Cuban Bread - water

Method

• Place the water in mixing bowl.
• Mix all other ingredients in separate bowl.
• Add dry ingredients.
• on top of the water.
• Mix on low or speed #2 for kitchen aid mixers (12min.
• ).
• Add a little oil at the end of the mix, this will make it easy to remove the dough from the bowl.
• Lightly flour or oil flat surface and flatten the dough by hand.
• Lightly stretch and fold in all 4 sides (note: this will help to get a higher dough when baked off.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl with the folded sides down.
• After 30min punch down and do one more strech and fold.
• Let ferment 30 more minutes.
• Punch down and form dough into a round loaf (about a 20 oz loaf).
• Set loaf in or on what ever your going to bake in or on.
• (oiled or greased pan).
• At this point you can choose to score the bread now or I wait about 20 minutes or even the end of proofing (take care not to cut to deep if at the end.
• ).
• Let loaf proof about 30 to 60 minutes (dough should dent to the touch but don't over proof).
• You can eggwash just before you bake but I place a small iron skillet at the bottom of the oven when heating to 400F I place the bread on the oven racks and add a 1/2 oz of cool water to the skillet to steam.
• 3 times or 1st 5min.
• No egg wash is needed if your going to steam.
• Bake at 400F about 18 minutes (don't forget to turn your bread after about 12min or halfway (even browning).
• Remove the bread and place on a cooling rack.
• (if you use a bread pan be sure to remove your loaf from the pan so it doesn't become soggy when cooling).
• Cool and enjoy.