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Pan cubano
Cuban white loaf
Pan cubano: Havana's long, light loaf with a thin, crackly crust
Every Havana bakery turns out long, pale loaves of pan cubano before dawn, to be split for tostada cubana with butter and café con leche or pressed into sandwiches at lunch. The crumb is soft and airy, and the crust is so thin it shatters rather than chews, thanks to a little fat in the dough and plenty of steam in the oven. A common mistake is baking it like a crusty baguette until deep brown; it should come out only lightly golden. Bakers traditionally lay a damp palmetto leaf along the top to make the split; a single shallow slash does the same job. Chef's tip: use a small starter made the night before and the bread keeps its light texture for an extra day.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the starter
- 3 ½ oz strong white bread flour
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- ¼ tsp instant yeast
For the dough
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour
- 1 ½ tsp instant yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 oz vegetable shorteningor butter (then not dairy free)
- 1 ¼ cups lukewarm waterabout
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: The night before, stir 3 ½ oz strong white bread flour, ½ cup lukewarm water and ¼ tsp instant yeast into a sticky paste, cover and leave at room temperature for 8–12 hours, until bubbly.
10 minStep 2: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, 1 ½ tsp instant yeast, 1 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the starter, 1 oz vegetable shortening and most of 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water and bring together into a soft dough, adding the rest of the water if it feels dry.
Step 3: Knead for 10 minutes by hand, until the dough is smooth and springs back when poked. Cover and leave to rise for 1 hour, until doubled.
70 minStep 4: Divide in half and press each piece into a rectangle. Roll up tightly from a long side, pinch the seam and roll into a loaf about 40 cm long. Set on a lined tray seam-side down.
10 minStep 5: Cover loosely and prove for 45 minutes, until puffy and a fingertip dent springs back slowly. Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan) with a roasting tin on the bottom shelf.
45 minStep 6: Cut one shallow slash along each loaf. Pour a mug of boiling water into the hot tin to make steam and bake for 20–25 minutes, until pale golden and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.
25 minStep 7: Cool on a rack. The crust softens slightly as it cools; that is normal. Keeps 2 days wrapped in paper, and freezes well.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pan cubano take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
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