Authentic homemade Cuban bread 🇨🇺🥖 INGREDIENTS: • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast • 2 teaspoons sugar • 1 1/4 cups warm water • 4 cups all purpose flour • 3 tbsp vital wheat gluten • 2 teaspoons salt • 1/4 cup lard or shortening melted • 2 tablespoons warm water (to brush on loaves before baking DIRECTIONS FOR BREAD: 1) Bloom your yeast by mixing 2 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp of active dry yeast into ¼ cup of warm water (85-110F). Let it bloom in a warm, humid spot like a microwave for 10 minutes until it doubles in size. 2) Add the yeast mixture to the stand mixer bowl with 1 cup of water and whisk with the dough hook on low until well combined. 3) Sift 2 tsp salt, 4 cups of flour, and 3 tbsp of vital wheat gluten (which helps the bread rise and gives it a chewy texture). Take out 3 and ¼ cup of mixture for the dough and set the rest aside to use when rolling out the dough. 4) Set the stand mixer to mix on medium-low. Slowly incorporate 3 and ¼ cups of flour mixture and ¼ of shortening or lard into the bowl. Keep adding little by little until well combined. The dough should stretch along the bowl and not stick. 5) Knead on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. 6) Remove the dough from the hook and place it in a greased bowl, greasing all the sides. Cover with a damp towel and let it proof in a warm spot for 50 minutes or until it doubles in size. 7) Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it out. Take the ends of the dough and roll tightly into a roll, leaving the ends tapered. 8) Place the dough on greased parchment paper with cornmeal or semolina flour added to the parchment paper. Let the shaped dough proof for 50 more minutes. 9) Slice your dough at the top to create a slit. Brush with water, then stick in the oven to bake at 450 for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with water again, then bake for 10 minutes. (while baking, there should be a pan filled with water on the bottom rack, creating steam in the oven. Place this pan in when you pre-heat the oven) 10) Remove and let cool, and enjoy :)))) #cubanfood #baking #bread #breadmaking #foodie