Hot Honey Ricotta Garlic Bread (Printer-friendly)

Golden crusty bread spread with garlic ricotta and drizzled with spicy honey

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 1 loaf French bread, approximately 12 inches

→ Ricotta-Garlic Spread

02 - 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
04 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Hot Honey

09 - 1/4 cup honey
10 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

11 - Extra chopped fresh parsley, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Slice the French bread in half lengthwise and place both halves cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, softened butter, minced garlic, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and well combined.
04 - Evenly spread the ricotta-garlic mixture over both bread halves.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the bread is toasted and the topping is lightly golden.
06 - In a small saucepan over low heat, combine honey and red pepper flakes. Warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let infuse while the bread bakes.
07 - Remove bread from oven and cool for 2 minutes. Slice into individual portions.
08 - Drizzle generously with hot honey. Garnish with extra parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can make it for unexpected guests without the stress.
  • The ricotta base stays creamy and luxurious without being heavy, so you can eat more than one slice without feeling guilty.
  • That hot honey drizzle is the kind of finishing touch that makes people think you spent hours perfecting this when you actually didn't.
02 -
  • If you heat the honey too hot or let it boil, the pepper flakes turn bitter and the whole thing tastes harsh instead of balanced and spicy-sweet.
  • The ricotta mixture can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two days, which means you can do the heavy lifting earlier and just bake and drizzle when guests are on the way.
03 -
  • Soften your butter and ricotta at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before mixing—cold cheese is harder to blend smoothly and creates lumps.
  • Make the hot honey a minute or two before the bread comes out of the oven so it's still warm and flows beautifully over the sliced pieces.
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