South African Potbrood

21st February 2022

Potbrood is a traditional bread that was made by the Boer settlers in South Africa. It was made in a cast-iron pot that was then placed in a pit lined with hot coals to emulate an oven. Get your Potjie Pot out and prep this showstopper!

Ingredients

Ingredients for the dough

• All-purpose flour (4 cups)
• Sugar (1 teaspoon)
• Salt (1 teaspoon)
• Vegetable oil (30ml)
• Warm water (2 cups)
• Instant dried yeast (20 grams)

Ingredients for the sweet topping

• Brown sugar (1 cup)
• Fresh or tinned cream (1 cup)

Instructions

• Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar salt and the yeast to the flour.
• Mix well and make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture.
• Add water and oil into the hole and mix well.
• Knead until soft. Rub some oil on the dough and place it in a well-oiled bowl.
• Cover with a plastic wrap and leave it to rise to double size.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down.
• Place it in a well-buttered pot with a lid. Place the pot on cooled down coals.
• Cover the lid with hot coals to ensure you get that sweet crisp crust.
• Once the dough has risen, stir together the sugar and the cream and pour the mixture over the dough. Leave to cook for one hour and thirty minutes.