Marraqueta, also known as pan batido, pan francés, or pan corriente, is a type of bread that is very popular in Chile. It is a traditional Chilean bread with a unique texture and flavor and is a staple in the Chilean diet.
You must start making them the day before, but the result is fantastic and authentic to Chilean flavors.
Marraqueta’s outer layer is usually golden brown and crispy, providing a satisfying crunch when you bite into it. The inside is soft, fluffy, and slightly chewy (la miga), making it perfect for various uses, such as making sandwiches or enjoying with butter and jam. They are typically elongated and have a characteristic split down the middle, allowing easy separation into two halves. This split is made with a unique technique that helps the bread rise while baking correctly.
Marraquetas are commonly enjoyed for breakfast or as a part of traditional Chilean meals. Pan Batido is often used to make a homey Completo, a popular Chilean hot dog with avocado, mayonnaise, sauerkraut, tomatoes, or Choripán
a famous Chilean sandwich consisting of a grilled chorizo sausage served on crusty bread.
In Chile, bakeries and supermarkets sell freshly made marraquetas daily or frozen par-bake to finish baking at home and enjoy fresh from the oven. Chilean marraquetas are an essential part of the country’s culinary culture, and their unique taste and texture make them mandatory at Once with family and friends.
Marraquetas is an everyday bread not shared with guests but is always on the family table for breakfast, lunch, tea, and dinner.
Marraquetas, Chilean Bread
A fantastic yeasted bread.
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 2/3 cup cold water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- vegetable oil spray
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt, brown sugar, and yeast in the mixer, bread machine, or mixer bowl. Add water and mix until it forms a ball. Dump onto a floured counter and knead vigorously for 10 minutes. Place in a clean bowl, drizzle with vegetable oil, cover the bowl, and let rise for 30 minutes. Knead gently into a ball and rest 90 minutes or more in the bowl until doubled in size.
- Divide the dough into six equal portions and make balls with them. Sprinkle lightly with vegetable oil spray, put them in a large Ziploc bag, and let stand for 30 minutes.
- Prepare two baking sheets, cover them with parchment paper, spray them with vegetable oil, and coat them with semolina or cornmeal.
- To shape the Maraquetas, Make a ball and stretch gently by hand, trying to make an oblong shape. Make a cross with a wooden or metal rod (the handle of a wooden spoon works, for example). Then again, spray them with vegetable oil and place them on the prepared sheet. Put them in a plastic bag and let them grow for 15 minutes. Refrigerate overnight.
- The day after taking it from the refrigerator, it must have grown 50-75% of its original size. Let it stand for 1 hour at room temperature. Remove it from the bag 15 minutes before placing it in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 475F or 245C with a pizza stone inside. Place an empty pie pan on the oven floor. Add 1 cup of hot water to the pie pan. Place the Marraquetas in the oven over the stone, leaving the parchment paper. Sprinkle the loaves of bread and the oven walls with water slightly. Repeat 2 minutes later. Then, one minute later, reduce the oven temperature to 450F or 230C.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan. Continue baking for 10 minutes or until well browned. Turn off the oven and leave in for 5-10 minutes until they look dark and cannot stand another minute in the oven.
- Remove and let stand on a rack for at least 30 minutes. Eat!
Notes
This recipe is adapted from Peter Reinhart’s baguette published in his book Crust and Crumb.
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Chilean
Gracias Pilar por tu receta ,hace mucho tiempo yo quería saber cómo hacerlas ,pero ahora voy a tratar,hago pan amasado pero mi favorito siempre ha sido y será la marraqueta chilena ,
Suerte!
Hola, Pilar, from Phoenix, Arizona, USA, in the Sonoran Desert,
As a retired recent septuagenarian I regularly rise about 3am 1)to avoid the searing Sonoran heat 2)to watch the Tour de France and 3)most importantly, to bake bead three days per week.
I regularly keep a 750g to 850g of two to three day old batch of sourdough going in the refrigerator. This morning was a bread day, and just before going to shape today’s loaf, I scanned the NPR news site. And there was an article ‘In Chile, ‘Marraqueta’ Is The Daily Bread’, (http://www.enmicocinahoy.cl/chilean-bread-marraquetas/ ) that made my decision for today’s loaf of bread. American expat Eileen Smith featured your recipe, (if she wasn’t a friend before, she should be by now.)
The batch of dough that I had going was for a simple Rustic, so I shaped it for Marraquetas. Fantastic! I have a new ‘go to’ bread… with slight modifications. I occasionally give a few younger neighbors freshly baked bread on weekend mornings. They will be getting a surprise this weekend.
I know these tips will change the nature of Marraquetas, but I find that the finished flavor and texture in Rustic Breads to be preferble: a)If you have a large enough roasting pan of some type, pre-heat it on the baking stone, then remove it just before sliding the bread in, spritzing the loaf with water, then quickly cover the loaf with the inverted roasting pan (approximates the Dutch Oven method) for that toothsome, crackly crust that I can clearly see in your very scrumptious photograph, and promotes the custardy crumb development. b)Start the bake at 450F, ten minutes in drop the temperature to 375F, then 20 minutes in remove the roasting pan to finish the browning of the crust c)Add 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid (sour salt) for additional tanginess in flavor… I know! Not authentic! But I have been a sourdough afficianado since my first visit to San Francisco in 1969. Diastatic Malt can also finishthe loaf with a gorgeous golden sheen…. more apostasy, I know; but it’s all in search of the Perfect Loaf.
Thank you for your blog and this post. I shall be revisiting for more South American delights.
Thanks Richard for sharing here. I love all breads and I will be trying your variations.
No sabes cuánto detesto el pan acá en usa! Apenas tenga tiempo lo hago! A mi marido le encanta la cocina así que lo voy a tener haciendo pan más seguido con tu receta! Gracias!
Excelente!!! Nosotros hacemos todo el pan en casa.
Thank you Pilar for sharing. Wow! this bread takes a loooong time to make. But I know it’s worth it. I have to make it one day.
Viva Chile!
Yes, is slow, but very delicious.
Thanks! I will try this recipe.