Category Archives: Breads

Garlic Knots

Posted in Breads, Ramadan, Savoury by

Garlicy, herby, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

Garlicy, cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

Garlicy, cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

Garlic knots are strips of pizza dough twisted into the shape of a knot, baked till golden brown, and then brushed with a garlic and herb infused butter. I have been craving them ever since I last ate them at Pizza Pigrims in London.

With plenty of time on hand, I tried to perfect the recipe at home and turns out they are SO much easier than you’d expect and packed with flavor.

Nothing beats homemade dough fresh out of the oven especially if its smothered in garlicky buttery goodness.

Garlicy, cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

These rolls are a cinch to make.It is a little hard to tie the dough into knots, but after a few tries you get the hang of it.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to shape them along with a picture tutorial at the end of the recipe:

How to Shape Garlic Knots

  1. Using your hands, shape the dough into a log.
  2. Cut the log into 1-inch strips.
  3. Roll each strip into a long rope, around 8-inches long.
  4. Tie the rope into a knot.

Don’t worry if they are a little wonky (like mine :p), they still taste delicious.

Garlic knots are best served fresh out of the oven.  However, they are still  light and soft when served the next day. Simply heat them in a microwave for a few seconds until warmed through.

They are traditionally served as an accompaniment with a bowl of soup, pasta or pizza, but they are so delicious that they can be served alone, and can be a perfect addition to your iftar table.

Garlicy, herby, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

They are one of the most satisfyingly delicious things to eat and are unbelievably addictive. Try them this Ramadan and let me know they turn out.

More delicious recipes you can try this Ramadan:

Shepherd’s Macaroni Pie

Stuffed Italian Pie

Chicken Bread

Cheesy Baked Pasta

Garlic Knots

 Yields: 16- 18 knots
Ingredients:
For the Dough
·         2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
·         1/2 tsp (2g) salt
·         2/3 cup (160ml) lukewarm milk
·         1 tbsp (15g) sugar
·         1 standard packet of instant yeast
·         2 tbsp (30g) melted butter or oil
·         1 egg
For the Garlic Butter
·         4 Tablespoons (50g)  butter, melted
·         3 garlic cloves, minced
·         2 Tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
·         Pinch of salt
Directions:
  1. Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl combine all the dough ingredients and start kneading it for 5-7 minutes until it pulls away from the edges of the bowl.
  2. Shape the dough in a ball and place in a greased bowl. Brush the top lightly with some oil. Cover with a kitchen cloth, and allow the dough to rise somewhere warm until doubled in size, around 2 hours.
  3. Shape the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Using floured hands on a lightly floured work surface, shape the dough into a log shape (refer to picture guide below). Using a very sharp knife, slice into 1-inch strips. Roll each strip into a long rope. Tie each rope into a knot. You can tuck the two ends of the knots underneath the knot or leave them out. Arrange the knots on two greased baking sheets.
  4. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the knots rest for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
  6. Brush the knots with beaten egg.
  7. Bake the knots for 18-25 minutes until golden.
  8. Topping: While they are baking, make the garlic butter by mixing together the melted butter, garlic, chopped coriander and salt together.
  9. Brush the knots with butter mixture right after they are out of the oven.
  10. Serve hot.

How to shape them

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Picture credits: Finecooking

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Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Posted in Breads, Breakfast by
Super moist and rich double chocolate zucchini bread that tastes just like chocolate fudge cake only better!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

Did you grow up eating zucchini bread?

I for one did not and I’m pretty sure none of my fellow Pakistanis did either. I didn’t even know we had zucchini in Pakistan until just recently!

Incase you are as clueless as I am, zucchini is indeed available in Pakistan.

It’s grown all year round, called ‘maaru’ in Urdu, is pale green in color, high in water content and bland in taste which makes it the perfect addition to baked goods.

It was a no-brainer I’d pick ‘Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread’ as my first zucchini recipe because, well:

a. its chocolate

b. its DOUBLE CHOCOLATE

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

Just look at it.

.

.

It screams deliciousness!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed that I’m a huge fan of fruit and vegetable based baked goods.

^case in point

I don’t know who the crazy genius was behind the idea of incorporating vegetables in baking, but whoever it was, know that I LOVE YOU enormously.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about putting in a mound of shredded green vegetable in a chocolate bread but the result blew.me.away!

It was deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

And the zucchini completely disappeared!

You can’t tell the zucchini is in there unless you’re looking for it. Which is why even my super picky, non-vegetable sisters went for seconds and thirds. We ended up devouring the entire loaf in a matter of minutes. ^.^

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

This double chocolate zucchini bread is perfect for anytime of the day, in any season and pairs wonderfully with a cup of hot coffee or tea.

I like it best when its fresh out of the oven. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and warmed in the microwave for a few seconds or until all the chocolate bits are melty and gooey…Mmm.

Go buy some zucchinis and make this bread right now!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                        Yields: 1 loaf
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup (125g)  all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (42g) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled1
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (225g) packed shredded zucchini
¾ cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips, divided
Directions:
1.       Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2.      Grease a 9×5 or 8×4 loaf pan. Set aside.
3.      In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4.      In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar until smooth.
5.      Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not over-mix. Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.
6.      Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean. All ovens vary so keep an eye out after about 50 minutes. Mine takes 60 minutes to cook perfectly.
7.      Remove the pan from the oven. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan. Let the bread cool until slightly warm before cutting into slices and serving.
Notes:
1.        I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the amount of salt by just a smidgen.
2.       Shred the zucchini with the peel on.
3.       Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe source: Two Peas & Their Pod

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious