This easy potbrood recipe results in soft, white bread with a thin crispy golden crust.
The original South African braai bread!
Ingredients:
7.5g table salt - 1 ¼ tsp
540g lukewarm water
15g yeast
30g sugar
30g vegetable oil, olive or sunflower
2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil, for lining the bowls and pot
750g Baker's Dream White Bread Wheat Flour
Method:
1. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and salt.
2. Combine the lukewarm water, sugar and yeast in a small bowl or jug. Once the yeast has started to bubble and foam, add the water, yeast and sugar mixture to the flour.
3. Toss the oil into the mixture and knead on a low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. To test if the dough has been kneaded enough, take a small portion of the dough and stretch it between your hands. If the dough stretches into a thin transparent dough without easily tearing it is ready. If the dough tears easily, knead for another minute or two before testing again.
4. Place two tablespoons of vegetable oil into a large bowl. Toss the dough in and rotate to cover the dough with oil. Cover with a clean towel and allow to rise for 30 to 90 minutes, until it has doubled in size.
5. While the dough is proofing, line a cast-iron pot or Dutch oven with baking paper that comes all the way up the sides. This helps remove the bread from the pot once baked. If using a flat-bottomed cast-iron pot, coat the inside of the lid with oil too. This bread will rise up and touch the lid.
6. Place the dough on a clean surface and knock out the air bubbles. Fold the outer edges of the dough into the centre. Flip the dough ball over and using your cupped hands, pull the dough towards yourself on the counter. Then spin the dough ball a few times until the top of the dough has become nice and taut.
7. Place the dough ball seam side down into the pot, cover with a tea towel and allow to rise again. The dough is ready when you poke it with a lightly oiled or wet finger and the indentation pops back about halfway.
8. Get the fire going while the bread is proofing. Once the coals are nice and hot, place a tripod over the coals to hold the pot straight. Keep some coals aside to place on top of the pot.
9. Score the loaf of bread with an inch deep cut. The dough is soft and this might be hard to do but it gives the bread place to rise. Then wet your fingers and splash the top of the bread a few times.
10. Place the pot on the tripod. Toss some coals onto the lid and wait for the bread to bake. This could take anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes. The bread is done when the bread sounds hollow when you tap the bottom of the loaf.
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