How To Make Cuban Bread
Try this easy Cuban bread recipe for a chewy and puffy bite. Made similar to French and Italian bread, it's rich in lard for added flavors.
Ingredients
For Starter:
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- ½ cup warm water
- ½ cup flour
For Dough:
- 1 pkg active dry yeast
- 2 tsp white sugar
- ¾ cup warm water
- 3 tbsp lard
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed, divided
- 1 tbsp cornmeal
- water, to spray tops of loaves
Instructions
Starter:
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Combine warm water, yeast, and flour in a bowl or measuring cup. Whisk the starter until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Dough:
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Place active dry yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour in warm water. Let rest for 15 minutes to ensure yeast is alive. Add lard and salt to bowl; add 1 cup of the flour. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated and dough forms a sticky ball. Add the starter. Sprinkle most of the rest of the flour on the dough, reserving ½ cup to be used if needed when kneading.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until dough comes together in a firm ball, adding additional flour only as needed. Dough should be soft and supple with just a bit of tackiness on the surface.
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Place dough in a bowl and coat the surface with a little vegetable oil. Cover bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm spot to rise. Let rise for about 2 hours until at least doubled in size.
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Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle with a little cornmeal.
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Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly press the dough into a rectangle with lightly floured hands. Divide dough in half and press and shape each half into a long ½-inch thick rectangle about 12-inch long.
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Roll up tightly starting at the long end to form a skinny loaf. Flatten a bit. Transfer each loaf to a prepared baking sheet and dust with a bit of flour. Cover with a light, dry towel and let rise for 1½ to 2 hours until doubled in size.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut a ¼-inch deep slit down the top of the loaves with a sharp knife or razor. Mist loaves lightly with water.
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Place pans in the preheated oven, one pan on the lower rack, one on the higher rack. After 10 minutes, switch pan positions. Continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer until loaves are golden brown. Transfer loaves to cooling rack and let cool to room temperature before slicing.
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Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
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