Yemenite Kubaneh Bread
A traditional, buttery, slow-baked Jewish-Yemenite pull-apart bread with a wonderfully rich, golden crust and pillowy interior.
Ingredients
- •4 cups all-purpose flour (500g)
- •2 tablespoons active dry yeast (20g)
- •3 tablespoons sugar
- •1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- •1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (360ml)
- •1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (226g)
- •1 large egg for serving (optional, for the traditional Shabbat morning touch)
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and sugar. Add the salt and mix well.
- 2
Gradually pour in the lukewarm water while mixing by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
- 3
Knead the dough for about 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
- 4
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- 5
Punch down the dough and divide it into 6 to 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
- 6
Generously grease a traditional kubaneh pot (or a round, heavy-bottomed cast-iron Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid) with some of the melted butter.
- 7
Flatten each dough ball into a thin disk using your hands, brushing each layer generously with melted butter as you stack them or roll them loosely and place them into the prepared pot.
- 8
Cover the pot and let the dough rise a second time for 45 minutes until puffy.
- 9
Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C). For the traditional overnight method, place a raw egg in its shell into the corner of the pot among the dough.
- 10
Cover the pot securely with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil under the lid to trap the steam, and bake overnight (about 8 to 10 hours) for a deeply caramelized, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- 11
Alternatively, bake at 325°F (160°C) for 2 hours if making it during the day.
- 12
Remove from the oven, carefully take off the lid and foil, and invert the pot onto a large serving platter to reveal the golden, buttery loaf.
💡 Chef tips
- For a pareve version, substitute the butter with an equal amount of good quality extra virgin olive oil or plant-based margarine.
- Ensure your pot has a completely tight-fitting lid; sealing the edges with foil is crucial to prevent the bread from drying out during the long bake.
- Leftovers can be stored tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished kubaneh should emerge deeply golden brown and caramelized, filling the kitchen with a rich buttery aroma, with layers that easily pull apart revealing a feather-light, tender crumb.