According to Wikipedia, Pan Cubano (Cuban bread), didn’t actually originate in Cuba. Instead, it’s a distinctly American creation, developed in Florida by Cuban immigrants.
Many years ago, my friend Julia asked me if I could figure out how to make this unique white loaf. After some searching, we came across this recipe by Kitchen Warfare, and I tweaked it to suit the ingredients I had on hand.
At the time, we had two problems. The first was that I’d never been to Florida, and had no idea what the bread was supposed to taste like. More importantly, the only lard we had access to back then was the yukky supermarket variety, and it stank the house out so badly while the bread was baking that Pete refused to go near the finished loaves.
I still haven’t been to Florida, but these days we render our own lard (it’s gorgeously white and mildly scented), so I thought it was worth another attempt. For this batch though, I used the fat leftover from the bread sticks (because I had it in the fridge, and I didn’t want to waste it)…
One interesting feature of these loaves is that they aren’t slashed. Instead, a piece of palm frond is pressed on the top, resulting in the loaf’s distinctive split. I don’t have access to the palm leaves which are traditionally used, but I’ve found that our perennial leek leaves work well – I rub them lightly with oil first to make sure they don’t stick to the finished loaf…
Here’s my tweaked recipe (I used my sourdough starter and reduced the salt by a third) – the original Kitchen Warfare one is here…
- 500g (2 cups) ice water
- 14g (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
- 18g (3 teaspoons) sugar
- 30g (1oz) home-rendered lard (I used sieved leftover drippings from our roast pork and duck)
- 15g (½oz) dried yeast
- 110g (½ cup) active, bubbly sourdough starter
- 750g – 800g bakers (bread) flour
- 4 leek leaves
Note: for the batch shown in the photos here, I used 750g flour, but for subsequent batches, I used 800g. However, my sourdough starter is kept very liquid (166% hydration – fed at a ratio of 1 cup flour to 1 cup water). If you’re using a lower hydration starter, you might want to use less flour.
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ice water, sugar, lard, yeast and sourdough starter. Stir well, then add the flour and salt. Mix and squelch the dough together to combine, then scrape off your fingers, cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Uncover the dough and give it a quick knead in the bowl. Cover the bowl again and allow to prove until doubled in size. Knock the dough back, knead briefly again, and allow to prove a second time until doubled again.
3. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly oiled bench, fold it onto itself a couple of times, then divide it into four pieces (mine weren’t very even). Slap each piece of dough into a flat rectangle, and roll it up tightly to form a long skinny log. You might need to dust with flour to make it manageable – my initial dough was quite wet, so this was fiddly work (for subsequent batches, I increased the flour from 750g to 800g). Lay each log on a parchment lined tray.
4. Lightly oil a leek leaf (the original recipe suggests string, but when I tried that, it stuck like crazy) and gently press the natural fold of the leaf into the top of the dough. Cover the loaves and allow to prove briefly a third time as you preheat the oven to 200C with fan…
5. Bake the loaves for 20 – 30 minutes (mine took 25 minutes) until well browned and hollow sounding. The leek leaf falls away during the baking process, leaving a seam on the top of the loaf…
The loaves are soft-crumbed and flavoursome. They’re quite good eating as is…
…but they really shine in a toasted sandwich (which is what they’re mainly used for in Florida). In a sandwich or panini press, the crust turns crisp and flaky, while the crumb squishes around the filling (but still retains its tenderness). We didn’t have the makings of a true Cuban sandwich, so we filled ours with pulled pork (recipe to follow), English cheddar and chipotle sauce.
These loaves were a such a big hit with Pete and the boys that I made two more batches for the freezer. They’re the perfect base for a quick and easy dinner…
It makes me so happy that the pan drippings from our dinner a couple of weeks ago, which in years gone by I’d have simply thrown away, were more than enough to flavour a pile of bread sticks and a dozen pan cubano loaves!
Lastly, a treat for my baker friends – here’s Cuban bread being made in Mauricio Faedo’s Bakery in Tampa, Florida…
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
This is so very interesting… I’ve actually been to Florida several times and have never had this sandwich before, only here in NY- go figure! It always amazes me how you can turn leftovers into a masterpiece. It’s a fun challenge, no? I think the most intriguing part for me is the palm frond in place of slashing. How cool that your were able to sub in your leeks instead. Great idea & looks delicious! xx
Em, the first time I tried it, I used string and it stuck like mad to the finished loaf – I had to trim it out with a sharp knife! This was great fun to make, but it really needs good fat – even adding just one ounce to the dough (not a heap in each loaf!) made a huge difference!
Very interesting! I love Cuban sandwiches and have eaten many in Florida. Never knew the history of the bread. Thanks for sharing!
