It’s one of those days. The sky is still dark when you finally wrestle off the heavy covers and swing your feet out of bed, never seeming to lighten a single shade all day. Rain falls intermittently, just enough to mock any attempt made to leave the house while remaining dry. Strangers hustle by with umbrellas carelessly outstretched, acting more as blunt weapons than shelters from the elements. How many times can you get whacked in the face during a brief 10-minute walk? Oh, let’s keep a tally and find out; it’s easy to lose count while tabulating the results in your head.
You know the script and play your part, muddling through as best you can, but wait- Who’s writing this story anyway? Why should you stick to your lines when a much more satisfying ending could be crafted with a bit of improvisation?
Here’s the plot twist you’ve been craving. Get home, throw off your muddy boots, cozy into a soft sweater, and break out the flour and yeast. There’s no antidote to those days, but there is a salve, and it comes in the form of baking bread. Something about the kneading of dough is indescribably cathartic, while the warmth of the oven can melt the iciest of hearts. Merely the smell of fresh dough transforming into golden brown loaves has a wholly restorative quality, even before taking a single bite.
Savory herbs mingle with roasted garlic in a rich, aromatic filling woven through every layer of soft, tender dough. You might think that they’re fussy, or too fancy to serve as an everyday loaf, but it takes no more work than the average bread. Treat yourself to something a bit more special than the standard; take back control and write your own story.
These two loaves are my ninth annual contribution to World Bread Day, and second submission to the baking contest mixed up by Simply Organic and Go Dairy Free. Should you find yourself in a baking rut and need new material to revise your personal script, just hit these links for ample inspiration, both sweet and savory.
Twisted Garlic and Herb Bread

Savory herbs mingle with roasted garlic in a rich, aromatic filling woven through every layer of soft, tender dough. You might think that they’re fussy, or too fancy to serve as an everyday loaf, but it takes no more work than the average bread.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 Package (2 1/4 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
- 1 Tablespoon Light Agave Nectar
- 1 3/4 Cups Warm Water
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
- 3 - 3 1/2 Cups Bread Flour
Garlic and Herb Schmear:
- 2 Heads Garlic, Roasted
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Rosemary
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the yeast, agave, and warm water. Let stand until the yeast reactivates and surface of the liquid becomes bubbly; about 5 minutes. Stir in the oil, salt whole wheat flour, and 2 cups of the bread flour, mixing with a sturdy wooden spoon or the dough hook attachment of your stand mixer.
- Once the initial addition of dry goods has been completely incorporated, add the remaining cup of bread flour. Slowly knead by hand or machine for 10 – 15 minutes until the dough is smooth, supple, and elastic. If it still seems very wet, add up to 1/2 cup additional bread flour.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
- Let rest at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size; about 1 – 1 1/2 hours, depending on your local climate.
- Meanwhile, prepare the garlic and herb schmear by first squeezing the cloves of roasted garlic out of their skins. Place them in a small bowl and roughly mash with the salt. Let the mixture remain somewhat chunky, but smooth enough to spread without too much difficulty. Add in all of the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly to combine. Set aside.
- After the dough has properly risen, punch it down and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Take one at a time and on a lightly floured surface, press it into a rough rectangular shape. Use a rolling pin to further smooth it out, until it measure approximately 15 – 16 inches long (the exact width isn’t critical.) Cover the surface evenly with 1/4 of the garlic and herb schmear, and roll the dough up in a tight cylinder exactly the same way you would for cinnamon buns. Repeat this process with the remaining dough and schmear.
- Now that you have your 4 filled rolls of dough, focus your attention at two at a time, to form each loaf. With the seam-sides down, use a very sharp knife to slice right down the center of each roll, but NOT all the way through. You want to reveal the layers within, but not cut the dough entirely in half. Press the tops of the two split rolls together to adhere, and very gently twist the pieces together, keeping the cut sides facing up. When you reach the end, press the bottoms together to seal, and curl both ends under to keep the pieces from separating in the baking process.
- Very carefully move the twisted loaf over to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and allow the loaves to rise once more, until not quite doubled in size. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until golden brown and utterly aromatic. The tempting smells will make it very difficult to wait, but allow the bread to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Recommended Products
Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 180mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 9g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.
