Description
This Cheese, Garlic and Herb Quick Bread is a flavorful and aromatic loaf perfect for snacking or serving alongside meals. Featuring layers of cheddar cheese and a fresh herb and garlic swirl, this quick bread combines savory ingredients with a tender crumb. Ready in just over an hour, it's an easy-to-make bread that adds a homemade touch to any table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese
- 7 oz / 200g block of cheddar or tasty cheese, cut into 3mm thick slices with varied widths for ribbons
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 for table salt)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1 tsp baking soda (or substitute 3 1/2 tsp baking powder)
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt (halve for 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: Set your oven to 180°C/350°F (both fan and standard ovens).
- Prepare Loaf Pan: Lightly grease a 21 x 11 x 7 cm loaf pan with butter or oil spray, then line it with baking paper (parchment paper).
- Make Herb and Garlic Swirl: Combine rosemary, parsley, oregano, thyme, garlic, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl until a thick, dollop-able mixture forms.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate large bowl.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, milk, eggs, melted butter, olive oil, and crushed garlic until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined without overmixing.
- Layer Batter, Herbs, and Cheese - First Layer: Pour one third of the batter into the loaf pan. Dollop one third of the herb mixture on top and use a knife to swirl it through the batter. Add one third of the cheese slices, pushing some fully into the batter and some sticking out.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat the swirling and cheese layering two more times with remaining batter, herb mixture, and cheese slices, creating three layers total.
- Bake Bread: Bake the loaf for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil, and bake for an additional 20 minutes (total baking time 50 minutes).
- Check Doneness: Insert a skewer into the center; it should come out clean when bread is fully cooked.
- Cool Bread: Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool at least 10 more minutes before slicing.
- Serve: Cut thick slices and optionally serve with butter for extra richness.
Notes
- Cheese: Pre-sliced cheese can be used but the ribbons won’t be as visible after baking. For a shredded cheese substitution, use 2 cups tightly packed (200g) shredded cheese and mix it into the batter before layering.
- Herbs: Feel free to experiment with different fresh or dried herb combinations. If using all dried herbs, use about 1 tablespoon total.
- Blending Herbs: For a finer herb texture, blitz fresh herbs with oil using a stick blender; do not blitz garlic whole as it’s harder to blend. May require extra tablespoon of oil to loosen the mix.
- Loaf Pan Size: Using a larger pan will yield a flatter loaf but will still work well.
- Storage: Keeps up to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. After that, refrigerate and toast slices to freshen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
