Dutch Crunch Bread {Daring Bakers}

Have any of you gone to the Boudin Bakery in San Francisco.  I know they have many locations up and down the coast of California that sell the same products {and are really delicious!}.  But have you gone to the main location at Fisherman’s Warf?  It’s bread heaven.  There is tons of fresh baked bread all around you.  Just the smell brings you in.  Then you order a grilled cheese or soup in a bread bowl for lunch, and it tastes incredible because you can actually taste the fresh and authentic quality of the bread.  And you don’t stop at lunch; you buy a sourdough loaf and dutch crunch bread to bring home for later enjoyment.  I know that's what we do.

I might be overselling it, but I love it.  My husband and I have always loved it.  And we will always will :).

We’ll this week I made my own fresh Dutch Crunch Bread.  

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 sandwich with our bread! 

Dutch Crunch Bread quickly became one of our favorite breads to pick up from Boudin Bakery.  It’s a soft white bread, topped with a crunchy topping made from yeast, sugar, and rice flour.  The crunchy surface comes from slathering the yeasty mixture on unbaked bread.  While the bread bakes, the yeast activates and creates this amazing exterior.  It’s truly unique.

If you love fresh baked bread, you will love this bread.  And don’t think it’s any harder than baking normal sandwich bread or rolls.  It’s just as easy!  

You’ve got to give this bread a try.  You will fall in love with it.  Especially when you make a delicious, warm sandwich with it.  Enjoy!

Dutch Crunch Bread

For Printable Recipe, Click here!

Makes: 6 large rolls (you can divide the dough into 8, 10, or 12 pieces to make smaller rolls)

Soft White Bread Rolls

1 packet Active Dry Yeast

¼ cup Warm Water

1 cup Warm Milk

1½ tablespoons Sugar

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1½ teaspoons Salt

4 cups All Purpose Flour

Dutch Crunch Topping

2 packets Active Dry Yeast

1 ¼ cups Warm Water

2 tablespoons Sugar

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

½ teaspoon Salt

1 ½ cups White Rice Flour

To make the bread, stir together the yeast, water, milk, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Let stand for 5 minutes until bubbles start to form on the surface.

Attach the bread hook to the stand mixer and add the oil, salt, and flour.  Mix on medium-low speed until a dough ball starts to form.  Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until a smooth, elastic dough ball forms.

Place the dough ball in a large, greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in a turned-off oven to rise until its doubled in size, about 1 hour.

When the dough is almost done rising, make the dutch crunch topping.  In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients (active dry yeast, water, sugar, oil, salt, and rice flour).  Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and has a thick, paste-like consistency, thick enough to hold its shape, but thin enough to slowly drip down when you hold the whisk above the bowl.  Allow the topping to sit for 15 minutes.

When the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured surface.  Dust the complete surface of the dough with flour.  Divide the dough into 6 pieces.  If you want to make smaller rolls, divide the dough into 8,10, or 10 pieces.  Roll each piece of dough into a ball.  Place on a parchment-lined (or silicone-lined) baking sheet.  Place a clean towel over the baking sheet, and let sit for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 380 degrees F.

Using a spoon, cover each roll completely with a thick layer of the dutch crunch topping.  Be generous with the topping, you want a thick layer so it’s able to crack properly. 

Place the rolls in the oven to bake until the cracked tops turn a golden brown, about 30-40 minutes.  Allow the rolls to cool slightly before eating. 

These last up to 1 week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

The recipe for the Dutch Crunch topping came from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Bread Bible.  The recipe for the Bread Rolls also came from The Bread Bible and an adaptation of a recipe found on Baking Bites.