[…] Plot Twist – Strangers hustle by with umbrellas carelessly outstretched, acting more as blunt weapons than shelters from the elements … Slowly knead by hand or machine for 10 – 15 minutes until the … […]
Right up my alley Ms Hannah. I could go a slice right now :)
It looks really really good!
ya
[…] Bittersweet – Twisted Garlic & Herb Bread […]
I love your writing. :) And your bread looks out of this world!
These look amazing! 😍
You always surprise me with each recipe but, oh man! How I love a good homemade loaf! This one looks absolutely delicious and perfect (like, SO perfect).
Grey days, or any bad day in general, instantly get better when homemade bread is baking in the oven. :-)
xoxo
So beautiful. Those are the loaves I always dreamed about making but not quite did. Perfection! No day can feel grey when you have the perfect swirly loaf of bread on hand.
Forgot to change my login account!
This looks amazing.
Nothing like freshly baked garlic bread to chase away a dreary day or vampires. :-)
Wow that bread looks absolutely amazing, so pretty! Ive been meaning to bake bread as well, and read that one can use a le creuset pot to bake them in, so tempted to try that as well. Have you ever? :)
Oh yes, I’m well aware of the concept and would love to try it, but alas, I have no dutch oven. Maybe one of these days…!
Haha, exactly why I won’t carry an umbrella and they’re useless in the wind here anyway. This looks wonderful, a beautiful centerpiece perfect for a holiday table. Thanks!
[…] GET THE RECIPE […]
I love garlic bread more than almost any other bread product and I need to try your recipe next time I make it.
This bread is stunning and such a delicious idea!
Beautiful loaves and great story! Thank you for particpating again in World Bread Day 2016!
Thank you, Zorra, and thanks yet again for hosting another delicious and inspiring round of bread baking! I can’t wait to see the final collection of new recipes. :)
[…] Twisted Garlic and Herb Bread […]
Just on looks alone, that’s really quite incredible. Looking at the ingredient list, I know it would taste beautiful too! If there’s an antidote to those days, it’s a good loaf.
[…] Plot Twist (Bittersweet Blog) […]
We loved your beautiful photo and decided to feature it on Face book on our cover photo for a few weeks. I could not tag you because we can’t find a FB page for you. Hope you like it! Kelli at Yum Goggle!
Thank you so much, it’s truly an honor! You can find me on Facebook under my name, not my blog: Hannah Kaminsky.
Thank you for this lovely creation! I really cannot wait to try making it. I just had a bit of trouble understanding exactly how to cut the rolls and twist the pieces. Could you please explain it again or include some pictures to demonstrate? Thank you so much in advance!
While this isn’t exactly the same, you can see a pretty good step-by-step photo explanation of the technique here: http://inspiredbycharm.com/2013/09/braided-nutella-bread.html
Sorry I just saw this!! Thank you that really helps! Can’t wait to make it :)
Very nice..will try it
You have inspired me! Newer done it before, not a foodie/ baking person, but yes, lets try!
going to try this for sure
😘😘😘😘
good
Nice
Reblogged this on #theguywhosaidalwaysno.
Yum. I’m going to reblog this on https://archiesugar.wordpress.com/
Beautiful. Yes! Oh, this sounds great!
I love the build up to the plot twist! Wonderful post, it kept me intrigued while reading
Wow! That bread looks great. My first thought was cinnamon but I was happy to see one was Garlic and Herb. I began to smell the bread baking after reading. LOL
I’m fairly new to bread-making but seeking a new challenge so this looks perfect! Check out my simple spelt bread recipe on my site :)
I love to cook! And to make it all fresh! I am glad I follow your page!
Ok I am not much of a cook but I am going to attempt to make this- thank you! My mouth was watering while reading…aw
Carlee – evenmoreyou.wordpress.com
Heck yeah! I love baking bread and I write about it too.
