My family love this really fast to make bread.
Cuban Bread
5-6 cups of all purpose flour
( you can substitute whole wheat for 1 or 2 cups)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups hot water (120 to 130 degrees)
Mix 4 cups of flour with the yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the water and mix really well. Add remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 8 minutes. ( I add a ¼ to ½ cup of flour to my surface, when the flour is all absorbed, I know I have kneaded it enough. If the dough still feels really sticky add some more flour. Just don’t get the dough too dry.)
Place in a greased bowl covered with a dish towel and let set for 15 minutes. Punch down dough and divide into two pieces. shape into two round loaves, and place on a baking sheet. Cut a X ½ inch deep on top with a shape knife. (If you don’t cut a X in the bread it changes the texture to more like an English muffin.)
Place baking sheet on the middle shelf of a COLD oven. Place a cake pan (9x13”) filled half way full of very hot water on the lowest shelf. Turn oven on to 400 degrees. Bake 40 to 50 minutes until a deep golden brown. Mine is usually done in 45 minutes.
Hint: to make your own whole wheat flour, fill a one cup measuring cup with flour, remove one tablespoon of flour and replace it with one tablespoon of wheat germ.