About This Recipe

What is Dutch Crunch Bread?

Dutch crunch bread is a dense and soft white bread with a delightful crunchy topping made from rice flour, sugar, yeast, and sesame oil. This incredibly popular, but also very controversial, sandwich bread is well known in the San Francisco Bay Area of the United States. The texture of the bread is soft and plush, similar to that of a white sandwich bread. The crunchy topping adds the perfect contrast to the interior of the bread and makes a flawless compliment to most sandwich recipes.

A bread with many names:

Dutch crunch bread originated in the Netherlands, where it is known as “tijerbrood” (tiger bread) because its crackly topping resembles the stripes of a tiger. In the UK, a three-year-old girl wrote to the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s, suggesting that the name “tiger bread” be changed to “giraffe bread” because the pattern resembled a giraffe more than a tiger. This bread eventually made its way to the United States, where it became popular in the San Francisco Bay Area (though nearly unknown everywhere else) and is known as “Dutch crunch bread.” Wegmans Food Markets of New York markets this bread under the name “Marco Polo bread.”

Why I love this recipe:

As someone who bakes sourdough, I compare this bread to rustic-style artisan bread quite often. An artisan boule has a chewy interior with a crispy outer crust. For some, the chewy interior is not their preference, and the crispy crust makes for a difficult bite. The interior of Dutch crunch bread is similar to a plush white sandwich bread. It is softer, denser, and not at all chewy, a style that may be preferable for some. A crispy crust is still present, but in a lighter, more gentle form. The process of making Dutch crunch bread is much more beginner-friendly than that of a rustic loaf, as the bread itself is lower in hydration, therefore requiring different working techniques and allowing a bit more flexibility in the process.

My little secret:

This sourdough take on Dutch crunch bread is unlike any other recipe you will find on the internet. After thoroughly researching the bread and reviewing nearly every already-published recipe, I set out to make this bread as described, “soft, moist, flavorful, fluffy, and dense, with a pillowy interior.” The problem? I never liked my end result, feeling it never truly fit the description. I played with numerous ingredient combinations and proportions, varied the liquids, changed the hydration, and shaped it a million different ways. Nothing was giving me the results I wanted.

That is, until I relented and added this Asian technique called “tangzhong” to the dough. There are numerous ways to achieve the same effect, but essentially by precooking a portion of the flour, the dough is able to retain moisture almost by double. The end result is a bread that is beautifully soft, pillowy, and moist by ten thousand times over.

Why this recipe works

Tangzhong

This Asian technique is the trick to making, and keeping, the interior of this bread soft and plush. Without it, the bread would only taste its best right out of the oven, and would be dry after just twenty-four hours. Tangzhong aids in moisture retention, which is where all the benefits come in. Read more about tangzhong here.

Enrichments

I decided to include enrichments in this dough: milk, butter (and/or sesame oil), and honey. Each enrichment is very specific and contributes to the overall texture and flavor of the final baked product. Milk adds softness, density, and a subtle creamy flavor. It balances well with the water from the tangzhong, which creates a lightness in the end result. Fat (butter and/or sesame oil) also contributes to softness and flavor, adding richness and, if using sesame oil, a subtle nutty flavor. Last, while honey does add sweetness to the dough, the specific amount used in this recipe (10%) in combination with the stiff dough works exactly as a sweet stiff starter, creating osmotic stress and contributing to a reduced overall sour flavor.

Low Hydration

The term “low hydration” simply means this is not a wet and sticky dough. This dough is soft and smooth, but should not stick to the bowl of the stand mixer when kneading. In this recipe, low hydration is one of the key factors. Not only does it contribute to the signature crumb and density of this style of bread, it also aids in ease of shaping and the dough’s ability to hold itself together without support. Read more about dough hydration here.

Gluten Development

This dough is kneaded in a stand mixer, though it could also easily be kneaded by hand. Thanks to the low hydration of this dough, gluten is easily developed in about ten minutes using a low mixing speed.

The topping

Because I have converted this recipe to sourdough, rise times are longer than they would be for the instant yeast version. For this reason, I have also modified the traditional topping to include a smaller percentage of yeast. This means the topping can be left to rise for a longer period of time without adverse effects. The longer the rest period, the darker and more defined the cracks in the topping become. Use this knowledge to your advantage when reflecting on the outcome of your final bake.

Shaping

Traditionally, this dough is shaped into hoagies or buns. This shaping method is perfect for sub sandwiches or burgers where the crispy topping is desired in every bite. I have chosen to shape this dough into two mini-loaves, which make the perfect slices for toast. To do this, I first pre-shape the dough into rounds. This step is necessary for this stiff dough, in order to get a proper final shape. Then, I use my baguette shaping technique to elongate the rounds into a batard shape.

