Pan Cubano Garlic Bread (Babish Style)

Ingredients

• 480 g Bread flour (All‑purpose bread flour for strong gluten development)
• 7 g Instant yeast (One 7 g packet)
• 8 g Sugar (About 2 tsp)
• 55 g Lard (Melted; gives a tender crumb)
• 300 ml Water (Room temperature)
• 12 g Kosher salt (About 2 tsp)
• 113 g Unsalted butter (One stick, softened)
• 3 Garlic cloves (Fresh, pressed or finely minced)
• 2 tbsp Fresh basil (Finely minced)
• 2 tbsp Fresh parsley (Finely minced)
• 1 tsp Kosher salt (for butter)
• 0.5 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (optional) (For added texture on the crust)

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients

   In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, and kosher salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to distribute evenly.

   Time: PT5M

2. Add lard and water

   With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in the melted lard followed by the room‑temperature water. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms.

   Time: PT5M

3. Knead the dough

   Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the window‑pane test.

   Time: PT10M

4. First bulk fermentation

   Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature (≈21°C) until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

   Time: PT1H30M

   Temperature: 21°C

5. Shape the loaf

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into an 8 × 12 inch rectangle, then roll it tightly from the short side, pinching seams as you go. Form a torpedo‑shaped loaf and place it diagonally on a rimmed baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.

   Time: PT15M

6. Second rise

   Cover the loaf loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.

   Time: PT1H

   Temperature: 21°C

7. Preheat oven

   While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 400°F

8. Bake the Pan Cubano loaf

   Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 22 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200°F.

   Time: PT22M

   Temperature: 400°F

9. Cool the bread

   Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool completely on a rack, about 3 hours, before slicing for garlic bread.

   Time: PT3H

10. Make compound butter

    In a bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, pressed garlic, minced basil, minced parsley, 1 tsp kosher salt, and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Mix until a smooth, cohesive paste forms.

    Time: PT5M

11. Slice the loaf

    Using a serrated knife, cut the cooled loaf horizontally lengthwise, creating two long halves.

    Time: PT2M

12. Slather butter on each half

    Generously spread the compound butter over the cut side of each half, ensuring an even coating.

    Time: PT5M

13. First bake (open‑faced)

    Place the buttered halves on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 450°F (232°C) for 4 minutes, until the edges of the garlic begin to turn lightly blonde.

    Time: PT4M

    Temperature: 450°F

14. Flip, weight, and finish baking

    Flip the halves over, place another rimmed baking sheet on top to gently compress, and return to the oven for 8 minutes at 450°F. This toasts the cut side evenly and prevents garlic burning.

    Time: PT8M

    Temperature: 450°F

15. Rest and serve

    Remove the garlic bread from the oven, let rest for 2 minutes, then slice into serving pieces and serve warm.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Bread flour: All‑purpose flour (use 480 g)
• Instead of Instant yeast: Active dry yeast (same amount)
• Instead of Sugar: Honey (reduce to 5 g)
• Instead of Lard: Unsalted butter (same amount), Vegetable shortening
• Instead of Kosher salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine (flavor will change)
• Instead of Garlic cloves: Garlic powder (1 tsp)
• Instead of Fresh basil: Dried basil (1 tsp)
• Instead of Fresh parsley: Dried parsley (1 tsp)
• Instead of Kosher salt (for butter): Sea salt
• Instead of Freshly ground black pepper: White pepper
• Instead of Sesame seeds (optional): Poppy seeds

Equipment Needed

• Stand mixer with dough hook
• Kitchen scale
• Plastic wrap
• Rimmed baking sheet
• Cornmeal (optional)
• Offset spatula (optional)
• Garlic press (optional)
• Oven
• Cooling rack (optional)
• Sharp serrated knife

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Kneading the dough to a smooth, elastic texture
• First bulk fermentation until the dough doubles in size
• Pressing the garlic‑butter onto the bread and using a second sheet to weight the loaf during the final bake (prevents burnt garlic)
• Monitoring the garlic color during the first 4‑minute high‑heat bake

Chef Tips from the Video

• Press the garlic with a garlic press rather than chopping; the finer the pieces, the more aromatic the butter.
• Add a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds to the crust just before the final bake for extra crunch.
• If you prefer a milder garlic flavor, mix half of the fresh garlic with half a teaspoon of garlic powder in the butter.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftover garlic bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5‑7 minutes.

Freezer: Wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.

Room temperature: Best consumed the same day; can sit out for up to 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the compound butter up to 2 days ahead and keep it refrigerated; bring to room temperature before spreading.
• The Pan Cubano loaf can be baked a day in advance; reheat briefly before applying butter for optimal texture.