DISH RESEARCH · Dish
Crystal bread
Exceptionally high-hydration Catalan-style bread with a fragile crust and large open holes.
About Crystal bread
Pan de Cristal, or glass bread, is a very high-hydration bread associated with Catalonia. This profile follows King Arthur's Catalan-style version of bread flour, water, yeast and salt, with olive oil used on the resting pan.
Long fermentation gives the wheat a mild savoury depth, while olive oil contributes a faint fruity note from the pan. The flavour remains clean and restrained so the contrast between brittle crust and moist crumb stays central.
The loaf is broad and irregular with an exceptionally thin, shatteringly crisp golden crust. Inside, the glossy crumb is dominated by very large uneven holes separated by delicate translucent walls.
Allergens in this recipe
Contains: Wheat (gluten).
Other allergen details are unconfirmed.
Ingredients vary by restaurant. Confirm your allergens with staff before ordering.
Ingredients in Crystal bread
Catalan-Style Pan de Cristal.
- WaterVery high dough hydration
- Wheat bread flourStrong open-crumb structure
- Instant yeastFermentation
- Table saltSeasoning and dough strength
- Olive oilResting-pan coating
Ingredient details & uncertainties
Allergen information is incomplete. Unconfirmed details do not establish that an allergen is absent.
- Water:
- Wheat bread flour:
- Instant yeast:
- Table salt:
- Olive oil:
Origins & food traditions
King Arthur Baking supplies the complete Pan de Cristal recipe selected here and identifies it as a variation of a traditional Catalan-region loaf. The Spanish reference article independently identifies pan de cristal as a Barcelona bread characterised by high hydration, large irregular holes and flour, water, yeast, olive oil and salt.
Countries
- Spain
- SpainCatalogue link pending review
Cuisines & regions
- Catalan Cuisine
- Spanish Cuisine