Description

This Cheese, Garlic and Herb Quick Bread is a delightful no-yeast bread featuring swirls of fresh herbs, garlicky flavor, and pockets of melted cheddar cheese. Perfectly moist and flavorful, it slices well and is especially delicious toasted. Ideal for morning tea, picnics, or as a side to soups and stews, this bread is best enjoyed warm with butter or your favorite spread.

Ingredients

Cheese

7 oz / 200g block of cheddar or tasty cheese, cut into 3mm (0.1″) thick slices of varying widths

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 if using fine table salt)

Dry Ingredients

2 1/4 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
1 tsp baking soda (can substitute with 3 1/2 tsp baking powder)
3/4 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt (halve for fine table salt)

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup plain yogurt, Greek or regular full fat, unsweetened
3/4 cup full fat milk (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

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 180°C (350°F), suitable for both fan and standard ovens.
Prepare Loaf Pan: Lightly grease a 21 x 11 x 7 cm (8.3 x 4.5 x 2.75″) loaf pan with butter or oil spray. Line the pan with baking or parchment paper for easy removal.
Make Herb and Garlic Swirl: In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, parsley, oregano, thyme, crushed garlic, olive oil, and salt. Mix until you get a thick, dollop-able mixture.
Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
Prepare Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the yogurt, milk, eggs, melted butter, olive oil, and crushed garlic until smooth.
Combine Batter: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Mix gently until just combined without overmixing.
Layer Batter with Herb Swirl and Cheese – First Layer: Pour one-third of the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Dollop one-third of the herb mixture across the batter’s surface. Use a knife to swirl the herbs gently into the batter in up-and-down motions, also folding the batter over itself to distribute flavor. Scatter one-third of the sliced cheese randomly into the batter, pushing some slices fully in and leaving some partially visible.
Repeat Layers: Repeat the layering of batch, herb mixture, and cheese slices two more times, finishing with cheese and herbs visible on top.
Bake the Bread: Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown.
Finish Baking Covered: Remove the loaf from the oven and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, totaling 50 minutes of baking time. Check doneness by inserting a skewer; it should come out clean.
Cool the Bread: Allow the bread to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack. Let it cool for at least another 10 minutes before slicing.
Serve: Slice thickly and serve warm, optionally with butter for an indulgent finish.

Notes

Note 1: Use varying widths of cheese slices to create a more interesting texture and cheese pockets throughout the bread.
Note 2: You can substitute the herb and garlic swirl with 1/3 to 1/2 cup of good-quality homemade or store-bought pesto; flavor quality will depend on the pesto used.
Note 3: Lining the loaf pan with baking paper helps ensure easy removal of the bread and less mess.
The bread is best served warm and is excellent toasted for extra crunch and flavor.
Butter spread on warm slices enhances the savory garlic and herb flavors beautifully.