Cuban Bread Kitchenaid

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110 f)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 3 cups bread flour

Recipe

• 1 1. in mixer bowl dissolve yeast and sugar into warm water. let the yeast proof until bubbly ( 5 plus minutes).
• 2 2.) add 1 cup of flour and salt to bowl and mix with dough hook.
• 3 3.) while hook is going, keep adding flour a few tb's at a time until a soft elastic dough is formed. you may use and the 3 cups of flour or more or less. after a soft dough ball has formed, let the machine knead for an additional 7 minutes.
• 4 4.) stop mixer and let dough sit in bowl for 3 minutes.
• 5 5.) form dough into ball and place in very lightly oiled bowl . roll the ball around just so the oil is on the top of the bread. cover with saran wrap and let rise , in a warm place, until doubled.
• 6 6.) punch down dough and roll into a loaf approx 12 " long. place loaf onto french loaf pan ( which has been sprayed with non-stick spray).
• 7 7.) slash the top 3x and cover the loaf with saran wrap. let rise for 10 minutes .
• 8 8.) preheat oven ( by now i have already done this) to 400°f place a bowl of boiling water on the bottom of the oven ( or on a lower shelf).
• 9 9.) bake 25 - 35 minutes until loaves are golden brown.
• 10 10.) invert and cool on rack.