Baking method

This bread is simply baked at 400 F for thirty minutes. This temperature and time allows for the perfect oven spring and browning/crisping of the crunchy topping. No steam is necessary for this bread.

Suggested Daytime Baking Timeline

8 AM

+Make the tangzhong

+Mix and knead the dough

+Bulk ferment the dough

2-4 PM

+Divide and shape the dough

+Make the topping

4-6 PM

+Bake and enjoy!

Suggested Overnight Baking Timeline

9 PM (Day 1)

+Make the tangzhong

+Mix and knead the dough

+Bulk ferment the dough

7-8 AM (Day 2)

+Divide and shape the dough

+Make the topping

9-10 AM (Day 2)

+Bake and enjoy!

Dutch Crunch Bread

Recipe by Caitlin VincentCourse: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, SnackDifficulty: Intermediate

Prep time

minutes

Resting Time

8-12

hours

Baking Time

minutes

Yield

small loaves

Ingredients

Tangzhong
20 g flour (2 tbsp)
100 g water (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp)
Dough
All of the tangzhong
120 g milk (½ cup)
2 tbsp softened or melted butter (28 g) *[see note]
35 g honey (2 tbsp)
360 g bread flour (2 ⅔ cups)
7 g salt (1 tsp)
100 g active starter (½ cup)
Topping
60 g water (¼ cup)
8 g sesame oil (1 ½ tsp)
5 g sugar (1 tsp)
4 g instant yeast (¾ tsp)
3 g salt (½ tsp)
60 g rice flour (white or brown, ⅓ cup)

Directions

Make the tangzhong. Whisk together all ingredients for the tangzhong in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until thickened.
Mix the dough. Add the tangzhong to the bowl of a stand mixer (no need to cool first) along with the milk, butter (and/or sesame oil), and honey. Whisk to incorporate and to cool the tangzhong slightly. Add the flour and salt; briefly mix. Last, add the sourdough starter. Transfer to a stand mixer.
Knead the dough.
- KitchenAid: Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on a low speed (speed 2) for 10-12 minutes.
- Ankarsrum: Using the dough roller and scraper attachment, knead the dough on a low speed (speed 2-3) for 12-15 minutes. Use a spoon, as needed, to help the dough along in the first 2-3 minutes, until all the ingredients come together in a smooth round.
Bulk fermentation: Form the dough into a round, transfer to a proofing container, cover, and let it rest until it has doubled (or slightly more) in size. I do this overnight (8-10 hours) in my 70 F home.
Pre-shape the dough. Remove the dough from the proofing container and divide into two sections, approximately 370 g each. Preshape each section into a round by tucking all the ends underneath and pinching the seams closed on the bottom.
Make the topping. Whisk together all ingredients for the topping in a small bowl. Cover and rest until 1-1 ½ hours before the bread is ready to go into the oven.
Final shape: Fold the top and bottom of each round toward the middle, gently pressing the dough to seal. Next, fold the dough in half two times. Use your thumb to mark the middle and the heel of your palm to help you seal the dough. Pinch any seams closed. Last, very gently roll the dough out to elongate and complete the batard shape. Place seam side down on a baking sheet. * [see note for shaping alternatives]
Final proof: Cover the dough and let it rest again for 2-4 more hours, until doubled in size once more.
Top the dough. 1-1 ½ hours before the bread is finished with the final proof, add the Dutch crunch topping. Stir the topping to deflate. Uncover the dough and use the back of a spoon to gently spread the topping all over the bread, stopping just shy of the pan, if possible. Let the dough rest for the remainder of the final proof, uncovered. Go ahead and preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C) at this time.
NOTE: The longer the topping rests, untouched, on the dough, the darker the topping and the more defined the cracks will be. I find 1-1 ½ hours to be the perfect amount of time. Use this knowledge to adjust timing based on your desired outcome.
Bake at 400 F (205 C) for 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches at least 190 F.
Cool on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!
How to store: Because of the unique topping on this bread, it is best enjoyed fresh. If you must store, allow the bread to cool completely on the counter, then store in a ziploc or bread bag for up to five days at room temperature, or in the freezer long-term.
To reheat: Toast in a toaster or air fryer until the topping is crisp once more and the bread is warmed through. I do this for two minutes at 400 F in my air fryer from room temperature, or four minutes from frozen.
NOTE: To thaw on the counter from frozen, be sure to remove from the bag until completely thawed, then return to the bag for storage. Any kind of moisture will ruin the Dutch crunch topping!

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Notes

Optionally, replace some (or all) of the butter with sesame oil for a unique nutty flavor.
Shaping alternatives: This bread is popularly enjoyed as a sandwich bread in the form of rolls or hoagies. Instead of shaping into two mini loaves, you can make this into eight rolls, approximately 92 g each, or six hoagies, approximately 123 g each.