Cuban Bread

Ingredients

• 6 cups bread flour (or slightly more to bring dough to proper consistency)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup lard
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons wheat gluten
• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 2 cups warm water

Directions

1. 1

   Grease a large bowl, and set aside.

2. 2

   Dissolve the yeast in warm (90 degree F) water. Add the salt and sugar. Stir well.

3. 3

   Mix the flour and wheat gluten. Add lard then add the flour/gluten mixture, one cup at a time, beating it in using a wooden spoon (or using the dough hook on an electric mixer) to make a fairly stiff dough. Shape dough into a small ball.

4. 4

   Place dough in the Pyrex bowl, turn over so both sides are greased, cover with a moist cloth and place in a warm place. Let rise about 20 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.

5. 5

   Grease two more bowls. Remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down. Cut dough in half to form two balls. Place each ball in a separate bowl. Cover each with a moist cloth and let rise about 30 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.

6. 6

   Lightly grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.

7. 7

   Do NOT preheat the oven.

8. 8

   Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Shape into long, Cuban bread-style loaves. Place the loaves on the baking sheet. Allow to stand and rise for five minutes.

9. 9

   Brush the loaves with water.

10. 10

    Place in middle shelf of the COLD oven. Place a pan of boiling water on the bottom of the oven.

11. 11

    Set the temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake the breads until they are crusty and done - about 45 minutes.