Description
This Cheese, Garlic and Herb Quick Bread combines savory cheddar with fragrant fresh herbs and garlic for a deliciously moist and flavorful loaf. Perfect served warm with butter, this easy-to-make bread uses simple ingredients and a quick baking method to produce a beautiful herb swirl and cheesy ribbons throughout the bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese
- 7 oz block of cheddar or tasty cheese, cut into 3mm thick slices of varying widths
Herb and Garlic Swirl
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt (halve if using fine table salt)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tsp baking soda (substitute 3 1/2 tsp baking powder)
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt (halve if using table salt)
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular, full fat, unsweetened)
- 3/4 cup milk (full fat preferred, low fat acceptable)
- 2 large eggs (~50-55g each)
- 3 1/2 tbsp (50g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small garlic cloves, crushed or grated
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F), suitable for both fan and conventional ovens.
- Prepare Loaf Tin: Lightly grease a 21 x 11 x 7 cm loaf pan with butter or oil spray, then line it with baking paper to prevent sticking.
- Make Herb and Garlic Swirl: In a small bowl, mix together finely chopped rosemary, parsley, dried oregano, dried thyme, crushed garlic, olive oil, and salt until it forms a thick dollop-able mixture.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the plain flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl until well combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the plain yogurt, milk, eggs, melted unsalted butter, olive oil, and grated garlic until smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Gently mix just until combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the bread.
- Layer Batter, Herbs, and Cheese – First Layer: Pour one-third of the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Dollop one-third of the herb mixture over the top and use a knife to swirl it through the batter, mixing up and down and folding the batter to create ribbons. Add one-third of the cheese slices randomly into the batter, pushing some fully in and leaving some partially exposed.
- Layer Batter, Herbs, and Cheese – Second and Third Layers: Repeat the previous layering process two more times, each with the remaining batter, herbs, and cheese slices. Don’t worry if herbs and cheese are visible on the surface; this looks wonderful once baked.
- Bake Bread: Bake for 30 minutes or until the top turns golden brown. After 30 minutes, remove the bread and cover it loosely with foil. Return it to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, making total baking time 50 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; it should come out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least 10 more minutes before slicing thickly. Serve with butter if desired.
Notes
- Cheese: Use sliced cheese about 3-4mm thick with varying widths to create attractive ribbons. Alternatively, you can use 2 cups (200g) tightly packed shredded cheese mixed into the batter just before baking. Avoid mozzarella as it lacks enough flavor and saltiness for this recipe.
- Herbs: Feel free to experiment with different fresh or dried herb combinations. You can substitute fresh herbs with 1 tbsp dried herbs or use pesto (1/3 to 1/2 cup) for variation. Blitzing herbs with a stick blender results in a finer texture and faster preparation.
- Loaf Pan: Using a larger pan will yield a flatter loaf but does not affect the overall outcome significantly.
- Storage: Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, keep it refrigerated and toast slices to refresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
