California Garlic Bliss Knots

Yields: 12 servings

Ingredients:

1. Dough: 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon active dry yeast 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil 1 2/3 cup cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2. Sauce: 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 teaspoons MES Amis California Garlic Bliss 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Directions:

1. Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the brown sugar into the warm water to dissolve, then sprinkle the dry yeast into the water. Stir to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes for the yeast to proof.

2. At the end of 5 minutes, there should be bubbles and foam at the top of the water. If not, discard and start over with fresh yeast. Add the flour, olive oil and salt to the bowl.

3. Stir with the hook attachment, until a rough dough has formed. You might need to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once a dough has formed, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky. If it's too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until absorbed and the dough is easy to handle.

4. Pull the dough into a round smooth ball and place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area to rise until double in size, about 60 to 90 minutes. Once the dough has risen, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

5. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 7 to 8 inch long rope, about 3/4" thick.

6. Tie each rope into a knot, then place on the baking sheet. Once you made all the knots, cover with plastic wrap and make the sauce.

7. Place the butter and garlic in a medium-sized skillet or saucepan. Cook over medium heat, until the garlic starts to smell fragrant, about 1 minute after the butter has melted and the garlic has started to sizzle. Stir in the MES Amis California Garlic Bliss, oregano and salt.

8. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.

9. Brush the top of each garlic knot with about half the warm butter, trying to keep as much of the solids in the skillet as possible. Make sure there's about half of the sauce left for later. Bake in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the top of the knot is golden brown.
   

10. While the knots are baking, pour the remaining sauce into a large bowl. Add the parsley to the sauce.

11. Once the knots are done baking, remove from the oven and then move each knot to a wire cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes, then place a few knots in the remaining garlic sauce and toss to coat. Move to a serving plate and repeat with the remaining knots. If the butter has cooled and solidified, microwave the sauce for 10 to 15 seconds to warm it up again. If you need to, add additional melted butter to the bowl as you toss and coat the knots to make sure they are completely coated.