Garlic and Rosemary Cottage Loaf
When 27-year-old Abbi Lawson from Cumbria entered the GBBO tent for Series 14's Bread Week, she brought the spirit of her beloved English countryside with her. A vegetable grower, delivery driver, and passionate forager, Abbi was born in Yorkshire and first learned to bake with her mother as a teenager. For the Signature Challenge, bakers were tasked with creating a cottage loaf. Garlic and rosemary proved to be the week's most popular flavor combination, with four of ten bakers choosing it. Abbi's distinctive touch was using smoked garlic: 'I'm using smoked garlic and it has an absolutely amazing smell.' She had community-tested her recipe at her local village community lunch, where it 'went down a storm.' Unfortunately, her second prove went awry, causing the two balls of dough to merge during baking—a fate she nicknamed 'Flat Janice.' The judges noted issues with salt balance and the smoked garlic overwhelming other elements. After her elimination, Abbi reflected: 'I'm really proud…
Source: Relaxed Recipes
Ingredients
- ROAST THE GARLIC
- Preheat oven to 400°F . Slice the top off a whole head of garlic to expose the c
- MAKE THE DOUGH
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine the flour, salt, and instant yeast.
- Rub the softened lard into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resem
- In a small bowl, combine the minced smoked garlic, roasted garlic paste, chopped
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the lukewarm water and ga
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-12 minutes by hand . Th
- Perform the windowpane test—stretch a small piece of dough gently between your f
- FIRST PROVE
- Form the dough into a smooth ball by tucking the edges underneath. Place in a li
- Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1-1½ hours. The
- Gently poke the dough with a floured finger. If the indentation springs back slo
- SHAPE THE COTTAGE LOAF
- Gently punch down the risen dough to release air. Turn out onto a lightly floure
- Shape each piece into a smooth, tight ball by cupping your hand over the dough a
- Place the larger ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten the top very sl
- Using two floured fingers or the floured handle of a wooden spoon, press straigh
- Using a sharp knife held at an angle, make 6-8 shallow diagonal cuts around the
- SECOND PROVE
- Cover loosely with a damp kitchen towel or oiled plastic wrap. Let prove for 45
- During the final 20 minutes, preheat oven to 425°F . Place an empty roasting pan
- BAKE THE LOAF
- Gently brush the entire loaf with egg wash. Press rosemary sprigs decoratively i
- Pour ½ cup hot water into the preheated roasting pan to create steam
- Bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes at 425°F. Reduce to 375°F and continue fo
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing