Korean garlic cheese bread

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Put 300 g bread flour, 30 g granulated sugar, 5 g instant yeast and 5 g salt in the mixer bowl, add 50 g eggs and 160 g warm whole milk, and knead for about eight minutes, then add 30 g softened unsalted butter and knead for seven minutes more. Well-kneaded dough gives tall, round buns with a soft crumb that's sturdy enough to hold the filling. The dough is ready when it is smooth and glossy, doesn't stick to the bowl, and stretches into a thin windowpane.

   Suggested time: about 15 minutes.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour. This rise makes the dough light and gives it a yeasty aroma. The dough is ready when it has doubled and a fingertip pressed into it leaves a dent that stays put.

   Suggested time: about 60 minutes.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Divide the dough into six equal pieces, roll each into a tight, smooth ball, and set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about six centimeters apart. A taut surface helps the buns rise round like a ball instead of spreading out. You're done when the balls are all the same size, the bottoms are pinched closed, and the tops are smooth.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Cover loosely with a towel and let the buns rise for about 40 minutes more, turning the oven on to 180°C when fifteen minutes remain. A full rise gives the buns an airy crumb that will soak up the garlic butter sauce later. They're ready when they've grown about one and a half times in size and a gentle press leaves a dent that springs back slowly.

   Suggested time: about 40 minutes.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Bake at 180°C for about 15 to 18 minutes, then let the buns cool completely on a rack. They need to be completely cool so they cut cleanly and the cheese filling doesn't melt. The buns are done when the tops are evenly golden brown, the bottoms are golden, and they sound hollow when tapped.

   Bake at 180°C for about 15 to 18 minutes.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Beat 250 g cream cheese softened at room temperature with 40 g powdered sugar using a mixer on low speed, then add 30 g whipping cream and beat until smooth, and spoon it into a piping bag. Softened cream cheese blends quickly with the sugar and won't turn lumpy as you pipe it into the buns. The filling is ready when it is silky smooth, moderately thick, and holds its shape when you lift the beaters.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Mince 30 g garlic and 4 g mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, very finely and mix them with 110 g melted unsalted butter that's still slightly warm, then stir in 50 g eggs, 30 g sweetened condensed milk, 20 g honey and a pinch of salt. The egg and condensed milk help the sauce cling to the bread and form a crisp golden crust in the oven. The sauce is ready when it is uniform and slightly thick, with no separated layer of butter on top.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   With a serrated knife, cut each bun into six wedges like a pizza, leaving about one centimeter uncut at the bottom, then pipe the cheese filling into each cut. Keeping the bottom intact stops the bun from falling apart when you dip it. You're done when every cut is full of filling and the bun still stands as one piece.

   Mark step 8 as done

9. Step 9

   Hold each bun by its base and dunk the top completely into the bowl of garlic butter sauce, then brush more sauce into the cuts and around the sides with a pastry brush and set it back on the baking sheet. The cooled crumb soaks up the sauce quickly, making the inside soft, moist and garlicky. The buns are ready when the whole outside glistens with sauce and no dry patches remain.

   Mark step 9 as done

10. Step 10

    Bake the buns a second time at 170°C for about 12 to 15 minutes, covering them with foil if the garlic starts to brown too quickly. This second bake sets the egg sauce and makes the crust crisp and fragrant. They're finished when the outside is golden and crisp, the garlic is light golden, and the smell of garlic butter fills the kitchen.

    Bake at 170°C for about 12 to 15 minutes.

    Mark step 10 as done