Recipe courtesy of La Segunda Central Bakery
Cuban-Style Bread
- Yield: 3 to 4 loaves
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 3.5 servings
- Calories
- 862
- Total Fat
- 15
- Saturated Fat
- 3
- Carbohydrates
- 155
- Dietary Fiber
- 7
- Sugar
- 4
- Protein
- 23
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Sodium
- 824
- Total: 3 hr 5 min
- Prep: 5 min
- Cook: 3 hr
Ingredients
1 pint ice water
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ounce shortening (lard or vegetable)
1 ounce (4 packets) dry yeast
1 1/2 pounds flour, plus more if necessary
Oil, for coating
Palmetto leaves, for creating a seam (unbleached or colored shoe strings can be used)
Directions
- In a mixing machine fitted with a dough hook, add the water, salt, sugar, shortening, and yeast. Add the flour slowly, making a stiff dough that is silky smooth.
- Turn dough out into a large oiled bowl, cover with a cloth. Place dough in a warm place, and allow to double in bulk.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pound and knead the dough, until it is silky smooth. Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and let rise again, until doubled in bulk.
- Meanwhile, sterilize the palmetto leaves or shoe strings by soaking them in boiling water.
- Portion dough into 10-ounce loaves. As a loaf is formed, immediately place a palmetto leaf or shoestring down the length of the loaf, and turn the loaf over onto a baking sheet, leaf/string side down. Repeat with the remaining loaves.
- Let the dough rise, leaf side down, for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Bake loaves until they are golden brown, about 30 minutes.