Hasselback Homemade Garlic Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my garlic bread soggy in the middle? ›

Adding already-melted butter to your pieces of bread can often result in a soggy texture because the bread absorbs too much moisture before going into the oven, which makes it much harder to achieve that crunchy, toasted top layer on each piece.

By baking the bread in foil for the first 10 minutes, you allow the ciabatta to soften, which will give you a pillowy, chewy inside. Wrapping the bread also keeps the garlic from burning. Unwrapping the bread and baking it more adds color and will crisp up the crust for the perfect crunchy outside.

Easy homemade garlic bread in 3 steps

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or tinfoil, slice your bread in half lengthwise, and place the bread cut side up on the baking sheet. Make the garlic butter. In a small bowl mix the herbs and salt together with the softened butter.

Air circulating around the loaf allows the steam built up inside the bread to evaporate. If the bread is kept in its baking pan, it will become soggy and look and taste doughy. If the bread has not finished baking by the maximum time indicated in the recipe, the oven thermostat may be off.

Let your dough rise enough before baking it

If the dough doesn't fill out with gas, perhaps because it hasn't had time to rise properly, the inside of the loaf will remain soggy and dense as the dough won't bake properly. You should therefore leave plenty of time for your dough to rise.

Garlic bread will get hard in the fridge, which is why I will usually put it in the freezer so it maintains its integrity until we're ready to eat it again.

Plastic wrap will make especially moist quick breads (pumpkin, banana) gummy, while aluminum foil tends to crinkle and looks a little too pulled-from-the-freezer. Waxed paper or parchment is the way to go here. Waxed paper balances form and function -- it's the designer sofa of kitchen wraps, if you will.

Garlic bread (also called garlic toast) consists of bread (usually a baguette, sour dough, or bread such as ciabatta), topped with garlic and occasionally olive oil or butter and may include additional herbs, such as oregano or chives. It is then either grilled until toasted or baked in a conventional or bread oven.

This means that if you're cooking in a skillet over medium, medium-low, or low heat, you'll probably be fine using parchment. Hill uses it in the oven all the time for any temps under 450°F, but never risks using it on the grill, with the broiler, or in a skillet over high heat because the temperature can exceed 500°F.

Foil has a shiny side and a dull side because of how it is manufactured. Unless you are using foil that's labeled non-stick, which does have a non-stick side, it does not matter what side you use. Both the shiny and dull sides can be used the same way to cook, freeze, and store food.

What happens if you don't have parchment paper when baking bread? ›

Aluminum Foil with Oil: Good for Baking, Especially at Hotter Temperatures. Aluminum foil with oil is another good substitute for parchment paper. As with a greased baking sheet, the fat may subtly impact the way your food cooks.

The answer to the above questions is yes. Although garlic is good for the stomach and digestive system because it contains many nutrients, people with stomach diseases can still eat garlic to relieve pain, but should only eat it in moderation.

Garlic Bread

The Italians do eat garlic rubbed on toasted bread – with olive oil, not butter – and call it bruschetta. But they will toast an Italian bread such as ciabatta, not a French baguette, as has become popular in the UK and America.

I've eaten Italian food for 35 years, love discussing it. No, in Italy garlic bread is not served with pasta, the bread that is put on the table along with the pasta dish is often used to mop up the last of the sauce on your plate. But it is certainly not garlic bread, but ordinary bread without seasoning.

Tap on the bread's bottom, and if it sounds “full” (gives a dull thud instead or a resounding thump) it's still raw. Notice that bread can be both overcooked on the outside and undercooked on the inside quite easily, if baked in a too hot oven and for a too short time. My tool of choice is an instant read thermometer.

If you're really struggling with underbaking, you can try an instant-read thermometer. For lean breads (no eggs), the temperature at the center of the loaf should be 205 to 210 degrees F (96 to 99 degrees Celsius). For egg-enriched doughs, the temperature should be about 185 degrees F (85 degrees Celsius).

Inserting a toothpick into the center of a baked good is a tried and true method to test for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean, your bread is likely fully baked. It needs a bit more time if it comes out wet with dough or crumbs.