Saw this on America’s Test Kitchen and tried once before but had a crustier bread, it was good. Trying again tonight with a lighter airier bread.

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon water
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4—5 garlic cloves, minced to paste (1 tablespoon)
• 1 (1-pound) loaf soft Italian bread, halved horizontally

INSTRUCTIONS

SERVES 8

A 12 by 5-inch loaf of supermarket Italian bread, which has a soft, thin crust and fine crumb, works best here. Do not use a rustic or crusty artisan-style loaf. A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the garlic into a paste. The amount of time needed to brown the bread after flipping it in step 3 depends on the color of your baking sheet. If using a dark-colored sheet, the browning time will be on the shorter end of the range.

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine garlic powder and water in medium bowl. Add 4 tablespoons butter, salt, and cayenne to bowl; set aside.
2. Place remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small bowl and microwave, covered, until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir in garlic and continue to microwave, covered, until mixture is bubbling around edges, about 1 minute, stirring halfway through microwaving. Transfer melted butter mixture to bowl with garlic powder–butter mixture and whisk until homogeneous loose paste forms. (If mixture melts, set aside and let solidify before using.)
3. Spread cut sides of bread evenly with butter mixture. Transfer bread, cut sides up, to rimmed baking sheet. Bake until butter mixture has melted and seeped into bread, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove sheet from oven. Flip bread cut sides down, place second rimmed baking sheet on top, and gently press. Return sheet to oven, leaving second sheet on top of bread, and continue to bake until cut sides are golden brown and crisp, 4 to 12 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer bread to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut each half into 8 slices. Serve immediately.

The lighter bread toasted a little quicker than I thought but was still good.  I guess I’ll just forget about my love handles and keep trying till I perfect this.