Start with making the dough. In a bowl add the warm water, dry yeast, and white sugar. Whisk together and let sit for 5 minutes, so the yeast can activate.

After 5 minutes add the flour, salt, and red food dye. Fold everything together until combined and the red food dye is spread evenly throughout the dough. The dough will be sticky at this stage. Place a tea towel over the bowl and let rise for 1 hour.

Once the dough has risen, fold the edges of the dough from the bowl inwards toward the center.

Transfer the dough to a clean, floured surface. Cut into 7 even pieces. Take each dough piece and create a smooth ball, tucking the edges of the dough towards the bottom until a small round loaf is formed. Place on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and letproof again for 30 minutes.

While the dough balls are proofing, create the brimstone topping.

Add the black food dye, be heavy with the dye to get the blackest possible topping for the brimstone, to the warm water. Add the yeast and mix everything together. Let sit for 5 minutes for the yeast to activate.

In a separate bowl add the rice flour. Pour in the yeast mixture after 5 minutes and then add the sugar, vegetable oil, and salt. Whisk this mixture together until a thick paste that slowly falls from the whisk forms. Cover this with a tea towel and let sit for 15 minutes.

Once both the dough and brimstone topping has proofed, place a large spoonful of the black topping on each red dough ball.

Use clean, dry hands to spread each ball of dough with a thick coating of the black paste. Don’t make it too thin or you won’t get the nice crackles were are looking for once baked. Once all are coated let the paste adhere to the dough well by sitting for 15 more minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 460 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the bread for 25 minutes. You will notice beautiful cracks of the black coating, to reveal the red loaf bread.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy!