Broa de Avintes

Name: Broa de Avintes
Cook time: 255 min
Total time: 255 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 700g Yellow Cornmeal; 700ml Water, boiling; 300g Rye Flour; 300ml Water, warm (about 35–40°C); 20g Fresh Baker's Yeast, crumbled; or 7 g active dry yeast; 60g Sugarcane Molasses, mel de cana; 20g Salt, fine

Broa de Avintes is a hearty, rustic Portuguese corn and rye loaf with a deep golden crust and moist, slightly sweet crumb. The combination of [Yellow Cornmeal](2674) and [Rye Flour](338) gives it a pleasantly dense texture, while a touch of molasses and a long fermentation develop complex, caramel-like flavors. It’s perfect with stews, cheeses, or simply buttered and warm.

Broa de Avintes is a hearty, rustic Portuguese corn and rye loaf with a deep golden crust and moist, slightly sweet crumb. The com... Show more

Traditional Portuguese Recipe

Health Grade

B · Healthy

Time

4 hrs

Price

0,17 €

Calories

378 kcal

vegan

budget

low calorie

low fat

low sugar

comfort food

Method

Scald the cornmeal

Put the yellow cornmeal in a large heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water in a steady stream, stirring constantly with a sturdy spoon so the meal hydrates evenly and does not form hard lumps. Keep mixing for 2 to 3 minutes, until you have a thick, steaming mash with no dry pockets left.

Cool the scald

Leave the cornmeal scald uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until it is just warm to the touch, not hot enough to kill the yeast.

Bloom the yeast

In a small bowl, stir the warm water with the fresh baker's yeast and sugarcane molasses until the yeast dissolves. Let it stand for 10 minutes, until it looks slightly foamy and smells pleasantly yeasty.

Mix the dough

Add the cooled cornmeal scald to a large bowl if it is not already in one. Add the rye flour and fine salt, then pour in the yeast-molasses mixture. Mix firmly with your hand or a sturdy spoon for 8 to 10 minutes, folding and squeezing until the dough is evenly combined, very sticky, and free of dry flour streaks.

Proof the dough

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It should look puffed and aerated, with a slightly uneven or gently cracked surface, even if it does not fully double.

Heat the oven

About 20 minutes before the dough finishes rising, preheat the oven to 220° C. If you are baking on a sheet pan, let it heat in the oven too so the loaf gets a good start underneath.

Shape the loaf

Turn the dough onto a lightly dampened work surface or a sheet of parchment. With damp hands, gently gather it into a round, rustic dome, then place it seam-side down on parchment or a lightly greased baking sheet. Smooth the outside just enough to neaten it, but do not press out the air you have built during the rise.

Rest the loaf

Let the shaped loaf stand for 20 to 30 minutes while the oven finishes heating. It should relax slightly and hold its rounded shape; this is a short settling rest, not a dramatic second rise.

Bake the bread

Bake the loaf for 45 to 55 minutes, until the crust is a deep chestnut brown and the bread feels firm all over. Lift it carefully and tap the bottom; it should sound hollow. If the top starts darkening too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.

Cool the bread

Transfer the loaf to a rack and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This rest matters: the crumb keeps setting as it cools, and cutting too early can make the inside gummy.

Slice and serve

Slice the broa with a serrated knife and serve. Expect a compact, moist crumb and a dark, slightly sweet crust—the classic character of Broa de Avintes.

Ingredients

Method

For 10 servings

Adjust servings

For the scald

700g Yellow Cornmeal
700ml Water, boiling

For the dough

300g Rye Flour
300ml Water, warm (about 35–40°C)
20g Fresh Baker's Yeast, crumbled; or 7 g active dry yeast
60g Sugarcane Molasses, mel de cana
20g Salt, fine

Nutrition

Per Serving.

Calories

378 kcal

19% of Daily kcal

Protein

8.8 g

18% RDI

Fat

3.4 g

0.6g sat fat

Carbs

81 g

30% RDI

Sugar

5.4 g

11% RDI

Fiber

9.6 g

32% RDI

Salt

2 g

40% RDI

Quality Profile

Scored against dietary guidelines.
Tap rows for a deeper breakdown.

Composite score - weighted by current nutrition science

B · 7.4 / 10

Comments

Click to rate

Ingredients

For 10 servings

Adjust servings

For the scald

700g Yellow Cornmeal
700ml Water, boiling

For the dough

300g Rye Flour
300ml Water, warm (about 35–40°C)
20g Fresh Baker's Yeast, crumbled; or 7 g active dry yeast
60g Sugarcane Molasses, mel de cana
20g Salt, fine

Broa de Avintes

Method

Scald the cornmeal

Cool the scald

Bloom the yeast

Mix the dough

Proof the dough

Heat the oven

Shape the loaf

Rest the loaf

Bake the bread

Cool the bread

Slice and serve

Ingredients

Method

For the scald

For the dough

Nutrition

Calories

Protein

Fat

Carbs

Sugar

Fiber

Salt

Quality Profile

Comments

Ingredients

For the scald

For the dough

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