Pan De Cristal

Pan De Cristal is a customary bread from the Catalan region of Spain know for its large open crumb. This loaf also known as "glass bread" with its high hydration uses our organic Stardust 00 flour. It's the perfect vessel this summer for fresh seasoned tomatoes or dipping into a pool of olive oil and herbs.

Download a printable version of the recipe here.

© Barton Springs Mill Test Kitchen

Recipe by: Pamela Thibodeaux- Recipe Developer

Pan De Cristal

Yield: 1 loaf 

Ingredients:

300g BSM Stardust 00 flour

3g instant yeast

293g water (75°F)

6g fine sea salt

Semolina flour for dusting

*Ambient room temperature of ideally 74°F (temperature is an ingredient in bread making!)

Method:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and instant yeast. Add the flour and then the salt. Keep the salt from touching the yeast directly as it will inhibit the yeast growth.

Using your hand or a wooden spoon, mix the dough until the flour absorbs the water. Cover and allow the dough to continue to hydrate for 15 min. This dough is meant to be very wet and sticky at first.

After 15 min, dip your hands in a side bowl of room temperature water and start the first stretch and fold by pinching one end of the dough and stretching upward. Then, bring the dough inward to the center of the dough mass. Do four more of these folds in a clockward motion. Then, lift the dough and do one or two coil folds. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and allow to rest for 30 min. Repeat these stretch and folds and coil folds six more times over the course of 5 hrs ideally at an ambient room temperature of no more than 74°F. The dough should become active, voluminous, and manageable to the touch as the gluten strands strengthen over time.

Preheat an oven to 475°F.

If you have a pizza stone, place it on the middle rack of your oven. A pizza stone will create a crispier crust and an overall better oven spring. Preheat the pizza stone for at least 45-50 min.

Meanwhile, after 5hrs of the dough bulk fermenting, dust a piece of parchment paper with semolina flour to keep the dough from sticking to the parchment. Gently scrape the dough out of the bowl, and slightly stretch the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold the dough into a rough letter fold, and lift the dough with a bench knife onto the parchment paper. The dough will final proof on the parchment for the next 40-50 min while the oven is preheating. Be sure to keep an eye on the ambient-room temperature as temperature is crucial in fermentation! The dough should look very bubbly and will jiggle when lightly shaken when it is ready to bake. You may lightly dust the top of the dough with flour using a sifter if you like the rustic look.

If you have a pizza peel, gently lift the dough from the corners of the parchment onto the peel, and slide onto the pizza stone in the oven. Or, carefully lift and place on the pizza stone. Spray the oven heavily with water using a spray bottle or mister right before closing the oven. Turn the temperature down to 450°F. Bake for 23-26 min or until the crust is golden brown.

Cool the loaf on a cooling rack before slicing if you can resist the temptation! Great for dipping into herbs and olive oil or a great driver for any fresh tomatoes or tapenade this summer!