Sunday, January 16, 2011

Homemade French Bread

Don't you just love the aroma of homemade bread bread baking in the oven? Last week when the weather was cold and snowy, I had the urge to bake this French Bread to go with a big pot of soup. It's been quite awhile since I have made this, but this tasty bread is one of my family's favorites. Chewy and deliciously crusty on the outside, and soft, but yet dense on the inside, this bread is perfect with soups and stews or used to make garlic toast. I've been working on this post for several days and happy to finally have it posted as Blogger has been giving me fits. But we've been savoring our French Bread. If you like to bake your own bread, I think you will enjoy this one. Let me show you how.
After the dough is all stirred up it will be rather sticky looking, but will smooth out as it is kneaded. I like kneading the dough; I find it very therapeutic!

After a few minutes of kneading it should be a nice smooth, elastic ball. Then it needs to rise.

Isn't it pretty? It will double in size in about an hour.

After it has risen you "punch it down", which deflates the air out of the dough. Then It has to rise a second time, only about 30 minutes this time around. Deflate it again and divide the dough into three equal pieces.

Each piece of dough is rolled out a bit and then rolled up into individual loaves, and placed on baking sheets that have been greased and dusted with corn meal.


Cover each loaf with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubles again. This is the last rising. Preheat your oven at this time.

When the dough has doubled, take a sharp knife and gently score each loaf of bread. don't cut too deeply. Then brush each loaf with beaten egg white. Bake in the oven till golden and you will have some fantastic looking bread! Try not to cut it right away and let it cool-yea, right! When my kids were all home everyone was standing around like vultures waiting for a hot slice to slather with butter. The first loaf was gone in a matter of minutes! It's a good thing this recipe makes 3 loaves. Or sometimes I make two larger loaves. Here's the recipe.

CRUSTY FRENCH BREAD
from a Family Circle cookbook
1 envelope active dry yeast- 2 1/4 teaspoons
2 cups very warm water
6 cups sifted all purpose flour-you may not use all of it
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt-Recipe calls for 3 tea.
2 tablespoons shortening-I sometimes use olive oil
cornmeal for dusting the pans
1 egg white
1 tablespoon cold water
1. Pour the very warm water in a large bowl. (The water should feel comfortably warm when dropped on your wrist). Sprinkle the yeast into the water. Stir until the yeast dissolves.
2. Stir in 3 cups of the flour, the sugar, shortening and salt; beat until smooth. Slowly beat in enough of the remaining 3 cups of flour to make a stiff dough. It will still be somewhat sticky in appearance.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead for about 5 minutes. I find this rather therapeutic! Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, using only as much of the remaining flour to keep dough from sticking. Like I said, you may not end up using all the flour.
4. Place the dough in a large greased bowl and turn to coat all over with the shortening. Or, brush very lightly with oil. Cover with a clean towel and place in a warm place to rise. It should double in 45-60 minutes.
5. When dough has doubled, punch it down (deflate it), and cover and let it rise a second time, until doubled in size. This will take around 30 minutes.
6. Punch down the dough again and knead 1 minute on a lightly floured surface. cut the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into about a 12x9 inch rectangle. Roll up jelly roll fashion and pinch the seam together. Tuck the ends underneath. Grease baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.
7. Place the bread on the prepared baking sheets: cover and let rise until doubles again, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. at least 15 minutes before loaves are ready to bake.
8. Make several evenly placed diagonal cuts on top of each loaf. Beat together the egg white and the 1 tablespoon of cold water: brush over each loaf of bread gently with a pastry brush.
9. Place a pan of hot water on bottom shelf of the oven. Place baking sheet with loaves on shelf above the water.
10. Bake in a hot 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from baking pans and cool on wire racks. Enjoy!
NOTE: If your baking sheet is very large you may be able to bake all three loaves on 1 sheet. But you don't want the loaves too close together. Since I made one round loaf, I baked it on a second baking pan.
Another NOTE: I usually freeze 1 or 2 loaves of this bread. Double wrap it in plastic wrap and then in foil or a heavy freezer bag. It will keep for a couple of weeks.





31 comments:

  1. Lynda, This french Bread looks fantastic! I definitely am inspired by it. I bet it does make the house smell fantastic!

