LADYBUG & BREAD

I have started decorating the whistles that I have ben making over the last year.  I enjoy doing it a lot, but I find that I can only work for  about two hours before I go mentally cross-eyed.  The ladybugs are between two and three inches long.  Decorating demands very fine brush work and wax to protect the decorated areas.  This is the first finished one.  I will have some better photos showing the bottoms and tops  as a group.....what is the correct name for a bunch of ladybugs?

And now we come to bread.  My last attempt at Cuban Bread sort of didn't work out as well as I would have liked.  I"m fairly sure it's due two things.  

1.  I used too much yeast.....a brand that has 5/16 oz. in the envelope instead of 1/4 oz.  ( I also stay away from rapid rise yeast.)

2.  I added olive oil...not bad in itself, but I should have either cut the water or added more flour.

Berserk Cuban Bread, but still yummy!

Cubam Bread as is should be

Cuban Bread Recipe

5 - 6 Cups flour ( I always used unbleached all purpose King Arthur)

2 pks dry yeast  ( should total 1/2 oz.)

1 Tbls. salt

2 Tbls. sugar

21/2 Cups hot water  ( about 100 -110)

cornmeal and water


Place 4 Cups flour in a bowl with yeast, salt and sugar.  Stir with a whisk to blend.  Pour in the water and beat 100 strokes.  ( I did this part in my food processor.)

Knead in remaining flour one half cup at a time.  Knead for about 8 minutes until the dough is shiny and elastic.

Placed dough in oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 15 minutes.  Dough will double in bulk.

While dough is rising, grease and sprinkle corn meal on cookie sheet.  Boil water.

Punch dough down, divide in two, form into balls and place on cookie sheet.

Pour boiling water into a flat pan placed rack two spaces below the baking rack.  I put mine on the floor of the oven.

Slash the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife.  Spray or brush with water.  Place loaves in the middle of the oven.

Turn oven on to 400 degrees.  Bake for 30 minutes, then turn temp down to 375 and bake another 15 minutes.  Timing starts when the loaves are placed in the cold oven and the temp is set.

You should have crusty loaves that sound hollow when thumped.  Don't worry if they are stuck together they break apart easily.  Let cool for as long as you can resist cutting.  I heat my bread knife when I slice hot bread; it cuts down on tearing.

This bread should be eaten quickly as it goes stale within a day or so.  However, it makes great toast, French toast, strata, bread pudding....anything that calls for stale bread.

Please feel free to ask questions.......bon appetit!

Thanks for stopping by...........-s-