Cuban Bread

This bread is great by itself or on top of French Onion Soup and comes from my new favorite cookbook, Breaking Bread with Father Dominic. Since moving to Colorado, I have been on a bread making craze. I love using my bread machine to either bake the bread or simply knead it for me. Below are both versions of the recipe (with and without a bread machine).

Cuban Bread

3 packages active dry yeast

4 teaspoons brown sugar

2 cups warm water

5 to 6 cups bread flour, divided (All-purpose flour can also be used)

1 tablespoon salt

Cornmeal, for sprinkling on baking sheet

1 egg or 1 egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

3/4 cup hot water

Combine yeast, brown sugar and warm water in a large mixing bowl; stir to mix. Stir in 2 cups of the flour; beat well. Let stand 10 minutes for yeast to develop. Stir in salt. Add remaining 3 to 4 cups flour, about 1 cup at a time, stirring after each addition, until a stiff dough forms.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 8 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Dough should be smooth, elastic and not sticky. Oil the surface of the dough and put it in the rinsed mixing bowl. cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 45 to 60 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough. Knead lightly. Form into two long loaves. Sprinkle cornmeal on a baking sheet; place loaves on baking sheet. Let rise, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Using a sharp knife or razor blade, make 3 or 4 diagonal slashed in the top of each loaf. Brush loaves with egg wash. Place on middle shelf of a cold oven. Place a shallow pan on the bottom shelf; pour hot water into pan. Set oven temperature at 400 degrees and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until loaves are well browned and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on wire racks.

Yield: 2 loaves

Cuban Bread (Bread Machine version)

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons bread machine yeast (or active dry yeast)

Cornmeal, for sprinkling on baking sheet

1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg glaze

3/4 cup hot water

Add water, salt, flour, brown sugar and yeast to bread machine pan in the order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough/manual cycle.

When cycle is complete, transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Shape into a long loaf; taper ends by gently rolling back and forth. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal slashes on top of loaf. Brush with egg glaze. Place on the middle shelf of a cold oven. Place a shallow pan on bottom shelf and add hot water to pan. Set oven temperature at 400 degrees and bake 30 minutes, or until done. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.

Yield: 1 loaf

Recipe from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic