Golden Gate Snack Bread

GOLDEN GATE SNACK BREAD

This recipe was the Grand Prize Winner in the 17^th Annual Bake-Off recipe book, so I figured it would be good, and I was not disappointed!

Golden Gate Snack Bread

2 pkgs yeast

1 C warm water

4 to 4 ½ C flour, divided

1 C cheese spread (I used a nice Vermont cheddar)

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp butter, softened

Salt

1/3 C butter, softened OR ½ C butter, softened

1 pkt onion soup mix

Soften yeast in water in large mixer bowl. Add 2 C flour, cheese, sugar, butter, and salt, beating on medium speed 2 minutes until incorporated. Gradually add remaining flour by hand to form a stiff dough. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare filling. Blend butter and onion soup mix together and set aside. When I went to spread this mixture over the bread, it seemed like too little mix to cover the whole bread well. I recommend upping the butter to ½ C so that the mix spreads more evenly.

Roll out dough on floured surface into a 20x14 in rectangle. Spread entire surface with filling, leaving small border on edges clear.

Starting with the 14 in side, roll up dough in jelly-roll fashion. Seal all edges and ends.

Using a knife or scissors, make a lengthwise cut down the center to form 2 loaves. Place each loaf, cut-side up, on a greased cookie sheet. Allow to rise until light and fluffy, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350^oF for 25 to 30 minutes.

This recipe was awesome, if for no other reason than the unique shape it forms after rolling and cutting! Luckily for us, though, it was also delicious! The onion soup filling and the cheese in the bread give it a nice tanginess and saltiness. I enjoyed this bread solo, with the leftover Ham Sauce, with soup, and with bruschetta (2 loaves is a lot for just 2 people to enjoy).

I decided that this seems like a really good base recipe that could receive a lot of other treatments, like a nice savory Italian cheese in the dough and pesto for the filling, or a sweet cheese in the dough and a fruit jam for the filling!

Have a question or a request? Put it in the comments below and I’ll be sure to respond. Fröhe essen!