Could it be Black Magic?

I can't resist switching up this very simple recipe from Fanny Cradock, I wonder if she'd approve? I'm not sure Fanny would want us having our own thoughts at this early stage, but here goes! Fanny continues in this partwork to 'introduce' us to the many wonders of bread, this time making a simple staple - garlic bread. As ever, it seems strange today to even consider a recipe for this as the supermarket shelves are groaning with different garlic loaves either ready prepared or ready to bake at home. It's so easy, how could Fanny make it easier? When this collectIon was published it was a different story, and to be honest even today flavour would win for me over convenience. This looks easy, and will hopefully be tastier too - win/win.

The ingredients are straightforward, with Fanny suggesting I use a standard loaf. Always keen to impress the teacher, I use a home made one. Truth is I've not bought bread for such a long time as I love baking it myself. The other ingredients are butter, garlic and parsley. My own twist is to use some Black Garlic which I found recently and have been desperate to try. Black Garlic starts out as normal garlic, but it's aged slowly in a warm environment and becomes dark, sweet and jelly-like. Sounds perfect for this loaf! Have to admit though that it doesn't look overly appealing when added to softened butter... Have I made a mistake?

To finish off the garlic butter, Fanny asks me to add some freshly milled parsley heads and some salt, but just a scant teaspoon. These are some of Fannys favourite words, so I am hoping 'milled' parsley is finely chopped and 'scant' is less than a full teaspoon? The green is making the butter look more appealing already! 

As with every recipe, there is one part that Fanny gets quite stroppy about this time it's slicing the loaf. She stresses that on NO account should I allow the knife to cut all the way through the base crust at ANY point. Not trusting myself, I use a couple of chopsticks placed either side to stop the knife going 'all the way' and get slicing! 

It worked. Now all that needs to happen is for the black garlic butter to be spread on every cut surface before the loaf is pushed back together, wrapped tightly in foil and heated in a gentle oven until it is JUST piping hot. Fanny gives no indication of timing here, but I left this loaf for 10 minutes which seemed good. The finished loaf smells beautiful, and the black garlic adds a really mellow, sweet taste, almost balsamic. Perfect accompaniment to some hearty Kale soup, another switch up from Fannys suggestions, but mmmm, it's lovely!