Authentic Cuban Bread (Pan Cubano) by Annabelle’s Lair

[BakerAunt]

Authentic Cuban Bread (Pan Cubano)
Submitted by Annabelle's Lair on March 15, 2015 at 10:58 pm

Yield: 2 loaves
Source: Woodlandgardner "Ulrich"

1 cup (300 g) water
1-2 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon fresh yeast OR 1 teaspoon dry yeast
4 cups (500 g) all purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
4 tbsp (50 g) of lard
1 tsp (8 g) salt
1 corn leaf or palmetto leaf

1. Combine water, brown sugar, yeast, and let sit 5 minutes or until yeast dissolves.

2. Then add the flour, lard, and salt to the yeast mixture.

3. Kneading: roughly incorporate ingredients into dough and knead dough 5-7 minutes
* (dough will smear and stick to counter in beginning but will smooth out)*

4. First rising: cover with plastic bag (creates terrarium effect) and let rest overnight for 8 hours.

5. In the morning, scale out the dough into 2 loaves.

6. Pre-shaping loaves:
a. Take first edge of dough and fold to middle (creates tension in bread);
b. Flip dough and repeat; do this for all 4 side of dough; basically all 4 sides will be folded to middle which will look like a package;
c. Cover both loaves with plastic bin to prevent drying out and let rest for 20 minutes

7. Second shaping:
a. Dust counter with flour and fold the first two edges of dough towards center
b. Then fold the dough in half
c. Then use palms to roll out dough into log shape
d. Cover loaves again with plastic bin and let rest 10 minutes

8. Final shaping: (goal is to lengthen loaves a bit longer)
a. Use palms to roll out dough into longer log shape;
(most Cuban dough is 3 feet but the standard stove is too small);
b. Once rolled out place loaves on well-floured couche;
c. Place strips of corn or palmetto strips on top of bread which leaves indentation;
(if not accessible just use lame to slice row down middle of dough)
d. Let bread rise upside down on couche for 1 hour.

Pre-heat oven to 420F
Side dough onto pizza stone with baker’s paddle and bake 25 minutes.

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