Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Daring Bakers: Dutch Crunch 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!

I had never heard of Dutch Crunch Bread before.  Apparently it is very popular as a sandwich roll in the San Francisco Bay area - I have been there are few times but have not run across this before.  As you can probably guess from the name, this bread originated in the Netherlands where it is known as tijgerbrood or tijgerbol (Tiger Bread) because of its strange appearance.  Well I love good bread and I love a good sandwich so I was all over this challenge.

The bread recipe was mostly a typical bread recipe until it came to the end.  Before you stick it in the oven you mix up a rice batter - like a bread dough recipe but very thin - and spread it on the rolls.  It is one of those recipes where you just have to wonder how someone ever came up with it.  In the oven the rice batter cracks as it dries and gives the bread a very distinct look.

I can't say my bread looked as nice as some of the others doing the challenge but it still looked cool.  Not sure if I would really call it a crunch but the topping does add a different texture and it also adds quite a bit of flavor to the bread as well.  It is also kind of a messy bread to eat as the topping kind of crumbles as you eat it.  I did enjoy it and will make sure to try to find some next time I am in San Francisco to see if what I made is anywhere close to the real thing.

The challenge was to make a unique sandwich with our bread.  Not sure I really made anything unique.  We are having such a beautiful early spring here in Minnesota so I just decided to grill up some chicken breast with Cajun spices and topped it with some avocado, tomato, and lettuce - not anything very original but it was delicious!

If you would like to try making Dutch Crunch Bread yourself check out the recipe titled "Lions, Tigers, and Bears, oh my" in the Daring Bakers Recipe Archive.



15 comments:

Ajuna Sule said...

Love cajun. Your sandwich looks great. The loaves are also looking neat :).

Rajani said...

The loaves look cool and the sandwich looks great! 

Susana Machado said...

I think we both got a similar result. Mine were similar to yours and even though they weren't as beautiful as some of the others I thought they were just delicious :D

Jenni said...

Great job! Your sandwich sounds amazing and your crunch looks great, too! 

Shelley C said...

Oh my gosh, that sandwich sounds fresh and delicious, and your bread looks beautiful. Wonderful job!

Renata said...

Great to know you enjoyed making the Dutch Crunch, I did too! Your sandwich sounds delicious and I'm sure it was perfect for the Tiger Bread.

chef_d said...

Your sandwich looks so delicious, great job!

Mireia said...

Love your result!!! I want to eat that sandwich right now!!

Sawsan said...

I love cajun spices , you made a very tempting sandwich and I am sure it was perfectly complimented by the bread

bourbonnatrix said...

Great job on the challenge Todd! Your sandwich looks delicious!

Cynthia Crysdale said...

Looks awesome!  Mine definitely got the crackle but it was also crumbly when eating so I think you may have that more perfect amount on there.  That sandwich looks seriously delicious ... I could use one of those RIGHT now!

Sara C. said...

Erica and I were wondering how they came up with this as well! It's such an unusual combination of ingredients to slather on top. Thanks for joining us this month!

sandie said...

Wow- that is one good looking sandwich!

marcellina said...

YUM What a delicous looking sandwich! Wasn't it such a fun challenge?

Bryt said...

I like the idea of using Cajun spices in a chicken sandwich. Never thought of that before. yum!