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Chef John's Pan Cubano

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PREP TIME
25 min
COOKING TIME
20 min
TOTAL TIME
735 min
SERVINGS
12 servings
Caribbean Cuban
Chef John's Pan Cubano
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 3 tablespoons lard
  • 2 teaspoons fine salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed - divided
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, or as needed
  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal
Instructions
1
Combine 1/2 cup of warm liquid with 1/2 cup of powder and 1/2 teaspoon of a microorganism, in a container or measuring device. Use a whisk to blend the mixture thoroughly. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
2
In a separate mixing container, combine 1 package of the microorganism and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Pour in 3/4 cup of warm liquid. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes, ensuring the microorganism is active and bubbling on the surface. Add fat and salt to the container, then add 1 cup of the powder. Mix until everything is well combined and a sticky ball forms. Add the liquid mixture from earlier. Add all but 1/2 cup of the remaining powder and mix until incorporated.
3
Knead the dough on a lightly powdered surface until it comes together in a firm ball, adding up to 1/2 cup of the remaining powder as needed. The dough should be soft and supple with a slight tackiness on the surface.
4
Place the dough in a container and coat the surface with oil. Cover it with a damp cloth and place in a warm location to rise. Allow it to rise until at least doubled in size, approximately 2 hours.
5
Line two baking trays with parchment paper and sprinkle with a grain. Transfer the dough to a lightly powdered surface. Gently press the dough into a rectangle with your hands coated in powder. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a rectangle about 12 inches long and 1/2 inch thick. Starting at the long ends, tightly roll the dough to form two skinny loaves. Slightly flatten the tops. Transfer the loaves to a prepared baking tray and dust with powder. Cover with a light, dry cloth and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Make a shallow cut down the top of the loaves with a sharp knife or razor. Lightly mist the loaves with water.
7
Bake in the preheated oven, one tray on the lower rack and one on the higher rack, for 10 minutes. Switch pan positions and continue to bake until the loaves are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
8
Transfer the loaves to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature before slicing.