Description
A delightful Vegan Garlic Herb Bread featuring a fluffy, well-shaped white bread rolled with a flavorful garlic and mixed herb filling. This bread is perfect as a side dish with meals or as a savory snack. The bread is naturally vegan, using unsweetened almond milk for brushing and a delicious herb butter filling made from vegan butter and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bread
- 205 ml lukewarm water (¾ cup plus 2 tbsp)
- 3.5 g instant yeast (1 ⅛ teaspoon)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or any other light oil
- 325 g strong white bread flour (2 ⅝ cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk (for brushing only)
For the Filling
- 60 g vegan butter (¼ cup)
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 6 tablespoons fresh coriander
- 7 tablespoons fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Combine the lukewarm water and instant yeast in a large bowl. Stir gently and let it activate for a few minutes until slightly frothy.
- Mix Dough: Add the olive oil followed by the bread flour, and finally sprinkle the salt on top of the flour. Stir the ingredients together until they begin to form a rough dough.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for 10 minutes until the dough springs back when touched, then shape into a ball.
- First Rise: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and leave to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Prepare Filling: While the dough is rising, prepare the filling by placing all filling ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse until a rough paste forms. If no food processor is available, soften the vegan butter with a fork and finely chop the fresh herbs before mixing thoroughly by hand.
- Deflate Dough: Once risen, turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knock the air out for 5-10 seconds using your fists.
- Shape Dough: Roll the dough into a thin rectangle approximately 0.5-1 cm thick, 35 cm long and 20 cm wide (about 0.4 x 14 x 8 inches).
- Spread Filling: Evenly spread the prepared garlic herb filling across the surface of the rolled-out dough.
- Roll Dough: Starting from one of the short sides, roll the dough tightly into a thick, short roll.
- Slice and Twist: Cut a slit down the middle of the bread roll, leaving the top part uncut. Gently turn the filling outwards and then fold one strand over the other repeatedly along the length until you reach the bottom, keeping the filling exposed to create beautiful layers.
- Seal and Tuck: Pinch the bottom of the twisted bread tightly and tuck this pinched portion under the loaf to secure the shape.
- Final Proof: Place the loaf on a baking tray and let it proof for 45 minutes while preheating the oven to 190°C (374°F) on fan setting; if using a conventional oven, preheat to 210°C (410°F).
- Brush and Bake: After proofing, brush the loaf with unsweetened almond milk and bake for 35 minutes until the bread is golden brown and crispy on the outside.
Notes
- Use bread flour for better gluten development and fluffy texture; plain flour can cause tearing during baking.
- Keep salt and yeast separate until mixing to avoid inhibiting yeast activation.
- Always use lukewarm water to activate yeast; hot water will kill it.
- Firmly pinch and tuck the end of the dough to prevent the twist from unraveling during baking.
- Finely chopping the fresh herbs helps mix the filling more evenly if mixing by hand.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
