Cuban Bread
Crusty on the outside, with a soft crumb, this is my favorite white bread, perfect for meats and cheeses. You can't make a real Cuban Sandwich without some.
Ingredients
- 400 g flour
- 320 g water warm, around 110 F
- 80 g lard
- 8 g salt 1.5 tsp
- 4 g dry yeast 1 tsp
Instructions
- Measure the flour, lard, and salt into a large mixing bowl or plastic container. In a separate cup, measure the warm water and add the yeast. Wait 5-10 minutes until the yeast is active.
- Mix the wet and dry using your own hands, a dough hook, or some kind of utensil. Stop mixing just when it comes together into a shaggy dough. It is okay if there are still some chunks of lard, they will be folded in.
- Let rest for 15 minutes. Then wet your hands, grasp a corner of the dough, and pull it towards you. Before it begins to tear, drop it on the opposite side of the bowl. Repeat twice for a total of 3 stretch-and-folds, then rest for another 15 minutes. Repeat this process at 15-minute intervals 3 times during the first 45 minutes.
- At this point the dough should be silky smooth and all the ingredients will be well incorporated. Let rise for 1 hour, or until roughly doubled in volume.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured board and pat into a disk (or divide into smaller loaves and shape one at a time). Fold the edges in like a burrito, then roll towards you like a scroll. Use a bench knife to put tension on the crust by tucking in the edges until you are happy with the shape. Transfer to a parchment paper lined sheet pan, sprinkle with a little flour, cover, and proof for about 45 minutes until doubled.
- Preheat oven to 425 F. When ready to bake, score the loaf slightly to one side, using a lame or scissors to make an 'ear' that will help the loaf expand.
- The bread is finished baking when it reach an internal temperature of 208 F. Let cool completely before breaking the crust.
Notes
