Cheezy Bac'n Garlic Bread

Melty, savory, garlicky, fluffy bread that will knock your socks off.

MAKES 2 LOAVES!!

INGREDIENTS:

For the bread

*2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

*2 1/4 cups warm water

*6 cups unbleached all purpose flour

*1 tbs salt

*1 tsp sugar (for the yeast)

*1/4 cup white sugar

*2 tbs melted Vegan butter (baking stick, not margarine)

For the filling

*1/2 bag of Daiya mozzarella (or cheddar) shreds

*Handful of imitation bacon bits

*4 tbs Garlic butter (Mix 2 tbs vegan butter with 2 tsp minced garlic)

For the topping

*Handful of Daiya mozzarella (or cheddar)

*Garlic Salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put your warm water (think bath water warm) in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk in 1 tsp sugar. Add yeast and let sit for 5-10 minutes until a layer of foam appears at the top of your water. If foam doesn't appear, your water was either too hot or too cold, or your yeast is bad. This step is very important, because if the yeast isn't right, your bread won't rise to a nice fluffy loaf, but instead come out dense and heavy and flat.

2. Put 3 cups of the flour, salt, and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix.

3. Push the dry ingredients around to form a well in the middle. Pour your yeast water and the melted butter in the middle. Mix with a dough hook, adding the remaining 3 cups of flour 1 at a time.

4. Remove dough from bowl, spray the bowl with cooking oil and put the dough back in the bowl. Cover and let sit in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (about an hour)

5. Remove dough and split into two equal parts. Using your hands, spread each half out into a rectangle (about 8 inches wide).

6. Brush the garlic butter evenly over each surface of the dough, then sprinkle the cheeze and imitation bacon bits over the dough.

7. Start at one end and roll the dough to the opposite end.

8. Place the loaf seam-side-down in a greased loaf pan, cover and let sit to rise once more for about 45 minutes. The loaf should have risen slightly above the pan.

9. Bake loaves for 25 minutes at 350

10. Sprinkle cheeze and garlic salt over the top of the loaf, put back in the oven for 5 minutes.

11. Let cool slightly before slicing.

12. Eat one whole loaf, then share the second loaf with your friends. Then when they ask how you made it, share this recipe with them.

Watch this video to see the basic bread recipe that shows you the steps!

Keep cooking, friends

-Kristin