No problem, thanks for stopping by! :)
What fun you have given me and your bready friends with this post ! I love the palm leaf, leek leaf and will definitely attempt something along those lines – wonder if you could use them to make other patterns ? Lucky men of the house having such awesome sandwiches to eat – but I am sure they know that without me saying anything xxx
Hooray, I knew you’d love it! I’m interested in the video that they turn the bread over onto the palm leaf to prove – I think they might bake it upside down as well, but couldn’t be sure. Will have to watch the video again! The bread uses a lot of bakers yeast, so it really is an eat that day or freeze loaf. Having said that, it defrosts really well. xxx
Love the forearm smash at 6.15 in the video to flatten the dough!
Tony, wasn’t it cool! And just such a high production rate in their bakery, and all worked by hand!
Yeah me too! Just watching the video this morning, who needs a razor blade when you have a leaf. And good bottom exercise too, dancing along on my computer chair this morning… :)
Mmmmmmm,…What a lovely special bread, dear Celia. Thanks. X
Thanks Sophie! It was great fun to make! x
On my list for tomorrow!
When I finally get up to Chicago, John is going to give me a wee bit of your sourdough starter! Isn’t that cool. And I have my lard of course, so I do look forward to making this loaf. With the touch of celia in every loaf.. have a gorgeous day.. c
Darling, I wish you’d said, I’d have sent you some in a heartbeat! :) xxx
Celia, only YOU could come up with such a masterpiece!
I flirted with the idea of making Pan Cubano a few years ago, but took it completely out of my mind. Until now, that is… until now…
:-)
Sally, save the drippings from your next roast for this! I know mine wasn’t as authentic as using properly rendered lard, but it gave the dough a lovely savoury flavour. Hope you give it a go! One note – my starter was wet (166% hydration) – please adjust the flour accordingly if you’re using a drier starter.. xx
Thanks, Celia! I just made a chocolate sourdough today, haven’t baked sourdough in a while, it was good to see I could still bake ;-)
what a great bread celia and one i would definitely like to try..and yay..i still have some lard left that my butcher gave me for a pastry making experiment..x
Jane, it was great fun to make, and a wonderful way to use up our leftover drippings! xx
I have never heard of this bread and didn’t actually know there was bread that is made with lard. I’ve bought lard before and yes, it has a horrid smell and you do wonder what kind of beast that fat has come from. So much better to make your own xx
I often wonder if the lard they sell at supermarkets if for lubricating pipes or something. Honestly, it stank so badly that we avoided lard for a decade afterwards! :) xx
Yes, the Cuban panini in Florida are very popular, more so every time we return. Having to eat gluten free, I have not tried them but my husband really enjoys them. Your bread looks beautiful. I have to admit, I didn’t know the bread was an Florida creation, though it makes perfect sense. Know what you mean about store bought lard smelling.
Ardys, we’ve been feeding the neighbours on this bread, it’s quick to make and there’s heaps to go around! And it smells magnificent as it bakes!
Wow, I love the seam created by the leek leaves! I’ve had a baby sourdough starter, but haven’t been brave enough to make bread with it yet. This mix of yeast and starter looks like a good way to dip my toes into the water. Just need to find good quality lard… Thanks Celia!
Saucy, if you’re near Dulwich Hill, George at Dulwich Hill Gourmet Meats sells free range lard that he renders himself. It’s not cheap, but it’s the good stuff! :)
Thanks for the tip, we are in the inner west so pretty close! :-D
Ring first to see if he has it in stock – they don’t always have it, as they make it there. :)
What a lovely way to put a product generally considered waste to delicious use. Such simple ingredients with such impressive results Celia- it always astonishes me :) xox
Becca, some of the best stuff we make comes from using up the bits and pieces, doesn’t it? It helps to have really good free range pork and chicken to start with, and feels good not having to waste any of it! :)
Another inspirational post from you Celia – no-one I know can do so much with so little. You are just brilliant. Would dripping from a lamb roast work for this, or would it be too strong in flavour? Of, not that I’ll be baking any time soon – waaay too hot here.
Amanda, thank you! :) I think lamb fat would be too strong, but beef might work? Pork fat is actually quite lovely and neutral. Hope you’re on the mend, you poor thing.. xx
Looks delicious. And thanks for the video footage of those skilled bakers throwing and rolling those big wads of dough, love it.
Aren’t they just fantastic? And getting a serious workout too. Sometimes we home bakers get so precious with our dough, it was wonderful to how the professionals throw it about.. :)
[…] My Kitchen is a monthly post linked to the figjamandlimecordial.com blog. It’s creator, Celia, hosts IMK blogs from around the world and it is such a fun peak […]
Fascinating Celia…you are such a creative baker! I have not heard of this bread before but your version looks delicious. I love that video, how about those massive trays of dough being heaved onto the big racks. Strangely, I could watch bread videos for hours! Thanks for sharing. x
Jane, I think I’ve watched it half a dozen times as well! Just so much dough, and they handle it so competently!
