Another Week, Another Bread...

So, it seems that Monday has become bread-day.

I made a new bread last Monday, and I have made a new bread again this Monday :)

I've been looking through me cookbooks lately, and I was intrigued by Martha Stewart's recipe for Coca Bread.

Martha says that this is a traditional Spanish yeast bread (even though I couldn't find any pictures or recipes of it anywhere except in Martha's cookbook).

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup warm water (110F)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup milk, at room temperature
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter - plus more for the pan
• 1/4 cup honey, for drizzling

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine yeast and warm water; let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar, 4 cups flour, and salt. With a wooden spoon, stir in yeast mixture, milk, 3 eggs, and 1/2 cup melted butter until combined. Using your hands, work the remaining flour into the dough, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough isn't sticky.
2. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it develops a smooth satiny texture and springs back when you poke it with your finger, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, and place in a lightly buttered bowl, rotating the dough in the bowl to coat with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 400F. Generously grease two baking sheets with some of the melted butter. Turn the dough to a clean work surface, and cut in half. Place half of the dough on each prepared baking sheet, and press into two 8x17" rectangles. Allow the dough to proof(?) for 15 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1 egg with 1 tbsp water, abd brush onto the dough.
4. Generously sprinkle the dough with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and drizzle with honey. Bake until golden and crispy, about 18 minutes. Transfer the breads to wire racks to cool.

So, there's that. And here is the first picture of Coca Bread on the internet thus far :)
This bread is really more of a dessert or a sweet breakfast food. It is really sweet from the sugar and honey and it's absolutely fantastic when it's fresh and warm. It was nice and yeasty :)

I promise to write something about our actual life here soon. For now, it's just so much easier to enjoy the bread :)