Herbed Cheese Pull-Apart
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Soft brioche dough stuffed with cubes of a sharp white cheddar and herbs. Dough dipped in an aromatic herb and garlic oil, layered in a bundt pan, proofed, baked to a golden crust. Parmesan sprinkled on top, serve warm or room temp. Easy grab-and-go appetizer style portions. Yeast dough with olive oil, parsley, chives, rosemary infused oil. No eggs or nuts. Slightly altered yeast and hydration for texture. Sharp cheddar swapped in place of mozzarella, thyme replacing rosemary for a different herbal touch. Rise and bake times adjusted five minutes either way to tweak crumb. Button for freezing at cooling stage after baking. 10 to 12 servings from a 3-liter pan.
Prep:
Cook:
40 min
Total:
Servings:
10 to 12 servings
#appetizer
#pull apart bread
#herb bread
#cheese bread
#French-inspired
#yeast bread
#party food
Cheese and herbs tangled in pillowy dough. Pull-apart style. Fun snack or party starter. No nuts here. No eggs, so friendly for many diets. Sharp cheddar replaces mellow mozzarella. Thyme swaps rosemary for a bit more earthiness. The dough soaks up oil loaded with fresh herbs and garlic, bringing aroma all the way through. Letting it rest longer or chill overnight lets flavors deepen, dough toughen up just right. Golden crust, chewy inside. Parmesan tops it off salty and freshly grated at the last minute, contrast sharp and savory. Handheld, messy, dip-ready. Fluffy balls baked together. Tear off pieces, cheese oozes. Crunchy on outside. Herb oil clings tight. Yeast magic in every bite.
Ingredients
Herb Oil
- 175 ml olive oil (3/4 cup)
- 60 ml chopped parsley (4 tablespoons)
- 50 ml chopped chives (3 1/2 tablespoons)
- 8 ml chopped fresh thyme leaves (1 1/2 teaspoons)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
Dough
- 375 g (2 1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 50 g (4 tablespoons) sugar
- 8 ml (1 1/2 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 12 ml (2 1/2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
- 280 ml warm water (1 1/6 cups)
- 160 g sharp white cheddar, cut into small cubes
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
About the ingredients
The herb oil is key. Use good olive oil to carry those fresh green flavors. Parsley and chives for brightness, thyme for a slightly savory twist instead of the original rosemary. Garlic raw but finely grated to distribute evenly. For the dough, reduced the flour amount slightly to keep elasticity, adjusted water to compensate. Yeast lowered from 2 teaspoons to 1 1/2, slowing rise for a tender crumb. Sharp cheddar cubes lend stronger flavor and melt differently than mozzarella, so smaller cubes needed. Salt increased a bit to balance cheese saltiness. Parmesan for topping is optional but highly recommended for its salty crunch. Cold proofing overnight? Control flavors and texture, bring out the best. Bundt pan oiling must be generous to release each cheesy ball easily.
Method
Herb Oil
- Mix olive oil, parsley, chives, thyme, and grated garlic in small bowl. Season with pepper. Set aside.
Dough
- Combine flour, sugar, yeast, salt in mixer bowl. Slowly add warm water. Low speed with dough hook until clumps form.
- Increase speed. Knead 6 minutes until smooth and elastic dough forms.
- At low speed, add half the herb oil in three parts, kneading slightly between additions. Dough will absorb all oil, become shiny and supple.
- Increase speed, knead 4 minutes more. Form a ball. Place in lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Proof in warm, humid spot about 1 hour or until doubled.
- Prepare bundt pan (3 liters/12 cups) with generous coating of oil.
- Once risen, divide dough into roughly 35 pieces. Vary sizes: some small, some slightly bigger.
- Stuff each piece with 1-2 cubes of cheddar, seal softly. Shape loosely into balls without over-handling.
- Dip each dough ball into remaining herb oil, coat well. Place balls in bundt pan, layering, leaving small gaps.
- Pour leftover oil over dough balls in pan. Cover with plastic. Let rest another 40 minutes at room temperature or chill overnight up to 8 hours (see notes).
- Oven rack center position. Preheat oven to 175°C (347°F).
- Remove plastic from dough. Bake about 40 minutes if pan is dark, 45 minutes if light-colored, until golden brown.
