I have not tried this recipe, yet. After reading the first few reviews I almost clicked off. Now after reading the positive I will attempt this once oven weather returns! If I tried it now, it would taste like the smoke wafting through my windows, in SOCAL. Would 90 degrees be warn enough, No A/C!!raf

This is a MUCH better recipe for this bread, that is MUCH easier, requires less steps, and does NOT require 18 HOURS to get done! Sheesh! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/6917/portuguese-cornbread/ This recipe as written, uses way too much flour, too much water, doesn't proof the yeast correctly, and the rise is WAAAAAAY to long! What this is, is basically a cornmeal mash bread, a normal bread, with cornmeal mash in it. There's no need for a water bath, which wastes water and has the needed step of ice cubes, all which is discarded later. It uses to extremes, of very hot & very cold, neither of which yeast likes. Also, with the insanely long rise time, the yeasts are exhausted, or dead by then. This should take any more time to make, than regular bread, which is done, around 3 hours or less. The rise times, should be based on what the dough is doing, vs x # of hours. Most of my breads rise nicely, in an hour or less. Try this other recipe, it looks normal and right and logigal to me, while this one here is a complete mess. When I make regular bread, I use 3 cups of flour, to 1.5 cups of liquid, generally oat beverage. The yeast is activated in the water, sugar (their food), and oil/vegan butter/shortnening) I use 2 tbs of vegan butter. The water to activate the yeast, should be 110 degrees F. I use a long thermometer made for use in candy making, to determine the right temp. Bread is rather easy to make and judge when it's coming out right, after u get the hang of the making method. Also, I never knead dough on a floured surface (I hate cleaning up messes). I knead it right in the bowl! Oil hands, including your knuckles on top of your hand. press a fist into the dough, if it's sticky, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour on it, until it's not sticky, press dough as flat as possible in the bowl, with your fist. Then, turn the edges of the dough into the center, as if you were making a pin wheel, turn the bowl, as you go, once you see a "flower"/"pinwheel design, pick the dough up, flip it over, so the design is face down, then press it flat with your fist, then turn edges to the center again. Keep doing this, until the dough "cleans the bowl" all dough residue, is in the dough and not stuck to the insides of the bowl, AND the dough is not sticky (keep sprinkling tiny bits of flour to ease the stickyness), and the dough, is soft and pliable. When it's like this, ball it up, then let it rise. This seems, like a lot of effort, but it's MUCH less effort, then flouring a surface and scrunching the dough about. It's much more fun kneading in the bowl, quicker (around 5 minutes), and a LOT less messy and time consuming. Good luck with these tips! Baking, is supposed to be fun and rewarding, not frustrating and disappointing.

I followed the recipe 100%. The dough has hardly risen. It's now been 24 hours. My yeast is fresh. My house is at 72 degrees. The cornmeal I used is the same I would use for cornbread. Should I have used cornmeal flour instead? Anyone have success with this recipe?