Cob Bread

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

• It’s a basic white bread recipe that does not require a bread tin. Making it great for cooks who only have basic baking equipment.
• This crusty cob recipe is made with just 5 ingredients.
• You can use this cob bread for everyday sandwiches.
• It can be hollowed out to make a bread bowl for hot dips – a great idea for parties.
• You can use it make pull apart bread.
• It can even be used to make hollowed out sandwiches, for easy work lunches or picnics.

Are You A Yeast Bread Beginner?

All our yeast bread recipes use instant yeast. If you've never used it before, check out our guide on How to Use Instant Yeast. It covers many common questions.

Ingredients In This Recipe

You can download a printable version of this recipe below. It lists all the ingredients you need and gives clear, step-by-step instructions to help you make it.

Bread flour – also known as bakers’ flour or strong flour is the ideal flour to use for this recipe. It is higher in protein and produces more gluten than plain flour.

And since it has more protein it holds its shape better and, rises up instead of spreading out like bread made with plain flour. This is what we want because we aren’t using a bread tin for this recipe.

Water – you can either use cold tap water or warm water (depending on the room temperature) this will help to activate the yeast and speed up the proving (rising) time.

I normally use cold tap water when I make bread because we live in a warm climate and it doesn’t take that long for the bread dough to rise.

However, if you live in a cold climate use warm water because this will help to speed up the activation of the yeast which will in turn speed up the rising time.

Avoid using hot water because it will kill the yeast.

Butter – use soft butter not melted. If you use melted butter you are adding more liquid to the dough which could end up making it too wet.

I always use salted butter for cooking, I find it just gives everything a nice flavor. If you don’t want to use salted butter you can use unsalted butter.

Salt – enhances the flavor of the bread, without it you could find the bread a little bland. However, if you are on a salt-reduced diet, you can leave it out.

Instant dry yeast – this is my preferred yeast because you can use it straight away without waiting for it to be activated.

Olive oil - this is optional and only used to grease the inside of the bowl you are proofing the dough in. It just stops the dough from sticking to the inside of the bowl.

Step By Step Instructions

This section will give you an overview of how to make crust cob bread. I made this bread using a stand mixer. But don't worry if you don't have a stand mixer, the recipe card has instructions for making it by hand kneading and in the bread machine.

Step 1 – Place all the ingredients and almost all of the water into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining water a little at a time at the being of kneading if the dough looks a little dry.

Step 2 – Knead the dough either by hand, in a bread machine or stand mixer until soft and smooth.

Step 3 – The dough is correctly kneaded when it can pass the windowpane test. This is when a piece of dough can be stretched thin without easily breaking.

Step 4 – Place the dough in a large mixing bowl (leave it in the stand mixer bowl if you used that), cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, place in a warm place, and leave to double in size – this can take between 45 minutes to 2 or more hours depending on the room temperature.

Step 5 – Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto a lightly floured work surface, stretch out one section of the dough.

Step 6 – Fold the stretched section over the dough and back toward the opposite side. Turn the dough clockwise, stretching and folding another section, turn clockwise again and repeat the stretching and folding process several times, working your way around the dough. You should end up with a neat ball.

Step 8 – Place the dough ball onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, cover with a dry tea towel, and then a damp tea towel. Leave and a warm place and allow to double in size.

Step 9 – Once the loaf has doubled in size, lightly sprinkle with flour and gently rub it in.

Step 10 – Next, use a large shape knife and make shallow 1cm (0.4 inches) deep cuts across the top to form a diamond pattern.

Step 11 – Before baking the cob bread place a baking tray on the bottom of the hot oven and fill it with boiling water. Then bake the loaf on the bottom shelf until golden brown. Turn out onto a wire rack and allow the cob bread to cool completely before serving.

Recipe Tips

Kneading Tips

Regardless of your kneading methods, the dough should be kneaded until it looks and feels smooth. It should pass the windowpane test; this is when you can stretch a piece of dough until it becomes thin and almost see-through.

Shaping The Dough

Scoring the Dough

You need a long sharp thin-bladed knife for cutting the dough. As you cut the sections will spread open because of the tension you created when shaping the loaf. Be careful and try not to cut too deep, you only want to make them about 1 cm (0.4 inches) deep.

You can score the bread in one direction and have a single row of lines or make criss-cross lines to create a diamond pattern.

To Get A Crispy Crust

Steam is used during baking to give the cob bread a nice crispy crust. You will need a baking tray or something similar that will sit on the bottom of the oven and under the bottom rack.

Just before placing the loaf into the hot oven, place boiling water into the baking tray and place it in the oven. As the bread bakes the hot water creates a stream that will give the bread a crisp crust.

If your oven does not have space for a tray, use a spray bottle to spray water above the loaf when it’s in the oven just before closing the oven door, and then spray a few more times as the bread bakes.

How To Tell When Bread Is Done

If you are new to baking and want to know how to tell if bread is done you can:

• Look at the bread - Check the crust color; it should be golden brown.
• Give it a tap - Gently tap the bread or bun; if it sounds hollow, it is likely done.
• Use a thermometer- Measure the inside temperature with a food thermometer. Bread should be 190-200°F (88-93°C), and sweet buns should be 185-190°F (85-88°C).
• Follow the baking time - Stick to the recommended baking time in your recipe. Use both visual and internal cues to adjust if needed.

What To Do If Your Bread Is Browning To Quickly

If you find that your bread is browning to quickly and it has more cooking time left, here is is what you can do:

• Cover with the bread with foil - If you notice your bread browning too fast while baking, loosely cover the top of the bread with aluminum foil. This will help prevent further browning and allow the bread to continue baking without burning.
• Reduce oven temperature: Lower the oven temperature slightly because oven temperatures can vary. A slightly lower temperature can slow down the browning process and give the bread more time to bake evenly without becoming too dark on the outside.
• Even baking - If you see that your bread is browning unevenly, it might be because of a hot spot in your oven. To fix this, try rotating the bread halfway through baking. This helps distribute the heat more evenly, ensuring that all sides of the bread bake at the same rate and achieve a consistent color.
• Check baking time: Make sure you are following the recommended baking time for your recipe. Sometimes bread can brown quickly if the oven temperature is too high or if the bread is smaller or thinner than usual.

By using some or all of these tips, you can control the browning of your bread and achieve a nicely baked loaf without it becoming too dark on the outside.

Serving Suggestions

Use the cob bread as a vessel for a hot dip

Cut a section from the top of the loaf. Pull out pieces of bread to create a hollow bowl with a crust wall of about 2-3 cm thick.

Place the bread, cut top piece, and the scooped-out pieces of bread onto a baking tray.

Make a hot dip and pour into the cob bread bowl, place in a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for about 10 – 12 minutes. Serve hot.

Here are some recipes for cob loaf fillings you might enjoy:

• Cheese and bacon cob loaf
• Spinach cob loaf

What to serve with cob loaf dip?

You can serve the dip with the warmed pieces of scooped out bread, vegetable sticks, crackers, grissini, mini toasts, crostini crispbread, and even garlic bread.

You can use this crusty cob bread make pull apart garlic bread

Slice the bread into a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut all the way through. The slices should be about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick or thicker if you prefer.

Place the bread onto a large piece of foil and onto a baking tray.

Melt about 150 - 200 grams (5 – 7 oz) of butter and mix in 2-3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of fresh finely chopped parsley (or you could use 2 teaspoons dried parsley).

Use a pastry brush to drizzle the butter between the slices and stuff each section with a little grated mozzarella cheese. You will need about 1 – 1 ½ cups grated mozzarella.

Brush the top of the bread with a little butter, wrap in foil, bake for about 20 minutes in a 180°C (350°F) oven. Unwrap and cook for 5 – 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Picnic Sandwiches

This English cob loaf is suitable to make hollowed-out bread sandwiches.

Hollowed-out bread sandwiches are perfect for taking out on picnics or sharing at football parties or on game day.

These can be made the day before by cutting the top off the bread, removing the insides and leaving about a 2 cm (0.8 inch) outer crust.

It is then filled and layered with any combination of cold deli meats, shredded cooked meats, vegetables fresh or dried, cheeses, and other flavorings.

Once filled the top is placed back on and the bread is tightly wrapped in plastic. The cob loaf is then stored in the fridge overnight with something heavy onto to squash it down.

Here are some recipe ideas:

• Gourmet layered cob sandwich
• Picnic loaf

How to Store Fresh Made Bread

Here are some tips for the best way to store bread for freshness:

• Cool the bread completely - Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack after baking, it should then be wrapped for storage.
  • For unfilled bread wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent drying out.
  • For bread with fillings like meat or custard), wrap in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
• Room temperature storage
  • Unfilled bread can be kept at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
• Refrigeration storage
  • Breads with fillings should always be stored in the fridge and be used within 2-3 days when stored in the refrigerator.
  • Unfilled bread can be refrigerated for longer shelf life, up to 3-5 days, although it may dry out faster in the fridge.

For longer storage homemade bread can be frozen.

How To Store Bread In Freezer - (Filled and Unfilled Bread)

• Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil for freezer storage. Label with the name of the bread and date of baking.
• Place the wrapped bread in the freezer. It can be frozen for up to 1-2 months for best quality.

When you need the bread thaw it before using.

How To Thaw Bread

• Unfilled bread: Thaw unfilled bread at room temperature, still wrapped, for a few hours or overnight.
• Filled Bread (with perishable fillings): Thaw filled bread at room temperature for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. If liked you can reheat individual thawed portions in the microwave or oven until heated through.

By following these storage and freezing tips, you can enjoy your homemade bread—whether filled or unfilled—while maintaining its freshness and quality for longer periods.

FAQ

Related Articles

If you are new to making bread you might like to read the following articles:

• How to use instant yeast
• Kneading dough in a bread machine
• Why is my bread dense and heavy?

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I do hope that you try this cob loaf recipe! And if you do make it, I would love to hear from you. Drop a comment below and tell me how it went.