Broa

 
 
 
 

Ingredients

  • 120g (4.25oz) strong white bread flour

  • 120g (4.25oz) fine cornmeal

  • 70g (2.45oz) sugar

  • 30g more sugar to finish

  • 3g (0.1oz) salt

  • 4g (0.14oz) instant dry yeast or 4.8g (0.16oz) active dry yeast or 12g (0.42oz) fresh yeast

  • 4g (0.14oz) fennel seeds, ground

  • 50g (1.75oz) soft butter

  • 1 egg, around 50g (1.75oz)

  • 20g (0.7oz) room temperature water

  • 120g (4.25oz) boiling water

Process

  1. In a small bowl combine the cornmeal and ground fennel seeds. Add the boiled water and mix well to hydrate all the cornmeal. Cover and leave on the side to cool down completely.

  2. In a large bowl combine the water and yeast. Leave to hydrate for a couple of minutes. Add the salt, sugar, egg. Mix well. Add the soaked cornmeal and the butter. Mix again until well combined. Add the white flour and mix until there is no dry flour left.

  3. Keep mixing vigorously for one minute. *Desired dough temperature 23 – 25C (73 – 77F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly. I used all ingredients at room temperature which was 23C (73F) for me. To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

  4. Cover and ferment for 30 minutes.

  5. Fold #1. Use a scraper to fold the dough 40 times.

  6. Cover and ferment for 30 minutes.

  7. Fold #2. Use a scarper to fold the dough 40 times again.

  8. Ferment for 30 minutes.

  9. Fold the dough by hand.

  10. Ferment for 30 minutes.

  11. Weigh the dough out in 50g (1.75oz) pieces, shape into rounds and place on a non-stick paper lined baking tray leaving plenty of space between them. You should end up with around 11 broa. Use wet tools and wet hands to handle and shape the dough because it is very sticky. But all this stickiness will result in the softest broa ever, so it is well worth it.

  12. Cover lightly with clingfilm and ferment for 1.5 hours or until almost doubled in volume. *During the final hour of fermentation preheat your oven to 220C (430F) fan off.

  13. Sprinkle the broa with sugar generously.

  14. Bake for 13 – 15 minutes until golden brown all over. Turn the tray around halfway through the bake to get a nice and even crust.

 
 
BreadKain Place-Hildesheim1