Dutch Crunch Bread
Light textured bread with a crunchy top
Servings 1 large or multiple small loaves
Cost 5
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup warm water plus more as needed 110-120 degrees (175 grams)
- 1 ⅛ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cups bread flour or 2 cups plus 2T. all-purpose flour (280 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ginger (optional)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
Crunchy Topping
- ¼ cup extra fine white rice flour (30 grams)
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast plus an extra tiny little pinch
- 2-3 tablespoons water, slightly warm
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, garlic oil or any other vegetable oil (olive)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the warm water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Add the yeast and let stand for about 10 minutes or until water becomes slightly foamy and you see bubbles.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, flour, salt, ginger and softened butter. Mix by hand with a heavy duty scraper or spoon just until blended. It should be fairly dry at this point.
- Set the mixing bowl on the stand mixer with the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes or until dough appears smooth and elastic and is pulling away from the bowl. Add a splash more water if needed. Alternatively, if dough seems sticky or loose sprinkle in more flour. I've always used a total of 280 grams, so if you go by weight you should be fine with the amount given.
- Transfer to a bowl slicked with a little oil or greased with butter. Cover and let rise until doubled (about an hour).
- When the dough has risen, punch down and shape into one large or two smaller ovals. For rolls, shape into 5 or 6 rounds. Shape carefully so that the bread will rise and not flatten. To do this, press your dough sections into rectangles or ovals and roll downward into cylinders, turning down top corners as you roll and pressing out air. Pinch tightly together.
- Cover very loosely with greased plastic wrap for the second rise.
- Prepare the rice flour paste.
- Mix together rice flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add 1 tablespoon of just slightly warm water and the teaspoon oil and stir until smooth. Continue adding more water until the consistency is a thick paste. The consistency should be such that you can push it off a spoon onto the dough and gently spread it. Let rice paste covered dough rise uncovered for the remainder of the hour. During this time, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Two loaves will take between 30 and 35, while the one large loaf will be around 40. 5 or 6 rolls will take around 25 minutes depending on how you brown and crispy you want the crust.
