Name: Korean-Style Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 215 min
Ingredients: 1 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F/40 to 45 degrees C); 2 teaspoons active dry yeast; 1 teaspoon white sugar; 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for dusting; 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon white sugar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley; 0.75 cup thinly sliced green onion; 0.25 cup heavy cream; 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted; 8 cloves garlic, finely minced; 1 pinch salt; 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley; 1 large egg; 6 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

35 mins

Additional Time:

2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 35 mins

Servings:

6

Yield:

6 rolls

Jump to Nutrition Facts

When I received my first food wish for Korean cream cheese garlic bread, I did what I always do when I'm not familiar with a recipe; I watched a video of someone making what would be considered an authentic version. I watched, I cringed, I almost wretched, and I decided to move on to other less disturbing requests.

I've always been fine adding sweet elements to savory recipes, and have encouraged this behavior in many videos, but when I saw a can of sweetened condensed milk being mixed into the cheese filling, I just couldn't comprehend what was going on. So, I watched another video and they did the same thing. Well, actually not exactly the same thing, since they also added a drizzle of honey. Needless to say, I didn't film the recipe, and just tried to un-see the whole affair.

But, the requests kept coming in, and so I did some more research, and discovered this particular type of street food is supposed to be very sweet, and is considered more dessert than dinner. But, I still couldn't bring myself to follow suit. So, I reduced the sugar level significantly, and replaced it with the natural, earthy, savory sweetness of green onions. And, what I ended up with was one of the most delicious examples of garlic bread I've ever had, which is why I really hope you give this a try soon.

Ingredients

For the Rolls:

1 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F/40 to 45 degrees C)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for dusting

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
¾ cup thinly sliced green onion
¼ cup heavy cream

For the Garlic Butter Coating and Topping:

½ cup unsalted butter, melted
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 large egg
6 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Gather all ingredients.
Combine warm water, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup flour in a bowl. Let rest for 30 minutes.
Add 2 cups flour and salt to the bubbly yeast mixture. Beat with an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook until dough is fairly smooth, elastic, and tacky but not sticky, about 5 minutes. Feel free to add more flour if dough is too sticky.
Knead the dough briefly before transferring to a lightly greased bowl.
Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. At the 30-minute and 60-minute marks, uncover and fold dough with wet fingers 5 to 6 times to develop gluten structure.
Transfer to a work surface and press flat, squeezing out excess air. Divide with a bench scraper into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball.
Transfer rolled dough balls onto a Silpat®-lined baking sheet and press down gently. Dust lightly with remaining flour.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Bake rolls in the center of the preheated oven until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
While rolls cool, make cream cheese filling. Mix cream cheese, sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne, parsley, green onions, and heavy cream together with a spatula until combined.
Mix melted butter, garlic, salt, parsley, and egg together for coating with a whisk until combined.
Transfer cooled rolls back onto the lined baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to make 6 cuts on each roll, about 90% of the way through.
Dip the cut rolls into the garlic butter and coat in between the slits using your hands or a pastry brush.
Pipe or spread 1/6 of the cream cheese mixture into each of the 6 rolls. Coat each once more in the garlic butter mixture. Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Bake in the center of the preheated oven until beautifully browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Korean-Style Cream Cheese Garlic Bread. Chef John

Chef's Notes:

You can use store-bought rolls instead if preferred.

You can use 1 ½ teaspoons fine salt instead of kosher.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

597	Calories
35g	Fat
57g	Carbs
14g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 597
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 35g	45%
Saturated Fat 22g	108%
Cholesterol 131mg	44%
Sodium 1197mg	52%
Total Carbohydrate 57g	21%
Dietary Fiber 3g	9%
Protein 14g
Potassium 236mg	5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.