I bought my first appliance in grade school. When most of my friends were pining for Sega Gensis or Super Nintendo consoles I was saving up my pennies for a Bread Maker (a trusty Black & Decker). I’ve been making my own homemade bread since I was in Grade 6, often serving thick slices of toast smothered in butter, garlic and cheese.
There’s nothing more decadent than a pull-apart role featuring stringy cheese, and the seductive perfume of garlic. In this easy-to-make recipe I utilize the cinnamon roll technique: rolling out dough into rectangles, and slathering with a mixture before rolling up and pinching tight. When in the oven the butter and garlic mixture creates layers of flaky fun (a texture I’d describe as a happy marriage between brioche and croissant) which when pull apart reveal a seductive stream of ooey gooey cheese!
Ingredients for the Dough:
1/2 cup warm milk
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons soft unsalted high quality butter such as GayLea
Ingredients for the Filling and Topping:
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons soft butter
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 egg beaten for wash
Directions
In a small bowl stir together warm milk, white sugar, yeast and egg.
Add flour, salt and softened butter. Stir together until it forms a smooth dough.
Cover for 90 minutes in a warm place.
Transfer leavened dough on a floured surface and form a ball.
Section the dough into nine balls and roll out each into a rectangle with a floured rolling pin.
Whip softened butter, garlic, and scallions in a small bowl.
Slather butter mixture onto each rectangle then sprinkle with cheese.
Roll each rectangle together like a cinnamon roll and then pinch the seems like a perogie to form a dumpling shape.
Place rolls into a buttered circular non-stick pan creating a flower shape.
Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
Slather beaten egg over leavened rolls with a pastry brush.
Top with remaining shredded cheese.
Baked in 350F oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
