This is How You Make A Great French Bread!
Alright my friends! This is nearly the oldest recipe in the books, at least since we started cooking with fire. But, I ask you, have you ever made a loaf or two of French Bread yourself? It was Sunday morning and I was busy using my indoor voice and skills when I realized I forgot to pick up a French Bread baguette. