Portuguese Corn Bread/Pão de Milho
When the weather gets a little chill…It becomes the perfect weather for baking bread. There is something therapeutic about kneading the dough… and just holding the dough when you know it’s perfect.
I have visions of my mom baking it… the scent of fresh-baked bread and the warmth that surrounds it…
This recipe makes 1 loaf.
- Yield: 1 Loaf 1x
- Category: Baked Goods
Ingredients
Purchases made from using the links on this page means that we may earn a commission without costing you anything extra.
1 1/2 cups white corn flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup boiling water
1 (.25 ounce) envelope package of active dry yeast
1 tablespoon of butter or oil oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
You’ll need yeast for this simple recipe! I have a link above to save you from having to search for it if you need to buy some, and if you want to know more about how to use yeast click on this link!
Instructions
In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast and sugar over the lukewarm water. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place for 8 to 10 minutes, or until yeast doubles in volume.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup corn flour, salt, and boiling water. Stir vigorously until smooth. Cool mixture to lukewarm. Stir proofed yeast into the cornflour mixture. Gradually add 1/2 cup corn flour and all-purpose flour. Gather the dough into a ball, and place it in a greased bowl. Cover. Set it aside in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
With a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a 9 inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter. Turn the dough out into pie pan, and cover. Let it rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes, or until it doubles in bulk again.
Bake in the middle of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Enjoy Everyone!!
Notes
Don’t have time to bake this yourself? You can buy it here from Shop Portuguese!
Hi Maria, I bought your book and couldn’t wait to try the recipes, I made the fresh cod poached in onion, garlic tomato sauce and it was the delicious, I tried to make the Portuguese corn bread but I couldn’t get the dough to form a ball at all, it just kept crumbling, no idea what I did wrong.
Thanks,
Lisa C
Hi Lisa, I have learned that not all flour is the same. Some are finer than others as well as Courser and dryer than others…so it’s all about adjusting the liquid to it until it comes together. That’s the art of baking… A little sometimes goes a long way… I have buying the same white corn flour for years and until this pandemic and shortages in certain flours did I purchase a different brand which was so much courser than the usual… so I had the same exact problem. So please don’t give up…
What type or corn flour do you use?
I use white corn flour that I find at the Portuguese markets. It is fine not course… if all you can get is course just adjust and add more water…
Hi Maria,
We are having trouble finding white corn flour. This is not the same as corn meal, correct?
Correct, the fine flour is not cornmeal. You might find online stores such as Portugalia Marketplace or shop Portuguese
I bought corn flour in my supermarket. Most recipes online for broa call for cornmeal which is quite different.
Thank you for posting the correct recipe.
Hi Maria, I wanted to make this today, so without white corn flour, I ground yellow corn meal in my mini food processor. It is baking right now and smells delicious!