Daring Bakers: Dutch Crunch Bread

It's time again for the monthly Daring Cooks' Challenge! Sara and Erica of Baking JDs were our March 2012 Daring Baker hostesses! Sara & Erica challenged us to make Dutch Crunch bread, a delicious sandwich bread with a unique, crunchy topping. Sara and Erica also challenged us to create a one of a kind sandwich with our bread!

I had bread on my 12 in '12 list, so this was the perfect challenge for me. And while there is yeast involved - which scares some people - it was one of the easier yeast breads I have attempted. Active time was minimal, and the results were phenomenal! I will definitely be making this again, next time in loaf form. I didn't really create a one of a kind sandwich, but being lent season, I decided on a good ol' fish sandwich. Tartar sauce, Swiss cheese, and fish between two crispy sandwich buns...so good!

Dutch Crunch Bread
Source: Baking Bites

Dutch Crunch Topping

Ingredients
2 tablespoons (2 packets) active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (105-115º F)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups rice flour (white or brown; NOT sweet or glutinous rice flour) (increase by 1 cup or more for home-made rice flour)

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a whisk; beat hard to combine. The consistency should be like stiff royal icing – spreadable, but not too runny. If you pull some up with your whisk it should drip off slowly. Add more water or rice flour as necessary. Let stand 15 minutes.

Soft White Roll

Ingredients
1 tablespoon (1 packet) active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water (No need to use a thermometer – it should feel between lukewarm and hot to the touch).

1 cup warm milk (105-110º F)

1½ tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus additional olive or vegetable oil for greasing bowl during rising)

1½ teaspoons salt

Up to 4 cups all purpose flour

Preparation

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer or large mixing bowl, combine yeast, water, milk and sugar. Stir to dissolve and let sit for about 5 minutes (The mixture should start to bubble or foam a bit and smell yeasty).
2. Add in vegetable oil, salt and 2 cups of flour. Using the dough hook attachment or a wooden spoon, mix at medium speed until the dough comes together.
3. Add remaining flour a quarter cup at time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 4 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
5. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled (or more) in size.
6. Preheat oven to 380 degrees F.
7. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 6 equal portions (if you’d like to make rolls) or 2 equal portions (if you’d like to make a loaf). Shape each into a ball or loaf and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, without handling the dough too much.
8. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 15 minutes while you prepare the topping.
9. Coat the top of each roll or loaf with the topping as described above.
10. Once you’ve applied the topping, bake for 25-30 minutes, until well browned. Let cool completely on a wire rack before eating.