When in doubt, put it on bread. That’s what I tell myself when leftovers or weird ingredients crowd my fridge. Most chefs swear by adding black garlic to meat and other savory dishes, but I say sweeten it up. This is a non-mixer recipe which means more elbow grease but less guilt after you eat the entire loaf! I used a mix of whole wheat and white flour for something more hearty, but feel free to use all white flour here. If you have extra black garlic, spread it on the toasted bread for extra sweet treat.

 

~*~ BLACK GARLIC-CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD  ~*~

SERVES: 1 LOAF ⎪ DIFFICULTY: ADVANCED  |  FUNK: MODERATE

Mise en Place

for the dough

3/4 cup milk, or lukewarm water

1.5 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cups whole wheat flour

 

for the filling

1 cup black garlic cloves (about 6 heads), or 1/2 cup purée

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

 

Playlist—Steely Dan

 

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1. FEED THE YEAST

Heat milk and butter in a pot or microwave until lukewarm, using your finger to check the temperature. Remove from heat. Gently whisk in dry yeast and sugar. Let rest for 10 minutes until foamy. Transfer to a large bowl and gently whisk in 1 egg.

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2. MAKE THE DOUGH

Meanwhile, whisk together flours and salt in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir in with a wooden spoon until combine. Then add another 1/2 cup, repeating this process until the dough forms and starts to remove itself from the bowl.

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*NOTE* Depending on the brand of flour, you might not use all of it. By adding 1/2 a cup at a time, you give the flour time to absorb the liquid. If you add all the flour at once, you’ll end up with a very dry dough. You want the dough to be slightly sticky, almost tacky. If you have excess blended flours, save it for pancake mix! 

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3. KNEAD THE DOUGH

Alright, time to put on your workout clothes. Turn the dough out of the bowl and onto a floured work surface. Press the dough flat, then fold it half towards you. Using the ball of your hands (and a lot of body weight), push the dough forward. Rotate it 90ºF, fold it, and push it again. Repeat this process until the dough is smooth and elastic. Continue to lightly flour your surface if the dough sticks. This will take about 10 – 15 minutes, so get ready to sweat.

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*TIP* To check that you’ve kneaded the dough enough, use The Windowpane Test

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4. PROVE #1

Lightly coat the inside of a bowl with oil. Gather the dough into a ball, then place in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Place the bowl in a warm spot or turn on the oven to it’s lowest temperature (150 – 200F). When you can put your arm in and keep it there, turn the oven off. Put in the dough and close the door. Prove for 1 hour or more until doubled in size.

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5. MAKE THE FILLING

Meanwhile, mash or blend the cloves in a medium bowl with a tablespoon of water until spreadable. Save extra for spreading on the toast! In a separate bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar, then stir into the black garlic paste.

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6. ROLL THE DOUGH

Punch down the dough. Use a rolling pin to out the dough into an oval about a 1/4-inch thick. Spread the black garlic-cinnamon filling all over the dough, then roll it up.

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7. PROVE #2

Grease a bread pan with butter or oil. Place the roll, seam-side down, into the pan. Cover in plastic wrap or towel. Prove for 1-2 more hours or until doubled in size.

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8. BAKE

Heat the oven to 350F. Whisk 1 egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush the loaf with egg wash then place on the middle rack and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the bread from the pan and tap the bottom to check that it sounds hollow.

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9. SERVE

Slice, toast, and spread with butter and extra black garlic purée.

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10. STORE

Keep leftover bread in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1 month.

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~*~ SAVORY VARIATION ~*~ 

In Step 5, hold the cinnamon-sugar and just spread on the black garlic. Make a killer BLT or grilled cheese.

~*~ ORANGE-WALNUT VARIATION ~*~ 

Omit cinnamon-sugar. In Step 1, add the zest of 2 oranges to the milk and butter. In Step 5, knead in 1/2 cup toasted walnuts.

~*~ BRAIDED VARIATION ~*~ 

In Step 5, cut the log in half lengthwise. Then braid the dough, trying to keep the open layers exposed so the cut end stay on top. Transfer to a parchment paper line baking sheet. Cover with a towel and prove for 1-2 hours then bake.

 

How would you use black garlic? Let me know what you’ve cooked and leave a comment below. 

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