Garlic Knots

Before I even delve into the content of this post, I have to start by giving a huge shout-out and a thank you to Amber over at Amber's Delectable Delights.

It started off pretty normally; I had a couple of questions about the garlic knots in advance, and Amber was great about e-mailing me back with helpful answers. However, as I started making the knots, I ran into a couple of hiccups--the biggest of which was that my dough would not rise!! I think I had some dead/dying yeast, and it threw me for a loop.

Thankfully, I had Amber through e-mail. She pretty much held my hand through the entire process. She even went as far as to offer me her phone number in case I needed even more help! :) With Amber's assistance, and through the powers of Google, I was able to save my dough. In the end, the garlic knot gods looked down upon me and had mercy, and the rolls were delicious.

Now, onto the rolls... These little pieces of garlicky goodness are a must-try. Don't be discouraged by my issues. First of all, with fresh, NON-DEAD yeast, the issues I had shouldn't happen. Secondly, um, well, they were WORTH IT. They are soft, just the right amount of chewy, and are the perfect companion to any meal.

I forgot to add the Italian seasoning to my butter/garlic glaze, so unfortunately mine don't look quite as pretty as Amber's. But looks only count for so much... the taste? As far as I could tell, the taste was right on.

Give yourself enough time for these. One of my first questions for Amber was about whether these could be made and "knotted" in advance for a dinner party at my mom's. As it turns out, you can't let dough rise for too long, so you kind of have to make them fresh, unless you want to refrigerate your dough to slow down the yeast's process. So timing is kind of key with these guys.

Soft Garlic Knots

(Source: I Heart Food for Thought adapted from King Arthur Flour, as seen on Amber's Delectable Delights!)

Ingredients:

Dough
- 3 cups bread flour

- 1 tablespoon sugar

- 2 teaspoons instant yeast

- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

- 1/4 cup milk

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water

Glaze
- 2-4 cloves peeled, garlic

- 2 tablespoons melted butter

- 1/4 teaspoon Pizza Seasoning or Italian seasoning, optional

Directions
1. For the dough - In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the dry ingredients together then add the olive oil, milk and water. Using the paddle attachment or dough hook, mix and knead to form smooth, elastic dough, adding additional water or flour as needed. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow it to rise for about 1 hour, until it’s doubled in bulk.

2. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, and roll each into a rope about 10 inches long; tie each rope into a knot (see pics below). Place the knots on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes to about an hour, until very puffy looking.

3. To make glaze - Unpeel garlic cloves. Chop the garlic in a food processor (or you can use a garlic press), with the melted butter.

4. To bake - Bake the knots in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes. They should be set, but only very lightly browned. Remove the knots from the oven, and brush or drizzle them with the seasoned butter. (You can reheat the butter briefly in the microwave, if it’s solidified).