Garlic and Herb Pull Apart Bread

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 C bread flour
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp basil, divided
• 8 cloves garlic, divided
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 C milk
• 1 C plus 2 Tbsp warm water
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and divided
• 6-8 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Add the first 5 dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer, along with 2 cloves of garlic, minced, and 1/2 tsp basil. Turn the mixer to low, then pour in the olive oil, milk, and warm water. Raise the speed as needed and mix until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl, then form it into a smooth ball. Move the dough to a large greased bowl, cover it, and set it somewhere warm until it has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
2. Roll the dough into a 12x20-inch rectangle. Brush it generously with 3 Tbsp melted butter, then scatter the remaining 1 tsp basil, Parmesan cheese, and the remaining 6 cloves of garlic, minced, over the top.
3. Slice the dough carefully into 6 even strips, then stack the strips on top of one another. Cut the stack again into 6 equal portions, so you have 6 stacks with 6 layers each. Place the dough squares into a lightly greased 10-inch loaf pan. Cover loosely and leave it to rise again for 30-60 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Just before the bread goes in, drizzle the remaining 1 Tbsp melted butter over the top. Bake for 35 minutes, tenting with foil if the top is browning too quickly.