If you’re looking for an interesting and delicious new way to enjoy garlic bread, look no further than Korean cream cheese garlic bread. This dish is a variation on the classic Italian favourite, but with a Korean twist. It’s quickly becoming one of the most popular dishes in Korea, and it’s easy to see why! Creamy cheese and savoury garlic combine to create a mouthwatering flavour combination that will have you coming back for more. However, like all good things, this dish has a downside: it’s not particularly healthy. But hey, sometimes you just need a little indulgence!
Why is Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread different?
The key difference between Korean cream cheese garlic bread and traditional Italian garlic bread is the addition of Korean-style cream cheese. This gives the dish a unique and delicious flavor that you won’t find anywhere else. Cream cheese is a popular ingredient in Korean cuisine, and it works perfectly with garlic to create a truly mouthwatering dish.
What was my inspiration?
The inspiration for the Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread came from watching a video on YouTube where a shop in Korea was making them. They looked so fantastic and were a really popular item at the shop. After seeing this I watched many more videos, so I could work out the ingredients and techniques used to make them. I have tried several times and I think this recipe is the best one and gives a great flavour and texture.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, you can freeze the buns for up to a month. You will need to fully defrost them either overnight in the fridge or using a Microwave. Then reheat in the oven at 180C for 12 to 15mins.
About the bread recipe
In my bread recipe you will see many percentages, these are know as the Bakers Percent.
Baker’s percent is a mathematical method widely used in baking to calculate the amounts of ingredients. Instead of dividing each ingredient’s weight by the total formula weight, bakers divide each ingredient by the weight of flour. Learn more here.
This will allow you to adjust the quantity to make more or less, easier. Even without the cream cheese and garlic sauce, these buns are delicious, really light and fluffy.
Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
Ingredients
Bread Bun (Makes 4)
- 200 g Strong Bread Flour (100%)
- 4 g Fast Yeast(2%)
- 4 g Salt (2%)
- 20 g Granulated Sugar(10%)
- 2 g Semi Skimmed Milk(1%)
- 136 g Water (68%) (See Note 1)
- 10 g Unsalted Butter(5%) room temperature
- 1 tbsp Bread crumbs to sprinkle on top of the buns
Garlic Butter
- 1 Large Egg
- 50 g Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 20 g Granulated Sugar
- 20 g Condensed milk
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 25 g Fresh Cream
- 2 tbsp Garlic finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Dried Parsley or Fresh finely chopped
Cream Cheese Filling
- 150 g 150g Cheese Cream
- 30 g 30g Granulated Sugar
Instructions
Bread Bun
- Ready a bowl, add the strong bread flour, fast yeast, salt, sugar, semi skimmed milk. Using your hand or a spatular to mix it, then add the water and mix it again until the dough becomes sticky and all the dry flour has gone. If your dough is too dry add more water or if it is too wet add some flour to adjust it.
- Once dough has gathered together, turn it out onto the work surface. Next start to knead it for 10 to 15 minutes or until the gluten has formed. You can cut a small piece of dough and spread it very thin to check the gluten (see pic 4). If it does not break easily this means the gluten is doing well, it is ready to add the butter. If the dough breaks easily then knead it longer. Please note the dough will not be smooth now.
- Spread the dough and add the butter in, cover it with the dough then start to knead it again, it will become sticky and spread on the work surface. Use the bread cutter gather the dough and continue to knead it around 10 minutes or until it gathers together again.
- Once it’s gathered together, you can slap it on the work surface, stretch the dough out and then fold it. Turn 90° and repeat same process until the surface becomes smooth.
- Cut a small piece of the dough and spread it very thin as in the picture, if you can see your finger though the dough and it does not break this means the gluten is ready. Next roll it into a ball and put it into a bowl and cover with wrap or wet towel to prevent the dough from drying out. Put it in a warm place to do the first rest for 30 to 60 minute or until it doubles in size.
- Finger test to check if the dough has rested enough (See Notes). If the dough has rested enough, turn it out onto the work surface (if the dough is sticky, dust the flour on the surface). Use your fingers gentle push the air out and divide into 4 equal pieces.
- Shape each piece in to a small ball, use the outside edge of your hand to roll the dough in the other hand. This should stretch the top and give it a smooth look. Then at the bottom you want to pinch the dough together to seal the ball. Allow to rest for 15 minutes, cover with wrap or wet towel.
- Dust your work surface with a little flour, spread out each ball and push the air out gently. Then shape again, making sure the surface of the dough is tight and smooth. Pinch the bottom together. Let it rest in a warm place for around 30 to 60 minutes or until it doubles in size . Cover with wrap or wet towel.
- Preheat the oven 220C. After the dough has rested, put the balls in the oven at 200C for 15 to 20 minutes or until they become golden brown. Once it cooked put the bread on the rack let it cool down for later use.
Garlic Butter
- Ready a bowl and add the all garlic butter ingredient into it and mix it first, then ready another bowl and add some hot water, next put the garlic butter mix on the hot water bowl and use a whisk mix it well until sugar and butter melt partly.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Ready another bowl , add the cream cheese in and use whisk to mix it, once it become soft add the sugar in and mix it well.
- Put the cream cheese into piping bag, if you dont have it you can just use a plastic food bag and cut a corner.
Put everything together
- Preheat the oven to 220C Fan. After the bread has cooled down, cut into 6 segments (do not cut all the way through, leave a base), then squeeze the cream cheese into every line.
- Dip the buns in to the Garlic Butter sauce, making sure the buns are well coated all round. Once done fill the centre with more cream cheese. Place on a baking tray and sprinkle some panko (breadcrumbs) on the top.
- Next put the bread into oven 190C fan(or 200C oven) for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Then enjoy these delicious snacks!! You can even freeze and have at a later date. Reheat them in the oven at 190C for around 15 minutes. Cover with foil so the tops do not burn.
Notes
- If it is a warm day then just use room temperature water, otherwise if its a cold day you should use warm water around 25C – 30C.
- How to Finger Test: Dust your finger with flour, and gently poke it in to the dough. If the dough retains the finger hole when you pull your finger away, it is ready. If the dough springs back, let it rest longer. If the dough collapses then it has been rested too long.