Cheese Garlic Bread (From Scratch)

Step 1: In a large bowl, stir water, honey and yeast together. Let yeast proof 5 minutes. Once you know yeast is active, stir in salt and the flour in 1/4 cup increments (if you are using a stand mixer, be sure to not increase your speed higher than a 2 or ‘stir’). Once dough starts pulling away from the sides and the bowl and seems to be pretty clean, set a timer for 5 minutes and walk away. Let the machine knead the dough. After 5 minutes, dough should be smooth and tacky but when touched shouldn’t leave any dough on your fingers.

Step 2: Grease the bowl and the dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Step 3: Punch down dough and cut into two equal portions. Form into two long baguettes the length of the cookie sheet. I like to twist mine because it looks cool, but it also keeps its length and doesn’t shrink.

Step 4: Cover with plastic wrap and rise 30 minutes.

Step 5: Start to preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place dough close to the oven where it’s nice and warm.

Step 6: Once oven is preheated, remove plastic wrap, from the dough reduce oven to 350F, put the bread into the oven and bake 20 minutes.

Step 7: In the meantime, slice the cheese into thin slices and melt the butter.

Step 8: Pull loaves of bread out of the oven after 20 minutes, then brush with the melted garlic butter. Bake another 5-7 minutes or until bread begins to turn a golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes.

Step 9: Cut 1-inch slices 3/4′s of the the way through the loaves. Brush garlic butter in between each slice and fill with a slice of cheese. Bake another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.

Step 10: Serve immediately.