

    Time: PT30M

    Temperature: 200°C

17. Cool & Serve

    Remove from oven, let rest 10 minutes on a wire rack, then pull apart the bowls. Brush with any remaining garlic butter for extra flavor.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Water: warm milk
• Instead of Active Dry Yeast: instant yeast (use 5 g)
• Instead of Honey: sugar, maple syrup
• Instead of Bread Flour: all‑purpose flour (will be less chewy)
• Instead of Salt: kosher salt (adjust amount)
• Instead of Olive Oil: vegetable oil
• Instead of Unsalted Butter: margarine (will change flavor)
• Instead of Garlic Bulbs: pre‑peeled garlic cloves
• Instead of Fresh Parsley: dried parsley (½ tsp)
• Instead of Mozzarella Cheese: provolone, cheddar
• Instead of Black Pepper: white pepper

Equipment Needed

• Digital Scale
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Small Bowl
• Tea Towel
• Plastic Wrap
• Oven
• Baking Tray
• Pastry Brush
• Bench Scraper
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Microwave‑Safe Bowl
• Oven Mitts

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Activating the yeast correctly (temperature and time).
• Performing stretch‑and‑folds to develop gluten.
• Cold fermentation for 24‑48 hours.
• Roasting garlic until caramelized.
• Enclosing the garlic‑butter filling without tearing the dough.
• Dimpling the dough before the final bake.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a digital scale for precise hydration; a 97% hydration dough yields a pillowy crumb.
• Wet your hands for every handling step to prevent sticking.
• The longer the cold fermentation (up to 48 hours), the deeper the flavor.
• For extra garlic punch, brush a thin layer of melted garlic butter on the crust right after baking.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 1 month; reheat in oven.

Room temperature: Best eaten fresh; can sit out for 2 hours max.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The dough can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance and kept refrigerated.
• Garlic‑butter spread freezes well; make it a day ahead and thaw before use.
• Roasted garlic can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions