Tip: The paste that you spread on the bread can be made ahead and stored in your fridge for up to a month. I like to make a few batches of it at once, and then making the garlic bread with dinner is a breeze - half of the above steps are already done!
When you have good garlic powder, making garlic bread is always a breeze. Just mix the powder with a little butter, spread it on bread, and toast it. BUT, if you want to go the extra mile for the PERFECT garlic bread, give this a try:
INGREDIENTS:
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4-5 garlic cloves, grated to paste with a rasp-style grater
1 tsp water
1 loaf supermarket-style Italian bread, halved horizontally
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Heat oven to 450F. Combine garlic dust and water in medium bowl. Add salt, cayenne, and half the butter; set aside.
Place remaining butter in a small bowl and microwave, covered, until melted - about 30 seconds. Stir in grated garlic and microwave, covered, until butter bubbles around edges, about 1 minute, stirring halfway through. Add this to the garlic powder-butter mixture. Whisk until a loose paste forms. (If the mixture melts, set it aside and let it solidify before using.)
Spread butter mixture evenly on cut sides of bread. Lay bread cut side UP on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until butter mixture seeps into bread, 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven. Flip bread over and gently press baking sheet on top. Return to oven, leaving second sheet on top, and bake until sides are golden and crisp, 4 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Cut each half loaf into 8 slices. Serve immediately.
SUBSTITUTION: This recipe also works with: Garlic Pepper (leave out half the salt)