Pull-apart cheese bread

Pull-apart cheese bread

• Cooking time 1 h
Experience the joy of warm pull-apart cheese bread, where soft, pillowy bread meets the rich, savoury taste of cheese. With layers of mozzarella and rocket and pesto cream cheese folded right into the dough, each bite melts effortlessly in your mouth, leaving you wanting more.
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https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/recipes/pull-apart-cheese-bread/

Instructions

  • Heat milk until it is warm to the touch ​​(about 28–40 °C). Combine milk, flour, yeast, egg, salt, and olive oil in a bowl until smooth, using a food processor or mixer if available. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
  • Pour the dough onto a floured surface and roll it into a rectangle (approximately 30 x 60 cm).
  • Cut the dough lengthwise into three strips, then cut each strip across to create 18 squares.
  • Spread each square with cream cheese and sprinkle with grated mozzarella.
  • Stack the squares in layers of three and place them in a loaf tin lined with parchment paper. Cover with a cloth and let the dough rise again for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 200 °C (conventional oven).
  • Bake the bread on the lower rack for 35–40 minutes. Check for doneness by tapping the bottom; a hollow sound indicates it is ready. To prevent the cheese from burning, cover the bread with parchment paper while baking.
  • Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Use a food processor

A food processor makes it so much easier to prepare the dough. It helps the gluten develop properly, giving the dough a smooth, elastic texture. It ensures the bread comes out light and airy, with those perfect layers that pull apart effortlessly, revealing the melted cheese within. It also saves time, making the process simple.

Let the dough rest

Resting the dough gives the yeast time to activate and do its job, helping the dough rise properly. This creates the light, airy texture needed for pull-apart bread. Without this resting period, the dough would remain dense, lacking the fluffiness that makes each piece soft and easy to pull apart. The second rise after shaping is equally important, as it ensures the layers expand, resulting in a tender bread with a satisfying, pillowy texture when baked.

Optimal baking practices

Position your loaf on the lower rack of the oven to ensure that it bakes evenly. This allows the heat to circulate effectively, guaranteeing the top develops a golden finish while the interior remains soft and tender. If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover it with foil to protect it from excessive heat while allowing the inside to cook through.

Prevent cheese from burning

To avoid over-browning the cheese, cover the bread with foil as soon as the top becomes golden. This way, the bread continues baking without risking the cheese becoming too dark. Another option is to use parchment paper to form a tent over the loaf, ensuring the cheese melts consistently while maintaining its golden hue. This keeps the bread soft and the cheese gooey.

FAQ: Questions about pull-apart cheese bread

Planning a gathering or a cosy night in? Our pull-apart cheese bread is a sure hit. Find answers to your questions about the recipe below, ensuring you get the best from this tasty creation every time you bake.

Can I prepare pull-apart cheese bread in advance?
Yes, you can prepare pull-apart cheese bread ahead of time. After preparing the dough and filling it with the cheeses and any other additions, shape it and place it in a loaf tin as directed. Once shaped, cover the tin tightly with cling film and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, take it out of the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, and then bake it at 200 ºC.
How should I store pull-apart cheese bread?
Once the bread has completely cooled, wrap it tightly in cling film or place it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. You can refrigerate it for up to 5 days. When you are ready to enjoy it again, just wrap the bread in aluminium foil and warm it in the oven at 180 °C until the cheese is melty and the bread is soft. You can also freeze the bread for up to a month; just make sure it is wrapped tightly before freezing.

Ingredients

Flour (plus extra for rolling)
600 g
Milk
400 ml
Egg
1
Dry yeast
2 tsp
Salt
1 tsp
Olive oil
2 tbsp
Rocket and pesto cream cheese
75 g
Mozzarella
100 g
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Soft and fluffy pull-apart cheese bread

Golden and bubbling with cheese, pull-apart cheese bread makes a tempting centrepiece for any table. As you pull apart each piece, you uncover a delicious blend of crispy crust and a soft, airy interior filled with gooey mozzarella and rocket-pesto cream cheese. The cheese stretches beautifully, revealing an irresistible, melt-in-your-mouth softness inside. Each bite comes with the satisfying crunch of the golden crust and a warm, creamy centre.

With mozzarella and rocket-pesto cream cheese

The combination of mozzarella and rocket and pesto cream cheese makes this pull-apart bread truly special. The mozzarella cheese melts smoothly, offering a satisfying stretch, while the rocket and pesto cream cheese adds a hint of herbaceous, peppery flavour that infuses every layer marvellously. This provides a creamy texture and freshness that complement the dough’s light and airy structure.

The easiest side dish, snack, and appetiser

This pull-apart cheese bread fits right in with any meal, whether as a simple side dish, a satisfying snack, or an appetiser to share. It pairs seamlessly with dishes like soups, salads, or grilled meat with its warm and cheesy goodness. You can also serve it with a cheese and charcuterie board or a tapas-style dinner. It is ideal for gatherings, and its pull-apart style invites everyone to dig in. Its light, fluffy texture and melty cheese make it an irresistible choice for casual dinners or festive occasions.

Explore some other baking recipes with flavourful ingredients like these tasty pesto bread rolls, delicious chickpea flour flatbread, irresistible chorizo pizza, or butternut squash pizza.

Customisable to suit your taste

This recipe is easy to customise, from the dough to the spreads. Garlic and cheese are a classic combination, so spread some roasted garlic butter between the dough layers for a warm, aromatic flavour and a gooey, cheesy bread. The roasted garlic adds a rich, caramelised taste that blends beautifully with the cheese, offering a well-rounded, savoury bite in every piece.

You can also experiment with different cheeses. Cheddar provides a sharp, tangy bite, while Gouda offers a mild, nutty taste.

For a fragrant twist, try a rosemary-infused homemade dough by adding fresh, chopped rosemary. Rosemary’s piney aroma adds a fresh, earthy note to the bread, which complements the rich, cheesy filling.

Using herb butter instead of olive oil is another way to boost the flavour of the dough. Mix melted butter with fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, or rosemary to get a fragrant, buttery richness that pairs well with the cheesy filling. For more flavour, consider adding sun-dried tomatoes, jalapeños, or olives to the dough.

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