Cheesy Pesto Swirl Bread from Do-It-All Dough

We interrupt your regularly scheduled dessert fix with a very important savory recipe.

Few flavors can distract my sweet tooth, but you better believe cheese and pesto are at the very top of that list. And this cheesy pesto swirl bread does not disappoint.

Do you harbor a secret phobia of active yeast like I once did? I’m ashamed to admit it, but it took me much longer than it should have to finally tackle bread making. Something about working with an ingredient that is, well, alive just made me wary. But bread newbies, take heart: bread-making becomes far less intimidating with “do-it-all-dough” from the kitchen geniuses at Bake from Scratch.

The trick for helping your bread achieve the perfect rise? Sufficient time to allow your yeast to proof. After allowing your dough to rest uninterrupted for 40 minutes to an hour, use the “finger dent” test from Bake from Scratch to check if your dough is ready. Lightly flour the surface of the dough, and gently press your finger about ½ inch into the surface. If your dough has properly fermented, you should be able to watch the dough spring back slightly but still show an indentation. If the dent disappears, the dough is underproofed and needs more time. If the indentation stays completely, you’ve over-proofed the dough.

This bread is easy to throw together, and the fancy swirls of cheesy pesto goodness are deceptively simple to create. I learned this easy (and fun!) technique from Zoë François and don’t know that I’ll ever make bread any other way. I break down what this technique looks like in the recipe below, and in a time-lapse video on my instagram.

Cheesy Pesto Swirl Bread from Do-It-All Dough

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Swirls of aromatic pesto and delicious, melty cheese take this simple bread recipe to the next level. Toast up a slice and enjoy any time of day!

• Prep Time: 150 min.
• Cook Time: 50 min.
• Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: 1 loaf 1x
• Category: Bread
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

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• 3 3/4 cups (469 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (9 grams) kosher salt
• 1 (0.25-ounce) package (7 grams) active dry yeast
• ½ cup (120 grams) whole milk
• ½ cup (120 grams) water
• ⅓ cup (76 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• ⅓ cup pesto

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Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1½ cups (188 grams) flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat milk, ½ cup (120 grams) water, and butter over medium heat until an instant-read thermometer registers 120°F to 130°F. Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture, and beat at medium speed until combined. Add egg, beating until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add 2 cups (250 grams) flour, beating just until a shaggy dough comes together and stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
3. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at low speed until a soft, somewhat sticky dough forms, 6 to 7 minutes, stopping to scrape dough hook and sides of bowl. Add up to remaining ¼ cup (31 grams) flour, 1 tablespoon (8 grams) at a time, if dough is too sticky. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into a smooth round.
4. Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft- free place (75°F) until doubled in size, 40 minutes to 1 hour. An unheated oven with the light on will act as the perfect proofing box.
5. When the dough has doubled in size and passes the finger dent test (see description in blog copy, above), turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle (about 20″ x 15″).
6. Spread the pesto evenly across the dough, then sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese.
7. Roll the dough into a log, starting at the long end. Starting at one end of the log, cut lengthwise down the center of the log using a bench scraper or knife, stopping just short of the other end. You should have about an inch of dough holding the two halves together.
8. Start at the top of the divided log and twist the two pieces together, always keeping the cut side up. 
9. Curl the dough into a spiral, then place it in a parchment-lined springform pan. Allow to rise for another 90 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 350°F.
11. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool to room temperature before slicing.

Notes

Baking in a springform pan helps free your baked bread gently and without marring any of the beautiful swirls.

Keywords: bread, pesto, cheese, cheesy