Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread with Noosa Black Garlic
Soft, buttery, cheesy and irresistibly shareable — this Brie, Herb & Black Garlic Pull-Apart Bread is the kind of dish that disappears quickly from the table.
Created by my mum — affectionately known as Debstar — this show-stopping bread became one of the stars of our Easter feast. Fluffy homemade bread is layered with Noosa Black Garlic Cloves, fresh thyme, butter and creamy Brie, then baked until golden and bubbling.
The result is a beautifully aromatic bread with deep umami flavour from black garlic, balanced by the richness of melted Brie and fresh herbs.
Perfect for grazing tables, festive entertaining or shared family meals.
Recipe Details
Serves: 6–8
Prep time: 25 minutes (+ 1 hour proving)
Cook time: 20–25 minutes
Ingredients
Dough
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2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
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2 tbsp sugar
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1 cup warm water
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2½ cups plain flour, plus extra if needed
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1 tsp salt
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1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or Noosa Black Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Filling
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2 Noosa Black Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
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½ cup unsalted butter, softened
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1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
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1 cup Brie cheese, cut into small cubes
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Freshly cracked black pepper
Method
1. Activate the yeast
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and yeast, then pour in the warm water.
Allow the mixture to sit for 5–10 minutes, until it becomes foamy and activated.
2. Make the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or a large mixing bowl), combine the flour and salt.
Add the yeast mixture and olive oil.
Mix on low speed until a dough begins to form.
Increase to medium speed and knead for 5–7 minutes, adding extra flour one tablespoon at a time if needed, until the dough becomes soft, smooth and slightly springy.
If kneading by hand, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10–15 minutes.
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow it to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
3. Prepare the filling
Preheat your oven to 200°C.
Grease or line two round cake pans with baking paper.
In a small bowl, mash together:
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softened butter
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chopped thyme
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Noosa Black Garlic Cloves
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a pinch of salt
until well combined.
4. Roll and fill the dough
Punch down the risen dough and divide into two portions.
Allow each portion to rest for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
Roll one piece of dough into a rectangle approximately 20 cm x 35 cm.
Spread 2 tablespoons of the black garlic butter mixture evenly over the dough.
Scatter half the Brie cubes over the surface and season with cracked pepper.
Roll the dough from the long edge into a log and pinch the seam closed.
5. Shape the pull-apart bread
Place the dough seam-side down and carefully slice the log into 2.5 cm sections, leaving the base slightly connected.
Transfer the dough to the prepared cake pan and shape into a ring with the sliced sections facing upwards.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to create a second pull-apart bread.
6. Final rise and bake
Spoon the remaining butter mixture over the tops of the dough.
Cover and allow to rest for 15–20 minutes.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the bread is golden, fluffy and bubbling with melted Brie.
Serve
Serve warm straight from the oven, pulling apart the soft, buttery layers.
Perfect with:
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grazing platters
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soups and winter meals
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festive entertaining
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wine nights with friends
Why Black Garlic Works So Well in Bread
Noosa Black Garlic Cloves add rich umami flavour with subtle sweetness and balsamic notes.
Combined with melted Brie and butter, they create a deeply savoury filling that transforms simple bread into a luxurious shareable centrepiece.