- Immediately invert pan onto baking sheet upon removal. Wait 5 minutes. Remove pan gently.
- Cool 15 minutes before serving or cool completely if freezing.
- Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Can freeze at this stage, wrapped tightly.
Cooking tips
Mix dry first, then add warm water slowly—don’t rush. Kneading time adjusted to bring out gluten development without overworking. Herbs get folded into oil, not dough directly; enhances flavor without toughening dough. Dip each shaped ball fully in oil before layering; crucial so they bake moist and pull apart easily. Cover well during proofing to avoid skin formation. Chilling overnight makes handling easier and flavors meld better if timing allows. Bake temps lowered slightly with adjusted times to account for pan color and oven hot spots—experiment a bit based on your equipment. Flip right after baking to prevent sogginess. Five minutes resting after turning out gives structure before unmolding. Wrap chilled or frozen portions well to preserve moisture; reheat gently before serving to soften cheese pockets. Parmesan sprinkle last step only; it browns too fast if included beforehand. Using sharp cheddar and thyme instead of mozzarella and rosemary changes aroma profile and melting behavior – expect deeper, nutty notes and gooey texture variations.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Knead dough at low speed first until clumps appear. Then speed up for gluten to develop without overheating. Add herb oil slowly in thirds so dough absorbs fully. Makes dough shiny but supple. Avoid adding all oil at once or dough can get too soft and sticky. Rest dough covered in warm humid spot for proper rise. Small and large dough pieces vary texture and cheese pockets. Sealing cheddar cubes well avoids melting cheese escaping during bake.
- 💡 Dip formed dough balls fully in herb oil before placing in bundt pan. This keeps balls moist while baking, prevents drying on outside layers. Layer loosely to allow expansion but close enough to pull apart after baking. Cover pan with plastic to avoid skin forming on dough surface during second rest. If chilling overnight, bring pan to room temp before baking to avoid cold spots affecting oven rise.
- 💡 Oiling bundt pan generously is crucial. Prevents sticking when removing after bake. Use light or dark colored pans adjustment baking time by about 5 minutes. Darker pans speed crust browning and bake time shortens. Invert pan immediately after baking but wait 5 minutes for dough structure to stabilize before removing pan. This stops soggy bottom.
- 💡 Cheddar cheese cubes sized small, about 1 cm, helps melt properly without large greasy pockets. Sharp white cheddar for stronger flavor replacing mozzarella. Thyme in herb oil gives earthier note, replacing original rosemary. Garlic is finely grated not minced, spreads flavor evenly without harsh chunks. Parsley and chives add fresh brightness to oil. Parmesan last step adds contrasting crunch and salty bite, add after baking to avoid burning on crust.
- 💡 Proofing time adjusted to about 1 hour until dough doubles. Patience benefits crumb texture. Second rest after shaping lets flavors meld. Chilling dough overnight makes handling easier, dough tougher. Dough hydration carefully balanced to keep elasticity but not sticky. Avoid overkneading after oil addition to keep crumb tender. Reheating frozen pull-aparts gently to avoid drying cheese inside. Wrap tightly to preserve moisture during freeze.
Common questions
Can I substitute cheeses?
Yes but melt and flavor differ. Mozzarella melts gooier, cheddar stronger taste but melts with less stretch. Softer cheeses like fontina or gouda possible but may change bake time. Cube sizes affect melt too. Adjust accordingly.
How long can dough rest/chill?
40 minutes at room temp second rise standard. Overnight chill up to 8 hours good for flavor depth. Longer might weaken yeast activity causing denser crumb. Bring cold dough pan to room temp before baking for best oven spring and even crust.
Dough sticking to pan?
Generous oiling bundt pan necessary. Use brush or paper towel. If sticking still occurs, pan type matters - nonstick pans better but oiled bundt classic best. Flip out soon after bake helps prevent crust sogginess. Leave pan too long and steam can cause sticking.
How to store leftovers?
Keep cool and wrapped to stop crust drying. Room temp for 1-2 days best. Freeze after cooling, wrapped tightly foil or plastic wrap. Thaw slowly at room temp or warm gently in oven before serving to soften cheese pockets without drying dough.
