Herb Bread

Well today I decided to experiment and come up with an herbed bread recipe as I haven't found one I like yet. I took a basic white bread recipe and added in 1/4 C of herbs and 1/4 of parmesan cheese. Yum! I can't wait to try toasting this with some garlic butter to make garlic bread with dinner. I bet it'd be delicious for a grilled cheese sandwich served with homemade tomato soup. Hmmm, that gives me an idea.

Herb Bread

Ingredients
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 C of warm water
1 Tbsp active dry yeast (traditional)
1 C of milk
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
5 C of unbleached all-purpose flour (approx.)
¼ C loosely packed herbs (I used parsley, chives, and thyme)
¼ C finely grated parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp of water

Directions
1. In a large bowl dissolve 1 tsp of sugar into 1 cup of warm water. Add in the yeast, and let proof at room temperature for 10 minutes. While you are waiting, in a small sauce pan over medium heat, heat the milk, 2 Tbsp of sugar, unsalted butter, and salt just until butter melts. Let cool to room temperature.

2. Mix milk mixture into yeast. Gradually add the first 3 cups of flour and beat until smooth. Continue adding the remaining 2 cups of flour until you have a stiff dough.

3. Add in the herbs and parmesan cheese, and mix through so it’s evenly spread through the dough.



4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured board, or in your KitchenAid mix master if you’re lazy like me for 10 minutes or until it’s smooth and elastic.



5. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave to rise for 1 ½ hours at room temperature in a draft free place.



6. Punch down dough; turn onto a lightly floured cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

7. Divide dough in half, and shape into loafs. To do this, lightly pull the dough to form a rectangle roughly 11 inches by 8 inches. Starting on the narrow end roll into a cylinder, pinching ends and seams together so it is smooth in appearance.





8. Place into greased 8 x 4 baking pans, and cover and let rise at room temperature for an hour or until doubled in bulk.



9. Whisk together egg yolk and 1 Tbsp of warm water, brush lightly on the tops of risen loaves.

10. Bake in preheated 400F oven, for 30 minutes or until golden brown and a hollow sound is made when you tap on top of loaves.

11. Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks.