Tiger Bread (Tijgerbrood)

Tiger Bread, sometimes known as 'Giraffe Bread', originated in the Netherlands in the 1970s, where it's known as tijgerbrood or tijgerbol (tiger roll). 

In the San Francisco Bay area, it's called 'Dutch Crunch' and Wegmans Food Markets of New York, market it under the name 'Marco Polo Bread'. 

Sainsbury's now sell it under the name 'Giraffe Bread' ever since they received a letter from the parents of a three-year old little girl who sugested the name. 

Whatever you know it as, it's always the same. A distinctively soft bread with a mottled crust. 

This recipe is for two, one pound and a bit Tiger loaves, but you could just as easily divide it up into smaller portions and make Tiger rolls. 

It's a two stage process. 

Firstly, there is a need to make the dough into a loaf and reach a point half way through the seond prove. 

Secondly, the top of the loaf is painted with a paste that reacts in the oven to create the distinctive mottled 'tiger' effect. The dough is then left to complete the second prove. 

INGREDIENTS

The Bread

600 gms strong white bread flour

400 ml tepid water

25 gms toasted sesame oil

5 gms olive oil

5 gms sea salt

5 gms brown sugar

6 gms instant bread yeast

If you want to use slightly less sesame oil (for example 20mls, increase the water to 405 mls, so ensuring that you have 425mls of liquid)

The Tiger Topping

75 gms rice flour

90 gms tepid water

10 gms light brown sugar

10 gms toasted sesame oil

10 gms active instant bread yeast

METHOD

STAGE 1

(Machine mixing)

Place the salt at the bottom of the pan. Cover with the flour. Carefully add the water and the oil and, finally, the yeast. Choose a basic dough programme (2hrs 20 minutes). During the first 15 minutes, the flour and water will mix to autolyse. 

You're now ready for Stage 2

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(Hand mixing)

Place the wet ingredients in a bowl including the salt. Add the flour and leave for 20 minutes to autolyse. Then add the yeast and bring together into a sticky dough.

Turn out the dough onto a floured board and knead until you have a soft and silky dough. 

Once you have a soft and silky dough, place it in a lightly-oiled bowl and place it somewhere warm for an hour until it has tripled in size. 

You're now ready for Stage 2. 

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STAGE 2

Tip the dough onto a floured surface

Knock it back by stretching the dough and folding it back on itself over and over again. This will remove the air from the dough, increase the tension and make it ready for the second prove. 

Weigh the dough and divide as you wish 

Place on a baking tray, lined with parchment paper. Cover with paper and leave at room temperature for ONE hour

About halfway through  the second prove make the Tiger topping.

Mix the topping ingredients together into a paste

Using a pastry brush, paste the topping generously over the top and sides of the loaf. 

Cover and leave at room temperature until the dough has risen to twice its original size. 

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C

Place in the lower part of the oven. If you can, gently spray the dough before it goes into the oven but DO NOT spray again as the added mosture half way through will stop the paste cracking, as it is supposed to do. 

Bake in the lower part of the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. 

The crust should be cracked and golden brown. The bread will have the distinctive taste of Tijgerbrood.

Cool on a wire rack.

This bread freezes very well.

Alright, that's right, that's right, that's right

That's right, I really love your tiger.........

Happy baking....