Thank you so much for a great post about my eternally favorite, bread. Likewise for sharing the recipe. My husband and I are ‘newbies’ in baking bread for personal consumption! We are still in our trial & error stage, practicing, practicing. We keep going even if the results are not yet perfect. It’s a new kind of excitement to feel the dough until it is fully kneaded, wait until it rises, and nothing is more delicious than be rewarded by the smell of hot, fresh, homemade bread! Heaven!
This sounds soo good, thank you for sharing! Will be trying this soon :)
Omg sounds great!!
https://therealrayna.wordpress.com
This looks so delicous! I’ll definitely give this a try!
Making me wish I had an oven :-(
Looks YUM!! Thanks for sharing this …. Simply magic! Keep them coming.
Btw I write a blog as well.It’s about Movie reviews .Please drop by and feedback is always welcome.Thanks.
You, my dear are an angel who should be promoted!
really good mi niña !! xoxito
Nice
that looks amazing! great work!
I like it
It looks sooooo delicious 😊
‘There’s no antidote to those days, but there is a salve, and it comes in the form of baking bread.’ …it’s something about this thing. Something I can’t describe that made me love it. I would frame this!
This is a really good recipe. I’ll make it right now
Looks so good
I find baking my own bread to be intimidating. This looks so good that I wish I had more courage to try. Have you ever thought of teaching a class on the subject?!!
There’s really nothing to be afraid of! I used to be apprehensive too, but it’s truly no more difficult to make than any other sort of baked goods. I’d love to teach a class… but it’s tough to find the space, time, and audience for it.
Wow..I want to make like this..♡
Wow. I don’t bake bread but I just might with this one. Is there anything I can substitute for pumpkin puree?
Sure! Sweet potato puree would be great, or if you wanted to go even simpler, plain mashed potatoes would work well, too.
Good to know! We don’t have good pumpkins here so sweet potatoes would be better for me to use. Thank you!
Beautiful!
A captivating read that had me hanging on every word. Thank you for sharing this plot twist and marvelous recipe.
This is the best!
This looks so tasty! I will be making this for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Hi just discover your blog and I love it ! It’s just tasty and beautiful !
If the recipes don’t get you, the photo will. Yum!
It look so yummy 😋
It looks so good yummy 😋
Looks very very good! Love me some Carbs!
http://www.thegrandsecondhand.com
Please check it out!
Oooo, this looks amazing. I think I’d do this with some yummy pesto!
It’s these kind of of great pics that draw me to the kitchen, big like!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! Shall try it out sometime :)
Wonderful post! I once enjoyed baking bread. Alas, I must now find gluten free alternatives most of which don’t have the flavour and texture I miss.
Ohmy this looks heavenly! Can’t wait till I get a chance to try it.
This looks so good!! 😋😋. Please follow my blog: https://baking781.wordpress.com/. 🙂
Looks yummy! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
its so good
I think I’ll add this to my Thanksgiving menu but not before I make a batch for us first, lol! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
looks yummy
Man o man…was eyeing up making Spelt Bread! For my needs! Otherwise, i go for any “ancient seed” loafs! Open to reccomendations anyone!
Looks delicious
Hey friends i am new to blogging..i just tried few things.. I dont know if you’ll will like it or not .i would appreciate if you’ll could give your feedbacks ..as well as help me learn .
thank you
Hey friends i am new to blogging…i will appreciate you’ll if you’ll would follow my site as well ad give your valuable comments..thank you
Sounds delicious!
How amazing! Please be a guest blogger about the process of baking bread and mental health for me: https://themodernrevolution.com/ Pete (info@awellrunlife.com)
What an awesome bread you have here, love the herbs and garlic in it. Following you now to see what else you have in store. Thanks so much
This looks so amazing! It’s making me hungry just looking at it!!
Eliza x
http://www.dontfaff.co.uk
That picture of the bread got my mouth watering
http://loveyourwifeandlife.wordpress.com
I’m going to try this for thanksgiving, thank you.
I never bake my own bread, but this might convince me to try!
It looks soooo delicious 😋
Reblogged this on Fly High Butterfly and commented:
nice :)
I am new to blogging i request youll to like my page as well as help me..give me tips as to how to go about..Thank you
totally agree about kneading bread! calms me down every time.