Raise your hand if you LOVE bread. I could never quit bread so I don’t even think about going down that Keto path. I make bread at least once a week; sometimes with fresh-milled wheat, sometimes as dinner rolls and pizza crust, and last week it was tortillas. My usual go-to recipe is a gorgeous twist that is fancy looking for guests but easy enough that you don’t feel bad about just… snarfing the whole loaf in your jammies.

While looking fancy is a fun perk, the reason this is my go-to recipe is that it makes 2 loaves and it tastes out of this world! The texture of the bread is lovely, I stuff it with all kinds of different things from basil pesto to olive tapenade and mozzarella, and it never disappoints.

Typically I will make a batch of the refrigerator dough, half it, and make one loaf right away and make another loaf later in the week. Gotta get my homemade bread fix! In my experience one loaf is plenty for our family of five with some left over… but somehow the loaf always mysteriously disappears by morning.

While the loaf is easy, there is a little learning curve to the twist. It would be really convenient to have a third hand while twisting, but all my awkward attempts thus far have still resulted in a beautiful loaf. Don’t stress about it and the simple under over pattern will impress your friends. Promise.

The other part that takes a little finagling is the bake time. The first time I made this the loaves were woefully under baked in the middle even though the outside looked done. I find it’s easy to underestimate the time needed to bake through all those delectable layers. I have a loaf baking as I type (my house smells HEAVENLY!) and I just checked on it at 25 minutes. It’s looking quite golden brown, so I simply tented the top with a bit of aluminum foil. My loaf isn’t going to trick me today! While it looks done on the outside, I know if I cut into it, the center would be very doughy. I’m letting it go for at least 10 more minutes so I know every slice will be perfectly baked.

Ready to do the twist? Let’s move right along!

If you are a visual person, I filmed a LIVE on FaceBook (7/31/20) showing the whole process. Click HERE to go to the video. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does! Experiment with different flavor combinations and fillings and be sure to let me know your favorites. I’m thinking I need to try a cinnamon roll twist next, or a chutney? Maybe a gorgonzola with dried apricot…