Daring Bakers' March Challenge - Dutch Crunch Bread (AKA Tiger Bread or Giraffe Bread)

Sara and Erica of Baking JDs were our March 2012 Daring Baker hostesses! Sara & Erica challenged us to make Dutch Crunch bread, a delicious sandwich bread with a unique, crunchy topping. Sara and Erica also challenged us to create a one of a kind sandwich with our bread!


Dutch Crunch bread also goes by the names Tiger Bread and Giraffe Bread, because of the crazy "animal print" pattern created by the crunchy topping. Dutch Crunch bread can be made with any bread recipe, for it is the topping, slathered over top of the unbaked bread, which cracks and browns when baked, rather than the bread dough, that distinguishes it as Dutch Crunch bread. The recipe for the topping is as follows:

2 tablespoons (2 packets) (30 ml) (15 gm/½ oz) active dry yeast
1 cup (240 ml) warm water (105-115º F) (41-46°C)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (30 gm/1 oz) sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil (I used sesame oil)
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (3 gm) salt
1½ cups (360 ml) (240 gm/8½ oz) rice flour (white or brown; NOT sweet or glutinous rice flour)

Mix all of those ingredients together to make a thick paste, and spread it, rather thickly, onto the unbaked bread. As the bread begins to bake, the cracks will appear and create the pattern.

I chose to use a nice soft white bread for the actual dough recipe. After the six rolls had risen on a baking sheet, I spread a thick layer of the pasty topping over them, using a spoon and my fingers. Almost immediately, as they started to bake, cracks formed in the topping, and, as they continued to brown, the pattern emerged. Mine was more "giraffe" than "tiger."

While the rolls were still hot from the oven, I couldn't resist cutting one in half and spreading a melty layer of butter on each half. Dan and I shared this tasty treat right then and there. The bread texture was perfect - fine-grained and moist.

The next day, for dinner, I used the Giraffe rolls to craft BLT sandwiches. There's nothing very original about a BLT . . . unless it's a BLT on Dutch Crunch bread. BLTs have always been my favorite sandwich, but making it with this bread bumped it up a notch or two!



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