Garlic Herb Swirl Loaf

I've never been much of a baker.  But 4 weeks and counting living under a Stay in Place order has a way of forcing new realities and reaching deep within to find new coping strategies for maintaining mental health.  So, I found myself participating in a cooking club challenge and I found this recipe on halfbakedharvest.com based on my Google search for "Beautiful Bread".  While I made some slight modifications, this has got to be the most delicious bread you will ever put lips!  

Ingredients

3/4 Cup warm whole milk - 105 to 110 degrees F

2 1/4 tsp Instant yeast

2 tbsp Honey

3 lg Eggs - room temperature

2 1/2 - 4 Cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp Kosher salt

6 tbsp Salted butter at room temperature, plus more for serving

1-2 Cloves garlic, grated

1/4 Cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 Cups fresh basil, finely chopped

2 tbsp Fresh thyme finely chopped

1 tbsp Fresh sage finely chopped

Method

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, yeast and stir until dissolved to activate yeast. Add honey, eggs, 3 1/2 cups flour, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons room temp butter and mix until combined, about 2-3 minutes more. If the dough is still sticky, add the additional 1/2 cup flour, adding more as needed until the dough is smooth to touch.

2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

3. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, the garlic, parmesan, basil, sage, and thyme in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.

4. Punch the dough down and roll out onto parchment paper that is lightly floured, creating a large rectangle about 12 x 18 inches. Spread the garlic herb butter evenly over the dough with a rubber spatula. Starting with the long edge closest to you, roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight as you go. When you reach the edge, pinch along the edge to seal. 

5. Using a sharp knife, cut the log of dough in half lengthwise, leaving a small portion at one end intact. Turn the halves to expose the filling. Cross the dough ropes over each other, repeating the twisting until you have a long, twisted dough with the cut sides exposed outwardly.

6. Coil half the rope up like a snake, stopping when you reach halfway. Then, coil the second half of the rope in the opposite direction. Carefully transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the bread to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the bread is cooked through. Brush the top of the loaf with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Slice and serve warm...with additional butter.