Garlic and Gruyere Bread

I have never, ever been able to make good bread. All my efforts have always come out had as a rock, dense and generally horrible. The flavors would be fine, but that would be it. So needless to say I was skeptical when I tried this recipe. It sounded good, and I had similar ingredients at home, so I thought I might as well give it a try. My dough didn't require nearly as much flour as the original recipe stated, so I completed the recipe, but was convinced it would not turn out well. I didn't really bother taking many pictures of the process since I was that sure if would be a flop. But, this recipe has proven me wrong in every way. The bread was so good I didn't even have time to get a photo of the inside. I was so surprised by this success that blogging slipped my mind and dunking bread into soup was all I could think of. The bread does not have a particularly crunchy crust, but it tastes great and would make delicious little rolls as well.

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Makes 1 Small Loaf
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 3 hours

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic (or 1 large clove)
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups flour, plus more for dusting
1 package regular or fast acting dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup very warm water (approximately 120°F to 130°F, or just be the judge yourself)
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
cooking spray

In 6-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir frequently, until garlic just begins to become fragrant. Remove from heat. In large bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast. Add very warm water and garlic with oil. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in cheese and remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. If your dough is too sticky or wet, feel free to add more flour. On lightly floured surface, knead dough 5 to 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with cooking spray and place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place for 1 hour 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Grease large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate and shape it so it's round. Place the round on the cookie sheet and cut 2 half inch deep slashes in top to form an "X". Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove plastic wrap and bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. This bread is delicious when eaten warm. Pin It Now!