FRONT BURNER: Garlic Knots a tasty way to warm kitchen

Loaded garlic knots
Loaded garlic knots

On cold days I like to bake. So it's an understatement to say I've been baking a lot this winter. I've even found excuses to cook things in the oven that normally do just fine on the stove-top or microwave.

Any excuse to turn on the oven and knock the chill off the kitchen is fine by me.

My kitchen, for some reason -- it could be the drafty, 100-year-old windows on two sides, the weatherstripping-less door my dogs demand I open and close seemingly nonstop or my penny-pinching thermostat setting -- is always several degrees colder than the rest of the house in winter. One morning during the deep freeze at the first of the year, it registered 54 degrees, a full 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house.

That day I knew soup and bread would be on the menu.

I'm still working out the finer touches on the soup recipe, but the bread of the day was Loaded Garlic Knots.

Between mixing, rising, shaping, rising again and baking, these rolls took about 3 hours to make, but if your kitchen isn't an icebox like mine, they'll likely take you a little over 2 hours because the rising times will be shorter.

Loaded Garlic Knots

1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup warm (110 degrees) water

4 tablespoons butter, divided use

1 heaping tablespoon minced and mashed garlic

2 green onions, roots trimmed, finely chopped

1 slice bacon, cooked and finely chopped, optional

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, divided use

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a spouted measuring cup, combine the yeast, sugar and warm water. Stir to combine. Set aside.

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat until foamy. Add the garlic, green onions and bacon (if using). Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until garlic and green onions are very tender. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (alternately, dough can be mixed in a large bowl using a sturdy spoon and kneaded by hand) combine the flour, salt and garlic mixture. Stir to combine. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the water-yeast mixture and mix until no dry streaks of flour remain, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, if necessary. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Add 2 ounces of the cheese and knead to incorporate. Gather dough into a ball and place in a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Punch dough down and pat into a 6-by-12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into 10 to 12 (6-inch) strips. Working with one strip at a time (keep the remaining strips covered with plastic or a tea towel), roll and stretch each strip into a 10-inch rope. Shape each rope into a knot by tying it into a loop, then tucking one end under and one end over. Pinch ends to seal. Place knots, 2 inches apart, on the parchment-lined sheet. Cover with plastic and let rise again until almost doubled, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Bake knots 7 minutes, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and return to oven and bake 5 to 7 minutes more or until golden brown.

Serve warm, brushed with additional butter, if desired.

Makes 10 to 12 knots.

Food on 01/17/2018

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