Broa de Milho

Name: Broa de Milho
Cook time: 200 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 350g Yellow Cornmeal, stone-ground; farinha de milho; 210g Rye Flour, farinha de centeio; 140g Bread Flour, strong wheat flour; 420ml Water, boiling; to scald the cornmeal; 180ml Water, warm; for mixing; 5g Instant Yeast; 12g Sea Salt, fine; Some Cornmeal, for dusting

Broa de Milho is a rustic Portuguese corn bread with a crisp, golden crust and a tender, slightly dense crumb that carries the warm, nutty flavor of corn and rye. It pairs beautifully with stews, soups, or simply buttered for breakfast. This loaf is straightforward to make and rewards you with hearty, country-style flavor.

Broa de Milho is a rustic Portuguese corn bread with a crisp, golden crust and a tender, slightly dense crumb that carries the war... Show more

Traditional Portuguese Recipe

Health Grade

B+ · Healthy

Time

3 hrs

Price

0,18 €

Calories

313 kcal

vegan

budget

low calorie

low fat

low sugar

comfort food

Method

Scald the cornmeal

Put stone-ground yellow cornmeal in a large bowl and pour over boiling water. Stir vigorously until every grain is moistened and the mixture turns into a thick, damp paste. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes so the cornmeal hydrates and cools to lukewarm.

Mix the dough

Stir in rye flour, bread flour, instant yeast, and fine sea salt. Add the remaining warm water a little at a time, mixing until the dough looks shaggy and no dry flour remains. It will feel heavy and a little sticky, which is exactly what you want.

Knead briefly

Turn the dough out onto a clean counter and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smoother, elastic, and only lightly tacky. Dust with a little bread flour only if needed; the dough should stay soft rather than dry and stiff.

Let it rise

Shape the dough into a ball, put it back in the bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes, until it looks puffy and a little bigger. It may not fully double, but it should feel lighter when you lift it.

Shape the loaves

Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with cornmeal. Divide it into 2 rustic rounds and shape each piece gently, keeping the surface smooth without pressing all the gas out. Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and dust the tops lightly with a little more cornmeal.

Proof and preheat

Cover the loaves loosely and let them proof for 35 minutes, until they look slightly puffed and spring back slowly when touched. During the last 15 minutes, heat the oven to 220° C / 425° F so it is fully hot when the bread goes in.

Bake the bread

Slash the tops with a sharp knife, then bake on the middle rack for 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is deep golden and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Move the loaves to a rack and let them cool for 20 minutes before slicing.