This is perhaps one of the ultimate ways of doing garlic bread.

Tear and share, packed with garlic and herbs. Beautifully soft and fluffy. Pick the little segments off like a bread loving monkey ? I also have a recipe for the sweet version which you can find in the Enriched Dough page. It is made with cloves, cinnamon and a butterscotch sauce. You should definitely try both.

Do not skimp on the garlic when making this. And if you really like garlic, then go ahead and add some more. You could also sprinkle some parmesan in between the layers as you build the loaf for a cheesy kick. 

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

300g (10.6oz) strong white bread flour

4g (0.14oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

6g (0.2oz) salt

10g (0.35oz) sugar

40g (1.4oz) soft butter

190g (6.7oz) cold milk if your kitchen is around 23C (73F)

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the garlic butter –

120g (4.25oz) melted butter

30g (1oz) minced garlic

1g (0.03oz) salt

10g (0.35oz) chopped parsley

Method

1. Make the garlic butter by mixing the melted butter with garlic, salt & parsley. Cover & leave on the side. Make sure it stays runny.
2. In a bowl add the milk, yeast, salt & sugar. Mix to hydrate the yeast and dissolve any large salt and sugar crystals.
3. Add the flour & mix to a dough. Tip out on the table and knead for 3 minutes to start developing gluten.
4. Add the butter, tear it in and keep kneading for 3 more minutes until the dough becomes nice and smooth. Desired dough temperature 25 – 26C (77-79F). If your dough is cooler or warmer, then keep an eye on it and adjust the fermentation time up or down accordingly.
5. Cover & proof for 1 hour.
6. Fold.
7. Proof for 1 hour.
8. Divide into 2.5cm – 3cm pieces (around 1 inch). They do not have to be perfect. Just do not make them too large.
9. Dip each piece of dough in the garlic butter and place them all in a loaf tin.
10. Cover & proof for 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 160C (320F) fan on! If you have a baking stone or a cast iron skillet preheat that too and use it as a base to place your loaf tin on. If you do not have either, then do not worry as it will work fine.
11. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Or until the core temperature reads above 94C (200F).
12. Brush with any remaining garlic butter & let it set in the tin for around 5 – 10 min before removing it.

These are truly the softest buns ever.

Because they are ‘stuck’ together it gives them an even softer texture as there is less crust on the surface. Brushing them with butter in between makes them easy to separate. You can just line up a whole bunch on a tray and pick them off as needed. They will stay soft for quite some time too. The dough is basically a Japanese milk bread which uses a roux that gives it such a soft texture. This recipe is for 4 hot dog buns. Multiply the ingredients to make more.

You can use this recipe to make burger buns or dinner rolls too. Simply shape them differently. That is the beauty of this kind of dough. One recipe can be transformed into many different end results.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the roux –

90g (3.2oz) milk

20g (0.7oz) flour

For the dough –

200g (7oz) strong white bread flour

2g (0.07oz) dry yeast or three times the amount of fresh yeast

4g (0.14oz) salt

20g (0.7oz) sugar

1 egg white

50g (1.75oz) soft butter

40g (1.4oz) cold water* 

*To learn more about dough temperature control check out the Learning page where I have various videos on this topic. Temperature is one the the most important parts in bread making.

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of milk for glazing

Extra butter for brushing

Method

1. Make the roux by cooking the flour and milk in a small pan for around 5 minutes until thick and not lumpy. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold. Make sure the clingfilm is touching the surface of the roux to avoid it getting a dry crust. 
2. In a bowl add the water, yeast, salt, sugar, egg white, butter, and the roux. Mix well. Stir everything until the sugar and salt dissolve completely before adding the flour.
3. Add the flour and mix to a dough.
4. Tip the dough out on your table and knead for around 6 – 7 minutes. Desired dough temperature 25-26C (77-79F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust the proofing times accordingly.
5. Cover and proof for 45 minutes.
6. Fold.

7. Proof for 45 minutes.
8. Divide into 4 equal parts and preshape into blunt cylinders.
9. Cover and rest for 20 minutes. We need to let the gluten relax before the next step.
10. Shape, brush the sides with butter, place them on non-stick paper on a tray leaving a little gap between the buns.
11. Final proof 1 hour. During this time preheat your oven to 160C (320F) fan on.
12. Brush the buns with the egg yolk-milk glaze, let them dry for 5 minutes and brush them again.
13. Bake for around 25 minutes. Brush them with butter once done baking.

They will keep fresh and soft for quite some time, so you could make them a day ahead of time.