Korean garlic bread with cream cheese

Ingredients:

Bread

• 1 cup of milk at room temperature
• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast (about 2 and 1/4 tsp)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3.5 cups premium flour + extra for dusting
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray to spray the bowl and parchment
• Special equipment: electronic thermometer, large pastry bag

Beaten egg

• 1 tbsp. milk
• 1 large egg

Cream cheese filling

• 360 g of cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Garlic butter cream

• 330 g unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup heavy cream at room temperature
• 1/3 cup minced garlic (15-20 cloves)
• 1/3 cup tightly packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

Preparation:

1. Bread:
   
   In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup milk over medium heat to 104-110°F (40-46°C). Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the sugar and yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the butter, salt, 1/2 cup milk, and half the flour to the bowl. Mix on medium speed to just incorporate the ingredients. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated. Add the remaining 1/4 cup milk and the remaining flour. Knead with the dough hook on medium speed until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes (the dough will still be sticky).
3. Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn it to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces with a bench scraper or a chef's knife. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
5. Position the oven rack on the middle shelf and preheat the oven to 190°C.
   
   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.
6. Eggs:
   
   Lightly whisk the milk and egg in a small bowl. Brush the dough with the beaten egg. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown, about 24 minutes. Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely. Set the parchment-lined pan aside. Leave the oven on.
7. When the bread has cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to cut each loaf into 6 equal wedges, leaving at least 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) uncut all the way through to keep the wedges together.
8. Cream cheese filling:
   
   Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, gradually increase the mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until all the sugar is incorporated and the filling is creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes.
9. Transfer the filling to a large pastry bag. Pipe the filling into the slits between each loaf of bread, working from the edges toward the center, using your fingers to hold and separate each loaf. Be careful not to break the bread. Reserve some filling for the finishing touch; set aside.
10. Garlic butter cream:
    
    Combine the butter, heavy cream, garlic, parsley, sugar, honey, garlic powder, salt, and eggs in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Dip the bread slices, cut-side down, into the garlic-butter mixture. Separate the slices, holding each slice in the mixture to coat both the inside and outside. Using both hands, carefully turn each slice upside down and submerge it completely in the mixture.
11. Place the bread back on the same parchment-lined baking sheet. After you've coated all the loaves with frosting, repeat the process again. The bread should be generously coated with chopped garlic and parsley. You may not use all the frosting.
12. Bake until the outside is dark golden, glossy, and crisp, 13-15 minutes (the garlic will be fragrant and the cream will begin to brown around the edges). Let cool for 10 minutes, then pipe a small amount of the remaining cream cheese filling into the center of each loaf. The loaf will open slightly as you pipe the cream cheese filling. Serve immediately.