Tear & Share Pesto Honeycomb with Molten Mozzarella Core Recipe
This Tear & Share Pesto Honeycomb is a delightful pull-apart bread filled with aromatic pesto and a molten mozzarella core, perfect for sharing and enjoying a gooey, cheesy center.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 20-24 pieces 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 500g bread flour
- 1 packet (7g) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 300ml warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 150g pesto
- 200g mozzarella pearls, drained
- 1 egg, beaten (for wash)
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water; let stand for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and olive oil; knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Shape Balls: Punch down dough and divide into 20-24 equal balls.
- Fill Dough Balls: Flatten each ball, place a small spoonful of pesto and one mozzarella pearl in the center, then pinch to seal.
- Arrange in Pan: Arrange the filled dough balls in a greased round baking pan, honeycomb-style, leaving small gaps.
- Second Rise: Brush tops with beaten egg, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Let cool slightly, then invert onto a plate or serve directly from pan, pulling apart to share.
Notes
- Ensure the water is warm but not hot to activate the yeast properly.
- Sealing the dough balls tightly prevents the pesto and mozzarella from leaking during baking.
- Letting the bread cool slightly before serving helps the molten mozzarella to set just enough for easy pulling apart.
Keywords: pesto bread, pull-apart bread, molten mozzarella bread, honeycomb bread, Italian bread
