Ranch Cheddar Pull-Apart Bread
Last Saturday, I had half a crusty sourdough loaf, a packet of ranch seasoning, and a table full of hungry friends, so I cut the loaf into a checkerboard and stuffed it with cheese. The butter seeped…
Ingredients
- 1 1-pound loaf round sourdough loaf
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning
- 1 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 375°F. Set a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a small rimmed baking dish on the counter, and have a sheet of aluminum foil ready. The skillet gives the bottom pieces a particularly crisp, buttery edge, while the foil will protect the bread during the first part of baking.
- Choose a round sourdough loaf that feels firm rather than airy and fragile. Using a serrated knife, cut parallel slices about 1 inch apart across the loaf, stopping about 1/2 inch above the bottom crust so the loaf remains attached. Rotate the loaf 90 degrees and make the same cuts in the opposite direction, creating a checkerboard of pull-apart pieces. Keep the cuts shallow enough that the base does not separate.
- Place the loaf in the skillet or baking dish. Gently fan the cuts open with your fingers without tearing the base; this creates channels for the butter and cheese. If the bread resists opening, widen each cut with the tip of the knife rather than forcing the loaf apart, because a connected base keeps the filling from spilling out.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 6 tablespoons melted butter, grated garlic, 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until the seasoning is evenly suspended and the mixture smells distinctly garlicky. Let it sit for 2 minutes so the garlic begins to perfume the butter, but do not let the butter cool enough to solidify.
- Brush about two-thirds of the seasoned butter over the top of the loaf, working it into both directions of the cuts with a pastry brush or your fingertips. Tilt the loaf slightly and spoon butter into the deeper channels; the goal is moist, glossy crevices rather than butter pooled only on the crust. Reserve the remaining butter for the final bake.
- Combine the shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella, sliced scallions, and 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley in a bowl. Push small handfuls of the cheese mixture into the cuts, alternating directions so the filling reaches the center as well as the outer edge. Do not compress it into a solid mass; loose cheese melts more evenly and leaves stretchy pockets between the bread pieces.
- Cover the skillet or dish tightly with aluminum foil, keeping the foil from pressing directly into the cheese. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes. At this stage the bread should feel slightly softened when pressed, and the cheese should be warm but not yet fully melted; covering it traps steam so the interior heats before the crust becomes too dark.
- Remove the foil and brush the remaining seasoned butter over the exposed crust and into any dry-looking cuts. Return the uncovered loaf to the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted, bubbling in a few channels, and the top is deeply golden at the ridges. If the center still looks firm or pale, bake for 3 to 5 additional minutes.
- For a more dramatic browned finish, switch the oven to broil on high and broil the loaf for 1 to 2 minutes, watching constantly. Stop when the cheddar has browned in small spots and the crust edges feel crisp; broilers vary sharply, and the ranch seasoning can scorch if left unattended.
- Rest the bread in the skillet for 5 minutes so the molten cheese thickens slightly and the loaf becomes easier to pull apart. Scatter the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley over the top, then serve warm by lifting out individual pieces from the center outward. Set the skillet on a heatproof board and provide napkins, because the best bites are the butter-soaked, cheese-stretching ones at the bottom.
Watch the Ranch Cheddar Pull-Apart Bread cooking video
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