Herb cheese pull-apart bread

This is an important and symbolic post for me. When +Aparna Balasubramanian, included me in the "We knead to bake" bread baking project for the year 2013, this was the first bread, she chose for us to bake. I had already tried this bread last year and I loved it. So, I tried to post my facebook album link, on her blog... but, as it was too long, I couldn't post it. So, I thought of starting this blog, which was on my mind for a very long time..... :). Made this bread again, last month for my kid's birthday party...! My son loves this bread. I ate it, the very first time at another popular blogger +Durga Arivan's father's day party. It looks lovely, when made in a bundt pan, instead of traditional bread loaf pan. I followed the recipe from "The pastry affair page". A beautiful and delicious bread in a pizza party....!!!

So here is my blog post ready for the first "we knead to bake" project, of January 2013.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp instant yeast
  
• 1 and 1/3 cup of warm water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (or 1 and half) tsp salt 
• 3 and half cups of all purpose (or bread) flour
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese(freshly grated)
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese(freshly grated)

Recipe:

• Heat water in the microwave, it should be warm not boiling.
• Add instant yeast to it and keep it aside.

• Once it foams, mix it well with a spoon.

• Take the bread flour in a big container. Add salt. 

• Add the yeast-water mixture to the flour and mix it with a whisk with bread hooks. (You can do it with hands too-- 7-10 minutes). 

• Once everything comes together in a dough, add olive oil and knead with hands for 5 minutes, till the dough is smooth. It will be sticky, you can add one to three tbsps of flour but not more. 

• Keep the dough in a well oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap and allow it to rise.

• Keep it rising, till the dough has doubled up in volume.  (about 2 hours)

• Melt the butter in microwave or stove top. Add grated garlic and mixed herbs.

• Mix them well.

• Now, punch down the risen dough. 
• Make small balls out of dough, dip them in the garlic butter mix and lay them in a bundt pan side by side.

• Once the bottom of the pan is covered, sprinkle grated cheese on top.
• Make another layer of the buttered balls of dough on top of the first layer. Sprinkle more cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and let the balls of dough rise again the second time. (about 30-45 minutes)

• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 25/30 minutes till the top is brown and crusty, and the skewer comes out clean.
• Serve it upside down on a platter. 

Quantity:

• Makes about 12-15 slices.

Notes:

• This bread can be served piping hot out of the oven or at room temperature.
• Adjust the salt in the flour, according to the salt in the butter.
• You can use just one kind of cheese or mixed cheese.