If you come to my house a few times for dinner, there is a real good chance that I will make bread for you at some point. Actually, there is a high probability that I will make you bread anytime you come to my house for dinner… or lunch… or breakfast… there will be bread. I feel like bread completes the package. Now, of course, not everyone wants bread, but if you do, I have got you covered.
There is no limit to the kind of bread you can make and contrary to what many people believe, bread is not tough to make yourself. Over the next few months, I will be adding some of my favorite bread recipes, but I wanted to start off with something special. These parmesan garlic twists are delicious, jam packed with flavor and really beautiful to look at too. They are not complicated to make and I guarantee that you will be making them more than once. Lets get them started…
The first step in this recipe is to cube the butter that you will need ahead of time. Cubing your butter will allow it to incorporate with the dough easily and evenly, so in order to have cubed butter at room temperature when you are ready to make this recipe, cube it up while it is cold and then let those cubes sit in a bowl out on your counter top until you are ready for them.
This dough requires two resting periods, so I usually begin the process about 2 and a half hours before I want them to be ready to serve.
Start the dough by placing 1/2 cup of warm milk, 2 teaspoons of sugar and one packet of active dry yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk it lightly to combine and then allow it to sit for 5 minutes or so. Once the yeast is frothy, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 large eggs to the yeast and begin mixing at medium speed with a dough hook. Once the eggs and yeast mixture have been fully incorporated, add 1/4 cup of sugar and reduce the speed to low and begin adding your flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have added 3 cups of all-purpose flour to the mix.
Once all of the flour has been incorporated, begin adding the butter, a few cubes at a time. Be sure that the butter you have added is fully incorporated before you add more cubes. Butter really adds beautiful flavor and a certain texture to these twists and you want to make sure that it has a chance of evenly incorporating throughout the dough. Once the butter has been added, allow the mixer to knead the dough at medium speed for about 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large greased glass bowl and cover with plastic and a towel. Rest for 60 minutes.
Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a floured work surface and roll it into about a 12×18″ rectangular shape. There is no need to be exact.
Next, brush about 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle with red chili flakes, finely minced garlic, finely chopped parsley and finely shredded parmesan. Be sure to cover as much of the surface of the dough as possible and then begin rolling the dough, starting on the long end, moving back and forth in a typewriter style motion.
Once your dough is rolled, divide it into 24 even pieces by cutting it as you would a cinnamon roll. I like to cut it in half and then half again and go from there. I always find that if I start at one end, not only do I have uneven pieces, but I never end up with the amount that I need, so working in halves is much easier! Next, place two pieces into each of the cups of a greased standard 12 cup muffin pan. I like to twist each one of them slightly and then cross them over each other, so as they puff up, they form a layered, twisted look that is really beautiful.
Once you have filled all 12 cups, cover the muffin pan with a clean kitchen towel and allow them to rest for about 30 minutes. They will puff up a bit and begin to fill the cups. Before you bake them, whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water and brush over the tops of each twist. You can also sprinkle a bit more parmesan and some flakey sea salt over the twists to just put them over the top. Bake at 375 degrees for about 16 minutes and then do your best to not eat all of them. Remember, sharing is caring and you can always make more later…
Parmesan Garlic Twists
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm milk (between 100-110 degrees)
- 1/4 ounce active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 cups parmesan, finely shredded
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the butter by cutting 5 tablespoons into cubes while still cold and then bringing it to room temperature
- In the bowl in a stand mixer, whisk together 1/2 cup of warm milk, 1/4 oz of active dry yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Let it sit until it becomes frothy (approximately 5-7 minutes)
- Using the dough hook attachment, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 large eggs and begin mixing at medium speed
- Once the eggs have been fully incorporated, add the remaining sugar (1/4 cup) and reduce the speed to low
- Begin adding 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, while the mixer is on low speed
- Continue to mix until 3 cups of flour have been fully incorporated
- Add butter, a few small cubes at a time and once they are incorporated, add a few more, until all of the butter has been added to the dough
- Turn the speed back up to medium and knead the dough for about 10 minutes
- Prepare a large glass bowl by greasing with oil or spraying with cooking spray and transfer the dough into the bowl
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a large kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for 60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it into a 12x18 inch rectangle
- Brush the dough with 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Sprinkle with chili flakes, garlic, parsley and shredded parmesan
- Roll the dough as you would a cinnamon roll starting at the long end and using a typewriter motion. Pinch the seam to seal
- Cut into 24 equal pieces
- Grease a standard 12 cup muffin pan
- Twist one piece of dough and place it in the bottom of one cup, then take a second piece of dough, twist it the opposite way and place it on top of the first piece. You should have two pieces of dough in each of the 12 muffin cups
- Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 30 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
- Beat your remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and once the dough has risen, brush the tops of each twist with the egg wash
- Sprinkle lightly with salt, ground pepper and a bit more shredded parmesan
- Bake at 375 degrees until puffed up and golden brown, about 15-18 minutes
