Onion Twist Bread
Makes 1 (10-inch) loaf
¼ cup warm water (105° to 110°)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups bread flour
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened and divided
1 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 head garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, minced
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1. In a medium bowl, stir together ¼ cup warm water and yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ¼ cup butter at medium speed until creamy. Add yeast mixture and one-fourth of flour mixture, beating until smooth. Add one-fourth of flour mixture, milk, and egg, and beat until smooth. Add remaining flour mixture, beating until smooth. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 10 to 12 times.
4. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let stand in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until doubled in size, 1½ to 2 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 400°.
6. Cut ¼ inch off top of garlic, and wrap garlic in foil.
7. Bake until soft, about 1 hour. Let cool completely. Squeeze garlic to remove cloves.
8. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramel colored, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove onion from skillet, and let cool completely. Wipe skillet clean; spray with cooking spray.
9. In the work bowl of a food processor, process together onion, roasted garlic, cheese, thyme, and remaining ¼ cup butter until a smooth, thick paste is formed, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
On a heavily floured surface, roll dough into a 14x10-inch rectangle. Spread onion mixture onto dough, leaving a 1-inch border on long sides. Starting at one long side, roll dough into a log, pressing edge to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut log in half lengthwise. Carefully twist dough pieces around each other, and shape into a circle. Using large spatulas, place dough in prepared skillet. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