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  2. I love coming here. You have made the recipe so accessible and yes! I adore the aroma of bread baking in the kitchen. I also love the idea of hungry faces waiting to tear into the bread. Your loaves beckon.

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  3. A pot of homemade soup just begs for a loaf of warm homemade bread to go with it. Your loaves are picture perfect, Lynda.

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  4. That is some gorgeous bread Lynda, I only know how to make about 3 kinds of bread and that is it. I may have to give this one a try!

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  5. Those are such beautiful loaves. I'm going to make some... thanks for the recipe!

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  6. This bread would be perfect with your soup from below. These loaves sound warm and crusty and all together wonderful. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  7. Looks just delicious. Sometimes I prefer the bread to the meal!!!! I need to get motivated though and try making my own. I made something no too long ago with yeast and it turned out fine but I still get nervous using yeast.....

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  8. Gorgeous bread loaves! Freshly baked bread is amazing!

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  9. The bread looks so delicious! Bookmarked.

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  10. my favorite part of the whole process is not the kneading, although that is cathartic, but the punching of the risen dough. it's a simple pleasure. :)

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  11. Oh yeah, the smell of bread baking is one of my favorite smells in the world! Your loaves are stunning!

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  12. I made this a couple of days ago (like the day after you posted it) and while mine are not as beautiful, my extended family and friends loved it.

    I paired the loaves with containers of my potato soup and delivered to three different households of sick people, The bug has really hit around here! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Heather, you sound like the perfect friend to have around!I'm sure family and friends felt very special as you delivered soup and bread to them.
      Thankyou for letting me know how well the bread turned out for you.

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  13. I am new to your blog but have been wanting to bake and saw your French Bread. It looks great and I plan to get started after this post. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  14. There goes my diet! I can't watch what I eat if I make these recipes!!!

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  15. I made this bread yesterday for my dad and brother, my dad ate a whole loaf by himself, my brother are almost a whole load also he had to save some for my sister. They said it was the best bread ever. Today im making three batch of this recipe so everyone can have thir own loaf.

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    1. Maureen, I'm glad your family enjoyed my bread. I have the same problem when I make it-I have to make extra because everyone loves it!
      Thanks you for your kind comment.

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  16. Do you bake the bread in a preheated oven or put the bread in when you turn on the oven?
    Thanks

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    1. Michelle, the oven should be preheated to 400 degrees F. Thanks for the question as I see where my directions could cause some confusion. Thanks for pointing this out and for leaving me a comment.
      Hope your bread turns out well!

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  17. The best bread I have ever made! Perfection ! Looks and tastes like it came from a fancy bakery:)

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    1. I am so glad you liked it, and happy you let me know how well the bread turned out!

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  18. one envelope of yeast = in teaspoons ?

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  19. One, 1/4 ounce envelope of yeast equals about 2 1/4 teaspoons. Thats the info from the back of the yeast package.
    Thanks for asking-I'll make a note of this in the recipe!

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  20. why the shortening or olive oil, I used to make french bread long ago, and have never used shortening or olive oil ?

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  21. That's just the way this recipe is written in the book. I also make breads without fats in them, but this recipe includes it.

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  22. Made 2 lovely loaves, next time I will make 3 shorter loaves, they tended to flatten out a little...The bread was fantastic,yes, it's all gone!! Put the olive oil in, lovely texture, just the right amount of holiness to trap the butter..Thank You Linda

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed it-thanks for letting me know!

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  23. Dear Lynda, I want to try your lovely french bread recipe. I have never bake bread before, and I don't have a mixer, can I still make it?

    Your recipe in step 2 said to beat it, but your photo shows only stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon.

    Keep up the good work!

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    1. Hi ah yng,
      You will not need a mixer for this recipe. I always stir and knead this bread by hand. good luck and let me know how it turns out! :)
      Lynda

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  24. Thanks for this recipe. I came across it just last month and have made it several times already. It's easy and absolutely delicious! I love to share it-could make it daily and it's still not enough! Everyone loves home baked bread! Paige

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    1. Paige, I'm so glad you like this bread! It still remains my family's favorite bread too. Thanks so much for leaving a comment. :)

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I am so glad you stopped by. I hope you'll come back often. Thank you for your comments!