This incredibly tasty Cob Loaf is also a wonderful yeast bread for beginning bakers to make! It pairs well with practically any meal, and is a very popular bread to use for serving soups and party dips in!
1 ¼cupswater(heated to 105 degrees F/40 degrees C)
oil(for the bowl)
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Instructions
Mix Dough & 1st Rise
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, add the 4 cups bread flour, 4 teaspoons of instant yeast, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of salt (opposite from the yeast). Whisk to combine the dry ingredients.
Add the 5 tablespoons of melted butter and 1 ¼ cups of warm water and stir to incorporate all of the flour until you have a slightly sticky dough. Knead for 5 minutes with your stand mixer, or until you have a smooth, stretchy dough by hand.
Oil a clean bowl and transfer the dough into your bowl. Cover with plastic cling film or a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, or about an hour.
2nd Rise (Proofing)
Punch the dough down by pulling the sides in and pinching them together (the bottom of the dough will be the top of the loaf) until the dough forms a taut loaf. You want your loaf to well rounded and smooth, but if the loaf appears too tall you can gently press it down with your hand.
Place the shaped loaf onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet then cover the loaf again with a damp kitchen towel. Allow the dough to proof for 30 minutes to an hour, or until it is nearly doubled in size again.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) along with an old roasting pan that you will add water to with the bread.
Sprinkle some extra flour over the top of your loaf and gently rub into the dough. Use a sharp knife or a bakers lame to score the top of the loaf in a diamond pattern.
Bake the Cob Loaf
Be ready to add boiling water to the roasting pan when you slide the loaf of bread into the oven. This will create the steam for wonderfully crusty bread.
Bake at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 390 degrees F (199 degrees C), remove the roasting pan with water, then continue baking for 20-25 minutes.
The bread is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees F (88 degrees C) and sounds drum-like when tapped or thumped.
Remove the bread from the oven when done and allow to cool for an hour before slicing or storing.