Cuban Bread

72 degrees in the first week of February.  No joke. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I grew up in Cleveland where we would get snow by the foot and we spent our winters building snow forts in the front yard.  The great thing about snow is its ability to keep kids occupied for hours. ⛄️As an adult, I lived in both Utah and Pennsylvania where I learned that adulting in cold climates is way less fun. ❄️ I spent a ridiculous amount of my day shoveling, bundling kids up in one piece snowsuits and looking for a single glove that always seemed to disappear.  

Obviously, we don't get a lot of snow in Atlanta.  There's very little shoveling, snowman building or sledding.  On the rare occasion when we do get heavy icy snow-like precipitation, the city panics.  Anyone remember Snowpocalypse 2014?  People drive like maniacs and empty the grocery stores of milk and bread at the very prediction of snow.  🥛🥖 😂

Even though we don't get a lot of snow, don't think for a minute that Southern kids are missing out on those wonderful gifts known as snow days.  My kids had more than one "cold day" when the thermometer dipped into the 30's.   I'll have to say though - cold days are way less fun than snow days when there's no sledding or snowball fights.  ❄️

One of my favorite things to do on a cold-ish Georgia winter day is to bake bread.  I like spending the afternoon standing in front of a warm oven and putting my icy cold hands in warm dough.  Even though the humidity is better for rising loaves in the summer - I bake a whole lot more bread during the winter months.  

Italian bread, baguettes, whole grain rolls, flatbreads, bagels, pita, challah, babka - I've made them all.  The one bread that I haven't yet attempted was Cuban Bread.  The thing that separates Cuban from other bread loaves is lard.  Yes, lard.  It's what gives this bread it's unique softness and crispy exterior.  Cook's Country magazine published this recipe for Cuban bread in their most recent magazine and I think it's absolutely amazing.  

Cuban Bread
Sponge
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon yeast

Dough
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup lard

Whisk water, flour and yeast together with fork for sponge. 

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 

Whisk together flour, yeast and salt. 

Add warm water, lard and sponge.  Knead 10 minutes with dough hook.

Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 45 minutes.  

Cut dough into 2 equal pieces.  

Flatten each piece into a 10x6" rectangle.  

Fold top edge to the middle.

Fold bottom edge to middle.  

Fold in half so top and bottom meet.

Flip seam side down and roll to a 15" loaf with tapered ends. 

Transfer to silpat lined baking sheet.  Cover with plastic wrap, let rise 30 min.

Make one slit down the center of each loaf stopping 1/2" from ends. 

Cover loaves with disposable pan and bake 20 minutes at 450.  

Remove pan with tongs and bake an additional 10-12 minutes. 

Transfer to rack to cool.

Did anyone else think that Cuban bread originated in Cuba?  I just found out that Cuban bread actually originated in Florida.  Tampa or Miami to be exact.  Still trying to process this information. 

In case you're keeping track - this is the second recipe in my 3 part Cuban Sandwich series.  Make sure you check back in on Friday to see how it all comes together.  

Ciao!

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