Pão francês
Crusty bread rolls
Pão francês: Brazil's everyday crackly-crusted bakery roll, bought warm every morning
Every neighbourhood padaria in Brazil pulls trays of these small, golden rolls from the oven at dawn and again in the late afternoon, and people buy them by the half-dozen for breakfast with butter and milky coffee or for a pão na chapa on the griddle. The name means French bread, but the roll is Brazil's own: a thin, crackling crust with a raised lip along the cut, called the pestana, around a very light, fluffy crumb. Chef's tip: a tray of boiling water in the oven gives the steam that makes the crust thin and shiny.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour
- ¼ oz instant dried yeast
- ⅓ oz sugar
- ⅓ oz salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cups cold water
For baking
- 2 cups boiling water, for steam
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix the 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ¼ oz instant dried yeast, ⅓ oz sugar and ⅓ oz salt in a large bowl. Add the 1 ¼ cups cold water and 1 tbsp vegetable oil and stir to a shaggy dough.
3 minStep 2: Knead on the worktop for 10–12 minutes until smooth and elastic; a small piece should stretch thin enough to see light through without tearing.
12 minStep 3: Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled.
60 minStep 4: Divide into 10 pieces of about 80 g. Flatten each into an oval, roll it up tightly from the long side and roll under your palms into a 12 cm torpedo with tapered ends. Place seam down on a lined tray.
15 minStep 5: Cover loosely and prove for 45–60 minutes until puffy; a fingertip pressed in should leave a dent that springs back slowly. Meanwhile heat the oven to 450°F with an empty roasting tin on the bottom shelf.
50 minStep 6: With a sharp blade held almost flat, make one long shallow cut along each roll. Put the rolls in the oven and pour the 2 cups boiling water, for steam into the hot tin. Leaving out the steam is the common mistake that gives a thick, dull crust with no lip.
2 minStep 7: Bake for 18–20 minutes until deep golden and the rolls sound hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes; the crust crackles as it cools.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pão francês take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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