Cuban Bread

Source: Savor the Flavor

Click here to read about my experience making this recipe for my state meal challenge!

Servings: 1 loaf

Total time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups bread flour
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 ¼ cups warm water
• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs oil
• Cornmeal for dusting
• Palmetto leaf or metal skewer for scoring

DIRECTIONS

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar, and let it sit until the yeast foams, about ten minutes.
• Add the melted butter, salt, and half of the flour, adding more flour as needed to form a sticky, shaggy dough.
• On a floured surface, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and no longer sticky and passes the windowpane test.
• Form the dough into a ball and put back in the mixing bowl. Coat the surface with a little bit of oil, then cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface and punch it down to get rid of air bubbles. Shape it into a rectangle, then roll it up from the long end similar to how you would when rolling cinnamon rolls. Pinch the ends and seams to seal, and work the dough between your hands until you form a skinny loaf about 18” long and slightly flattened. 
• Dust a large baking tray with cornmeal or line with parchment paper. Place a palmetto leaf or metal skewer on the tray diagonally, then carefully place the dough on top. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size again and springy when touched, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• When ready to bake, carefully flip the dough over so that the leaf or skewer is on top. Lightly spray the surface of the dough with water, then transfer to the oven. Spray the inside of the oven with water to create more steam before shutting the door. 
• Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating the baking tray halfway through if needed.
• Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing and making cubano sandwiches!