Pot bread is as South African as rugby, braai, and brandy and Coke. This recipe for sweet pot bread is so simple, it can’t really be called a recipe. It’s also not my creation, but a well-known braai favourite. If this is not yet in your traditional South African food repertoire, here it is.
All you need is…
1kg store-bought bread dough (look for it in the fridge of the bakery section)
2 tbs butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup fresh or tinned cream
Note: If you are making this in your oven, you can use a thin enameled pot or a cast iron one. If you cook this on the braai fire, you need to use a traditional cast iron flat-bottomed ‘bread pot’.
Grease the bottom and sides of the pot generously with butter. Knock the dough down and shape golf-sized balls. Place balls in the pot, at least 3cm apart. Place the lid on and allow it to prove for 30-40 minutes. The dough balls will expand as they prove. (You should aim to have at least a centimeter space between the balls at the end of the proving time as the balls will also expand as they bake.)
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (on normal setting, not thermo-fan) while the dough balls are proving in the pot. Once the oven is hot and the balls have risen, stir together the sugar and cream and pour it over the dough balls. Cover with the lid and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time! To test if it is done, insert a thin skewer. If it comes out clean with no dough sticking to it, it’s ready.
This sweet pot bread can also be made the traditional way – on the braai. If you are doing it following the indirect method on a Weber, treat it as an oven and pop the Weber’s lid on for the duration of the cooking. If you are making this on a traditional grid braai, place the pot low over medium-hot coals and place a few coals on the lid of the pot.
If you have a sweet tooth, this sticky pot bread can be enjoyed with your braai, or alternately as a pud with coffee after the braai. It also happens to be seriously brilliant for breakfast!
makes
1 bread
prove
40 min
bake
45-50 min
This sounds amazing. I have never made a sweet version before. I will be giving this a try but will need to make my own bread dough. You cannot buy it here.
Ah, what a pity. Any basic white bread dough will work. Hope you enjoy.
How is it the next day? Do you have to eat it straight away or can it stand?
It really is best when eaten on the day while still warm. If you do want to try it the next day, I’d recommend you cover it and blitz in your micro for a few seconds just until heated through.
Been doing it for years, my fam loves it, but i add in the middle if each dough ball also a spoon if caramel , put sone sugar at the bottom of the bowl plus the cream half of it and then the caramel balls, and rest of cream plus rest of sugar…..so yummie,,. Also so unhealthy so i make it in high days and holidays…big treat to my fam.
Yum!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I don’t have a ceramic or cast iron pot for the oven can I use a glass Pyrex bowl?
If it goes in the oven, Pyrex is good. If you were to try to make this on the fire ‘potbrood’ style, then cast iron would be your only bet. Hope you like!