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Gluten-Free Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread From Katarina Cermelj

This is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten (and I don’t use these words lightly). The texture is perfect: soft and squishy, and you get that stunning stretchy cheese pull as you tear off individual pieces. The combination of the two cheeses gives the best of both worlds: the cheddar contributes a delicious saltiness and the mozzarella adds a melty creaminess. The filling also includes lots of garlic and herbs, and the whole thing is one giant cheesy, garlicky flavor explosion. Some of the butter and cheese will leak out slightly during baking—but this actually results in the best parts of this bread: the crispy, cheesy, caramelized bits around the sides and on the bottom.

Photo by Katarina Cermelj

INGREDIENTS

Makes 10 to 14 servings
 
BRIOCHE DOUGH
15 grams (3 tablespoons) whole psyllium husk (Note 1)
 
180 grams (¾ cup) lukewarm water
 
160 grams (1⅓ cups + 1 tablespoon) tapioca starch (Note 2)
 
135 grams (1 cup) millet flour, plus extra for flouring the surface (Note 3)

25 grams (3 tablespoons) sorghum flour (Note 4)

25 grams (2 tablespoons) caster (superfine) or granulated sugar

6 grams (2 teaspoons) instant yeast (Note 5)
 
6 grams (1½ teaspoons) baking powder
 
5 grams (2 teaspoons) xanthan gum
 
5 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
 
100 grams (⅓ cup + 1½ tablespoons) whole milk, lukewarm
 
1 medium egg, room temperature

35 grams (2½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus optional 1 to 2 tablespoons (melted), to finish
 
Flaky salt (optional)
 
FILLING
55 grams (½ stick) salted butter, softened
 
1 to 2 teaspoons garlic powder
 
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, rosemary, and oregano

¼ teaspoon pepper
 
80 grams (¾ cup) coarsely grated (shredded) cheddar
 
80 grams (¾ cup) coarsely grated (shredded) low-moisture mozzarella
 
 

METHOD

FOR THE BRIOCHE DOUGH
You can prepare the dough using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or by hand. The mixer makes it much easier and results in a smoother dough.

In a bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and lukewarm water. After about 30 to 45 seconds, a gel will form.

In a large bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer, whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel, warm milk, egg, and melted butter.

Mix the dough until smooth and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for 4 to 5 minutes if using a stand mixer, or 6 to 8 minutes if kneading it by hand. Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape down the bottom and inside of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour.

The final dough will be slightly sticky to the touch—that’s okay; you’ll be working on a lightly floured surface, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Resist the temptation to add more flour to the dough, as that can make the bread too dense and dry. (Note 6)

FOR THE FILLING
In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, garlic powder, finely chopped fresh herbs, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.

ASSEMBLE & PROOFING
Lightly butter a 23-by-13-centimeter (9-by-5-inch) loaf tin. You can also line it with baking paper, although it’s not essential.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large 30-centimeter (12-inch) square. Spread the garlic butter filling in an even layer over the rolled-out dough, all the way to the edges. Evenly scatter the grated cheddar and mozzarella over the garlic butter, and press down gently to make sure it sticks.

Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, divide the dough into 16 equal 7.5-centimeter (3-inch) squares. Stack 8 of the squares, cheese side up, on top of each other, and carefully place them into the prepared loaf tin (so that a cheese-free square faces the end of the tin). Repeat with the other 8 squares, but make sure that the top square faces cheese side down. Carefully place the second stack into the loaf tin; you might need to squeeze them a bit to make them all fit.

Lightly cover the loaf tin with cling film and leave the dough to proof in a warm place for about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until about doubled in size.

BAKING
While the dough is proofing, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

Once doubled in size, place the bread onto a baking sheet (to catch any drips), then place it into the oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until evenly golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out completely clean with no sticky, raw dough attached to it. If the top of the bread starts browning too quickly, cover it with a sheet of foil (shiny side up) and continue baking until done.

Remove the baked bread from the loaf tin straight away and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. (Optional: brush with a bit of melted butter immediately out of the oven and sprinkle with flaky salt.)

STORAGE
The bread is best served hot or warm, fresh from the oven. You can also store it for about 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature and reheat it before serving, in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or in a 180°C/350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

NOTES
1. If using psyllium husk powder, use only 13 grams (1½ tablespoons).
2. Or use an equal weight of arrowroot starch, cornflour (cornstarch) or potato starch.
3. Or use an equal weight of finely milled/ground brown rice flour, but your pull-apart bread might be slightly less fluffy.
4. Or use an equal weight of light buckwheat flour, white teff flour, or oat flour.
5. If using active dry yeast, use 8 grams (2½ teaspoons), and activate it first. Mix together the active dry yeast, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the warm milk. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes, or until frothing. Add it to the dry ingredients along with the psyllium gel, egg, and melted butter.
6. If you find the dough too sticky to handle easily, chill it in the fridge for about 1 hour before proceeding to the next step.

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