Recipe Cheese, Mustard & Anchovy Pull Apart Bread

Morning Glory

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I’d been meaning to try this technique for making pull apart bread for a while now but have been pondering what kind of filling to use. The CookingBites Recipe Challenge: Mustard offered the perfect opportunity to experiment. I used a method (but not the recipe) described here. It was far easier than I expected. I had some leftover dough and filling so I also made a twisted cheese and mustard ‘tear and share’ loaf (pictured below).

This was also the first time I used Diax in a bread dough (as recommended by @MrsDangermouse). It helps produce a softer, lighter dough. What a brilliant tip! You don’t have to include it to make this recipe - but if you can get hold of it, I can recommend. To make this recipe, you will need a 23cm x 12.5cm (9 inch x 5 inch) bread tin and a 98mm (4 inch) pastry cutter. Method photos below.

Pull Apart Bread:

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Twisted Tear and Share Loaf:

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Ingredients
For the bread dough:
450g strong white bread flour
3g diax
10g instant yeast
9g salt
150ml semi-skimmed milk mixed with:
100ml lukewarm water
Egg wash to glaze

For the filling:
150g strong Cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
20g anchovy fillets, finely chopped
50g softened butter

Method
To make the pull apart bread:
  1. Place all the bread dough ingredients in a large bowl and gradually add the milk and water. Use a large spoon to bring the mixture together. I like to make a fairly wet dough, which is tricky to work with. If you prefer, add just enough liquid to form a firm dough.
  2. Tip the dough onto an oiled surface and knead until smooth and elastic. You can do this in a processor with a dough hook.
  3. Return the dough to the bowl. Cover and leave until doubled in size.
  4. Place the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix together to form a thick paste.
  5. Knock back the bread dough and roll out to approx. 40cm x 30cm (15inch x 12inch)
  6. Use a pastry cutter to stamp out approx. 8 to 10 pieces of dough.
  7. To fill, place a circle of dough on the palm of your hand. Place a scant tbsp of filling slightly to one side and fold dough over it to create a half-moon shape.
  8. Place the filled dough shape, with the curved side uppermost, at one end of the baking tin.
  9. Repeat until the tin is filled. Don’t worry if some of the filling squeezes out or if the half-moon shapes become ‘wonky’ as you add them. It all adds to character.
  10. Leave the dough to prove for 20 mins.
  11. Brush the top with egg wash and bake for approx. 35 mins at 180C.
To make the twisted tear ’n share loaf:
  1. Gather up the remaining dough and knead lightly.
  2. Roll out into a long oblong shape and place the filling down the centre.
  3. Fold over the dough to cover the filling and form a ’snake’.
  4. Holding one end of the dough static, twist the other end several times and then form into a tight circle, tucking the ends in or under. This technique helps stop the dough from spreading as it proves and bakes.
  5. Place on a baking tray and leave to prove for 20mins.
  6. Brush the top with egg wash and scatter with seeds of your choice (optional)
  7. Bake for 25 mins at 180C.
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This looks delicious. I will have to find some of that malt powder to use: when I try searching for Diax, I end up finding air freshener and music by someone who's last name is Diax.

I had some leftover dough and filling so I also made a twisted cheese and mustard ‘tear and share’ loaf
My only issue here is that I wouldn't want to share! :laugh:
 
Method photos:

Roll out the risen dough:

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Cut out circles with a pastry cutter. Place in the palm of your hand, fill and fold over:

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Stack the folded 'half-moon' shapes into the bread tin.

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Use the remaining dough to make a twisted loaf:

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Allow to prove for 20 mins and then bake:

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We buy pull apart loafs here and I used some last week for garlic bread, wife couldn't find ciabatta we normally use. So I had a pull apart bread in a plastic bag on the bench on Sunday. Kids arrived and our son is always hungry went into the kitchen and came back chewing on something. When I went to cut bread for garlic bread a big chunk had been pulled off and eaten. The rest got made into garlic bread. Ticked me off.

Russ
 
This is just inspired! It reminds me of Spain, because they serve amazing breads and anchovies there. What a fabulous way to bind them together.
 
Now that I have some suitable vegan cheese (it needs one or two changes, but it melts and it browns and smells wonderful) I reckon this could be an idea for using some of it up. It looks divine, it really does.

Thank you - I was trying out a slightly different style of food photography in the top few shots - still using available light. I was wondering how to veganise this regarding the anchovies too. Olives might work.
 
Thank you - I was trying out a slightly different style of food photography in the top few shots - still using available light. I was wondering how to veganise this regarding the anchovies too. Olives might work.
I'd just drop them and do with a cheese onion and garlic one or caramelized onion and cheese version. Mustard will still work in both because it compliments cheese so well. If I get chance, I might try to make it tomorrow. I need something easy for the weekend, we're helping hubby's boss move house.
 
Those look and sound delicious - I'll definitely be trying one of them...though probably without the anchovies as hubby doesn't like fish (even if he can't really taste it, if he knows its there he won't even try it). I guess the anchovies give a bit of an umami hit, so maybe a smear of Marmite would as a substitute?

Glad you found the Diax made a difference - its a fairly recent discovery for me but I've found my loaves come out more more reliably than they do without it.
 
I'd just drop them and do with a cheese onion and garlic one or caramelized onion and cheese version. Mustard will still work in both because it compliments cheese so well. If I get chance, I might try to make it tomorrow. I need something easy for the weekend, we're helping hubby's boss move house.

Caramelised onions would be good. I hope your vegan cheese is OK for this - I know it probably should be but you might find it soaks too much into the dough and makes it stodgy.
 
Thanks for the "technique" photos. Being I am perhaps the world's worst bread maker, I tend to shy away from bread recipes, but those technique photos look so much fun that I may have to try this. ...I think I can find my rolling pin
 
Thanks for the "technique" photos. Being I am perhaps the world's worst bread maker, I tend to shy away from bread recipes, but those technique photos look so much fun that I may have to try this. ...I think I can find my rolling pin

Its easier than I ever thought it would be. Give it a try. Most recipes are sweet (cinnamon etc.) which I think would be nice. But I have not a sweet tooth in my body really.
 
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