By Chef Yadira

Hard Dough Bread is a very dense bread, which prevents it from becoming soggy. Personally, I love eating hard dough bread with lots of butter and thick slices of cheddar cheese … I still remember the music that the Blenco Bread truck would play as it came through the neighborhood selling bread and other baked goods.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups hot water
• 1-3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 2 oz fresh yeast + 1 cup warm water (110)
• 15 cups bread flour (makes 6 loaves)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a bowl, mix hot water, sugar, salt, and Crisco. Mix well and let cool until lukewarm. Add yeast and 6 cups of flour and mix well
2. Add the rest of flour, 1 cup at a time, beating the mixture well until it begins to pull from the bowl. Turnover and knead for 15 minutes
3. Divide in 2 and place in grease bowls and let rise for 1 hour or double in size. Deflate and form into rounds and let rise for 30 minutes. Deflate again and shape into 6 equal loaves and place in loaf pans and let rise for 40 minutes
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Bottom must sound hollow when tapped