Cuban-Style Bread
- 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)
- 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.
- This recipe was provided by professional chefs, and therefore may be difficult to reproduce in the home.
water, salt, sugar, shortening, packets, flour, palmetto leaves
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/cuban-style-bread-recipe.html (may not work)