Puerto Rican Water Bread Recipe | Easy 4-Step Pan de Agua
This Water Bread Recipe is a staple in traditional Puerto Rican breakfast! Made with only 6 simple ingredients, its outer crispy crust is the perfect opposition to its soft center. The perfect companion for your morning coffee.
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Jump to RecipeI wanted to share this pan de agua recipe because it takes me back to my mornings in Puerto Rico. Whenever I stayed with my grandparents, my grandpa would wake up early to go to the bakery down the street and bring back freshly baked bread. He always brough a pound of pan sobao and another pound of water bread.
Then, my grandma made Spanish omelet accompanied by thick, buttered, toasted bread slices, or used the bread for sandwiches. There is no comparison! Now that I am older and away from PR, I make pan de agua at home. One of my favorite ways to eat it is with butter and a cup of café con leche. Kids love it, too! Especially with a side of hot chocolate over the holidays.
At first glance, pan de agua might seem similar to French or Italian bread. They all have that nice crust on the outside, contrasting the soft, melt-in-your-mouth center. However, water bread is baked in steam, and placed in a non-preheated oven that rises in temperature while the bread bakes. It is delicious and perfectly balanced.
Making Pan de Agua.
As far as equipment goes, you need the following:
- Large stand mixer (if you do not have a stand mixer, see notes for instructions)
- Dough hook
- Large and small mixing bowls
- 2 Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
To make the bread, you only need a few basic ingredients: water, salt, yeast, sugar, and olive oil.
First, proof the yeast by taking two cups of 105 degree Fahrenheit water, and dissolve the yeast packet as well as a tablespoon of sugar in it. If you do not have the active dry yeast in packets, use 2 ¼ teaspoons. Give it a quick mix and place a towel over it to retain heat. Set aside for 20 minutes.
While the yeast proofs, mix 5 packed cups of all-purpose flour (or bread flour), and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large mixing bowl.
Once the yeast is proofed, pour it into your stand mixer. I like to give it a quick mix before transfer. Then add the dry ingredients to the mixer about one cup at a time. Mix at low speed with the dough hook attachment and scrape down the sides when necessary. If you do not have a mixer, do this in a large bowl, and use a wooden spoon to blend the ingredients (view A Few Notes section).
After all the flour has been added to the wet ingredients, continue kneading for a couple of minutes (the dough hook will do it for you). Once the dough is no longer sticking to the sides or bottom of the mixer, you know it is ready.
Grease a large bowl with spray or butter and set it aside. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. If it is still too sticky, add a bit more flour until it is manageable. Move it into the greased bowl and cover it with a towel.
Place the dough in a warm environment and let it rise undisturbed for 1 ½ – 2 hours, until it doubles in size. One of the best things about this bread is that you really only need one long rise instead of two.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal or flour over it (either one works). Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and cut it in half. Then shape each half into a loaf. Place it in the prepared baking dish. Then brush the top of the loaves with oil and slice 3-4 diagonal cuts on top with a sharp knife (if desired).
If you want to, you can allow the dough to rise again for 30 minutes. Otherwise, move on to the next step.
Boil a cup of water. Place the second baking sheet in the bottom pan of the oven then pour the water into it. Do not preheat the oven. Place the bread on the rack over it and close the oven. Set it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake it for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove the bread from the oven and move it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool down before cutting into it. It’s hard. I know, but you can do it!
Slice and serve with butter and a cafecito. Yum!
A Few Notes.
Yeast: You will know the yeast is proofed because the mixture grew in size and formed a thick layer of foam on top. If using rapid rise yeast instead of active dry yeast, add it to 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit water and allow it to proof for 10-15 minutes. Carry on with the following step.
Flour: If using bread flour, use the same amounts. As far as flavor and texture is concerned, it is a matter of preference but for the purpose of this recipe, the measurements are the same.
Hand-Mixing: In the absence of a stand mixer, you can mix the dough with a wooden spoon. Once fully incorporated, move the dough to lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 20 minutes. It can feel like a long time so have a show or some music in the background and have fun with it! You will know you are done when the dough is still elastic but not sticky anymore.
Rising the dough: For the perfect rising environment, I like to warm my oven to about 100 degrees. I turn it off and then place the bread dough inside for the first rise. If you are familiar with the dutch oven method and prefer it, you can do that instead.
Baking: Do not place the bread in a preheated oven! Allowing the oven to rise in temperature while baking the bread gives it a nice outer crust rather than making it too thick and hard.
Store & Save The Bread.
Any leftover bread should be wrapped in plastic wrap (or sealed tightly) for up to three days. To enjoy to its fullest, warm up for a few seconds in the microwave before consuming. Also, if you want to freeze it, ensure it is tightly sealed (I place mine in a sealable bag after wrapping it) before placing it in the freezer. It will last up to two monts.
I hope you enjoyed this water bread recipe. I know making bread might seem daunting but hopefully this was simple enough you will dare to try it and find how easy it is! Maybe it becomes part of your breakfast table just like it is in ours. 😊
As always, ¡buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
Puerto Rican Water Bread Recipe | Easy 4-Step Pan de Agua
Equipment
- Large stand mixer if hand-mixing, see notes
- Dough hook optional but helpful
- large mixing bowl
- small mixing bowl
- 2 Baking sheets
- Pastry brush
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 packet active dry yeast * or 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 5 cups all purpose flour or bread flour; extra for working
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup water boiling
- 2 tbsp olive oil *
- cornmeal for dusting or extra flour
Instructions
Proof Yeast.
- To a small bowl, pour warm water, between 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit. Add yeast and sugar, then mix lightly. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow it to proof for about 20 minutes. Room temperature water works, too, but yeast thrives in warm environments.
- You will know the yeast is proofed because the mixture grew in size and formed a thick layer of foam on top. Once yeast water is proofed, pour it into a stand mixer bowl.
Prepare Dough and Let it Rise.
- Mix 5 cups of flour (packed) and salt in a large mixing bowl. Then add dry ingredients to stand mixer one cup at a time. Mix on low speed with a dough hook, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If mixing by hand, see notes.
- Once the mixture looks incorporated, add the next cup of flour. It does not have to be super blended before adding more flour.
- After all the dry ingredients have been poured in, continue mixing. The dough hook will knead the dough for you, which saves you a step! Once the dough is no longer sticking to the sides or bottom of the mixer, you know it is ready.
- Grease a large bowl with spray or butter and set it aside. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball.
- Place the dough in a warm environment and let it rise undisturbed for 1 ½ - 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
Shape Dough.
- After an hour and a half, check the dough and see if it has doubled in size. If that is the case, it is ready for the next stage.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal or flour over it (either one works). Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and cut it in half with a knife or pastry cutter. Then shape each half into a loaf. Place it in the prepared baking dish. Then brush the top of the loaves with oil and slice 3-4 diagonal cuts on top with a sharp knife (if desired). If you want to, you can make one big round loaf of bread. It will look like sourdough bread at first glance.
- Brush the top of the loaves with oil and slice 3-4 diagonal cuts on top with a sharp knife (if desired). If you prefer to do an egg wash instead, feel free to do so.
- Optional: allow a 30-minute second rise.
Bake the Bread.
- Boil a cup of water. Place the second baking sheet in the bottom pan of the oven then pour the water into it. Do not preheat the oven. Place the bread on the rack over it and close the oven. Set it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake it for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove both loaves of bread from the oven and carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
- Once cooled, slice and serve buttered with a cafecito.
- ¡Buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
