An easy braided bread recipe that uses no machine or kneading, with a scrumptious goat cheese & sun dried tomato filling.
Simply:
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
- Stir in wet ingredients and proof for 1hr
- Shape and fill the dough
- Proof dough for a further 30 minutes
- Bake at 190c/375f for 20-25 minutes
Dry ingredients
- 350 grams plain flour
- 20 grams white sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 7 grams instant dried yeast
Wet ingredients
- 240 ml warm milk
- 1 large egg
- 45 grams soft room temp butter
Fillings
- 150 grams sundried tomatoes, sliced
- 100 grams goat cheese
- Dried herbs to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking tray
- Cling wrap
- Sharp knife
- Kitchen scales
How to braid the dough
It may seem complicated, but once you see the breakdown you’ll see how simple this braided bread design is.
- Roll dough into rectangle and cut angled strips into sides of dough; leaving the ends
- Place the filling down the centre of dough and fold the ends over
- Start at one end; lay the strips over the the middle, one side at a time
- Tuck any excess dough under the loaf and voila!
Tips & Q’s
What type of yeast do I use? What’s the difference?
You can use both active dry yeast and instant yeast for this recipe. Both of these yeast types don’t require to be proofed or activated in warm water, they can be added directly to the flour just like this recipe instructs. Both of these yeast types can be easily found at your local supermarket in the baking section.
What herbs would you recommend?
This completely depends on your personal taste, most basic, everyday herbs go well with cheese/tomato combinations. Most Mediterranean herbs you have your cupboard would work well. My favourites to use are:
- Basil
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Chives
- Thyme
Rolling pin optional. I find that this dough is super easy to work with and I often don’t even touch the rolling pin when it comes time to flatten dough out into a rectangle.
Just make sure to flour the working surface and your hands before handling the dough to avoid the dough sticking to anything.
How to store
Bread is usually kept fresh and fluffy by storing at room temperature, however, since this recipe has been made with soft cheese, I recommend storing it in the fridge. Store the bread in an air tight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Step by step video
The rundown
- Add flour to a mixing bowl, add the sugar and salt to one side of bowl and yeast to the other.
- Stir the yeast and salt piles through the flour separately before stirring the whole bowl, to evenly distribute the dry mix
- Stir wet ingredients into flour until combined and smooth
- Smooth the dough’s surface, cover bowl with cling wrap and proof for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size
- Place dough on a lightly floured surface & roll dough into a large rectangle, approx 1 inch in thickness
- Using knife, cut the sides of the dough into angled strips, leaving the ends uncut
- Place a line of filling down the middle of the doughs surface; goats cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, dried herbs, salt and pepper
- Fold over both ends of dough and then starting from one end, lay the strips over the middle, one side at a time
- Cover with a tea towel and proof for a further 30 minutes
- Bake at 190c/375f for 20-25 minutes
Goat cheese sundried tomato bread
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking tray
- Cling wrap
- Sharp knife
- Kitchen scales
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 350 grams plain flour
- 20 grams white sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 7 grams instant yeast
Wet ingredients
- 240 ml warm milk
- 1 large egg
- 45 grams room temperature butter
Fillings
- 150 grams sun dried tomatoes, sliced
- 100 grams goat cheese
- dried herbs to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add flour to a mixing bowl, add the sugar and salt to one side of bowl and yeast to the other. Stir the yeast and salt piles through the flour separately before stirring the whole bowl, to evenly distribute the dry mix
- Stir wet ingredients into flour until combined and smooth. Smooth the dough's surface, cover bowl with cling wrap and proof for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size
- Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll the dough into a large rectangle, approx 1 inch in thickness
- Refer to video or photos on how to shape dough. Using knife, cut the sides of the dough into angled strips, leaving the ends uncut
- Place a line of filling down the middle of the doughs surface; goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Making sure to leave border
- Fold over both ends of dough and then starting from one end, lay the strips over the middle, one side at a time
- Cover with a tea towel and proof for a further 30 minutes. Bake at 190c/375f for 20-25 minutes
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