Description
This Easy Tiger Bread recipe delivers a crunchy, crackled crust with a soft and chewy interior, making it a crave-worthy snack or sandwich bread. Using bread flour for texture and a unique rice flour topping to create the signature tiger-like crackle, this bread is simple to prepare with instant yeast and minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 3 cups Bread flour
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 packet Instant yeast
- 1.5 cups Warm water
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Topping Ingredients
- 0.5 cup Rice flour
- 0.5 cup Warm water
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Instant yeast
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Add the warm water and vegetable oil, then mix until a sticky dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Prepare the topping: In a separate bowl, mix the rice flour, warm water, sugar, salt, vegetable oil, and instant yeast into a smooth paste. The topping should be thick but spreadable.
- Shape the dough: Once risen, punch down the dough and shape it into a round or oval loaf. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Apply the topping: Spread the rice flour paste evenly over the top of the dough using a spatula. This paste will create the crackled texture during baking.
- Second rise: Cover the loaf loosely and let it rest for another 30 minutes to allow the topping and dough to rise together.
- Bake the bread: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crisp.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Using bread flour is essential for the chewy texture of the bread.
- Rice flour in the topping creates the signature tiger bread crackle because it doesn’t absorb water the same way wheat flour does.
- The topping needs to be spread thickly and evenly for the best crackle effect.
- If you don’t have instant yeast, active dry yeast can be used but activate it first by dissolving in warm water.
- Letting the bread cool fully before slicing helps to maintain its structure and chewiness.