Nice bread! Love the video! What a cool way to knead bread! Why do they turn the bread upside down for the final proof? So much bread dough…
Manuela, for my latest batch, I turned one loaf upside down and baked it like that – can’t say I can see the advantage, but there must be one for them…
I moved to Australia from Florida and I’ve eaten a ton of Cuban bread and sandwiches. This looks very much like what I ate in Miami. It was available in Orlando where I lived but nothing like Miami. (I never saw this in Cuba!)
Ooh, thanks hon, that’s good to know! They’ve been going down a storm with the neighbours, although we’re yet to try a proper one, with the ham, pulled pork, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles…
What an interesting bread! Looks gorgeously crunchy and I bet the lard does impart a tasty flavour :)
Thanks – the lard does give it a lovely flavour, but it’s quite subtle, as it’s only a very small amount!
Now that’s handmade!! I think in a lot of places they’d just use machines to make that many loaves! I couldn’t get over that massive bread dough slathered all over the table, lol!! Made me want to just grab it and have a go! I’ve never tasted this and love that leaves are pressed in to make the design on top!
xx
Barb, I’m amazed it hasn’t been automated as well! They work so hard – no chubby bakers there! :) xx
I find that the hardest part of making something you’ve never tasted is knowing for sure it is correct. Thanks for another great bread recipe :)
Tandy, it’s great fun to make too! :)
Whenever I used to watch Dexter I’d start drooling when they’d stop for Cuban sandwiches for lunch! We’re hoping to visit Miami to try these first hand but yours look great!
I’ll make a batch for you and stash it in the freezer until the next time I see you – it defrosts brilliantly!
What a great bread – I make sourdough every few days and in Spanish cooking we use lard quite frequently – so will definitely be giving these a go. My starter is also at 100% hydration so will follow your recipe!
Chica, my starter is actually at 166% hydration (fed at a ratio of 1 cup flour to 1 cup water by volume). Yours will be a bit drier if it’s at 100% (fed at equal quantities by weight of flour and water), so you might only need the lesser amount of flour. :)
Oops – my mistake, mine is like yours then at 166% and I am now on my 2nd rise of the pan cubano….it’s looking good so am hoping to bake it before go to bed!
Chica, that’s so exciting! It’s really very quick – only needs a short rise once it’s shaped, maybe just as long as the oven takes to heat up? :)
PS. Am I wrong in calling you Chica? :) I read someone reply to you as Tanya recently, and wondered if I was calling you “House” or something in Spanish? ;-)
It’s just about to go into the oven – very exciting! And Chica is good – my “real” name is Tanya, but my pals also call me Chica which means young girl in Spanish (although I am by no means young!) it’s a nice name to call someone :)
Ooh, one more thing, it goes stale quite quickly due to the large quantity of bakers yeast – if you’re not eating in within 24 hours, you might want to freeze the excess (it defrosts really well).
Oh thanks – we get through a lot of bread but 4 loaves is a lot…will freeze and defrost as we need it!
These look good. The dough on the video looks like marshmallow! How fast do those guys work and I too love the way they heave that enormous tray of loaves. Fab! I’m going to clear the table and start slapping some dough.
Anne, I wonder if they have the music playing in the background while they work to keep them at pace? :)
I love how creative you are with your recipes and ingredients. I’ve never thought to save pan drippings but now I’m going to have to remember to do that. Great idea to use the leek leaves & I’m sure easier to oil than a piece of string. I have to agree that the bread alone would keep me happy but as I was reading I must have read your mind – first thing I thought of, especially thinking of what they would put in it in southern Florida was the pulled pork.
Diane, it really did make the best pressed sandwiches. We’ve had a couple of dinners now from our defrosted loaves – dead easy at the end of a busy day! :)
I have a recipe for Cuban bread that instructs you to put it into a cold oven and although I did it- I’ve never understood why? It did raise nicely as the oven heated but it raises quite nicely in a hot oven, too. Your sandwich looks wicked good- and I LOVED the video- what is it about watching people make bread? I so enjoy it!
Thanks, Celia!
Heidi, I’ve made bread that goes into a cold oven, and it can be very good. I do love watching the dough spring in a hot oven though! :)
Enjoy knowing the history of food. Very interesting!
Azita, it’s fascinating, isn’t it? :)
Hi Celia, Interesting video and nice looking loaves.
I could watch that video all day long! They’re so fast!
bread is my weakness. Looks yummy!
Mine too! Thanks.. :)
Uh oh Celia, I made the mistake of showing this to my men, you can guess the outcome! I don’t have a sourdough starter, but don’t recall using one in the first recipe you sent me. I will have to look that up. Your entire site is like sinful indulgence for the eyes. I’m often thankful that I can’t cook/bake as well as you, otherwise there would be a reality show with my name on it. I believe “My 600 lbs. Life” has already been taken. :) Seriously, thank you for sharing the wonderful things in your life. You never cease to amaze! xo
Jules, the original recipe uses a yeast starter (flour, yeast and water mixed the day before and left to rest). I use sourdough simply because I have it on hand. You’ll have to make this for L and G! Hope you’re all well – miss you! xx
Love that video! The accuracy of the guys cutting up the dough; the two handed shaping; the elbow roll….and the absolutely enormous trays of loaves. The leaf technique is so interesting too. I am going to have to try it…with lemongrass leaves (closest thing I have to palm leaves in my garden). Wonder how duck fat would work in these loaves…I have some in my fridge so will give it a try. Yum yum. Thanks for the bready inspiration Celia!
Your finished loaves looked amazing, SG! :)
What a beautiful loaf!
Thanks Clare! :)
[…] I feel the need to shake it up and try a new recipe. A little while ago I saw a recipe over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial. Celia is the Queen of Sourdough and her recipe for a bread called Pan Cubano really called to me. […]
Oh my LORD these look amazing! I headed here post haste from Chica’s recipe and I can almost smell how amazing that sandwich would smell :). I can just hear Steve salivating now over a future sandwich and think my curiosity has just spawned a tremendous need to make these. Cheers for clarifying the leek/palm leaf. I thought Chica had lost it (again…) ;)
Thanks for stopping by! I’ve just tried them using lemongrass leaves, and they work even better! :)
No lemongrass here in Tassie at the moment but I do have a couple of large palm trees on the property that if I take a machete and take about a week I might make it down into the jungle (unless there be tigers! ;) ) and return, mosquito marauded but holding a palm leaf aloft like Excalibur…triumphant! Then I just have to get my head around the actual sourdough part and I will be fine (right?…)
Hahaha! If you don’t have sourdough, you can use a yeasted one made the day before (have a look at the linked original recipe for instructions). Basically, it’s just yeast and flour and water the day before – adding it will give the bread a better depth of flavour! :) I only used sourdough starter because I’m lazy! :)
I found that I was a sourdough slave when I was looking after Herman who was a complete narcissist and gave me nothing but grief (and vinegar bricks…can’t forget the vinegar bricks!) so I am twitchy when it comes to working with sourdough but I have a good recipe that uses kefir and date paste from Joanna at Zeb Bakes (I just sub in non-dairy kefir) so I might try that? I didn’t realise that you were an Aussie :) I have seen your comments on a lot of other blogs that I follow and am really glad to find out that we live on the same continent. I live in Tassie but come from W.A. I just tucked your wonderful blog most reverently into my RSS Feed Reader so I can luxuriate in your future posts at my leisure :). Cheers for this excellent recipe…there is hope for me yet (Steve was SO looking forward to good sourdough too ;) )
Joanna is one of my favourite people in the whole world! I’m curious – if you do make the cuban bread, what will you sub for the lard to make it vegetarian?
Most probably coconut oil as it has that unctuous thick “fatty” quality at room temperature and is “the other white lard” ;)
I found your wonderful blog through seeing you on various other blogs that I follow (ZebBakes and CityHippyFarmgirl etc. ) and am SO glad that I found it. You have some really wonderful and delicious looking recipes here especially for the bread challenged like myself who really want to bake something that is edible. Thanks to reading your post yesterday I decided to bake some bread to go with soup for tea last night. It has been lovely and cool for the last couple of days and over summer we use our covered bbq to cook all of our meals (in winter we use Brunhilda our 4 oven wood burning stove) so I decided to get brave with some bread! I didn’t bother using a recipe but cobbled together a variety of “bread” from my standard simple white loaf courtesy of Mr Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall (LOVE that man :) ) and a recipe for Stromboli that makes a regular appearance every Friday night on our dinner table. I decided to use up some leftover buttery mashed potato with Italian mixed herbs in it and what was left of a jar of marinated capsicum and garlic and went to town and the results were delicious (apparently) so thanks to you, I just made my first bread for the year :)
[…] seeing Tanya from Chica Andaluza had made an amazing bread recipe that she sourced from Celia at Fig Jam and Lemon Cordial I was bolstered to invent myself a bread. Yes…invent. Why on EARTH would I use a recipe? I […]
I am originally from Tampa Florida and I can safely that your bread looks properly Cuban. Fantastic recipe and interesting to read your adaptations. If you ever get to Tampa may I recommend the West Tampa Sandwich Shop? Much of Tampa is a bit chi-chi these days but West Tampa is a wonderful area of that could have been transplanted from Havana itself. But with modern cars ;-) Thanks for sharing this. I came via your link in your In My Kitchen March 2 post.
Kellie, thank you! That’s great to know – never having been to Tampa, I had nothing really to go by, but I do know that our version (authentic or otherwise) has been very popular! :)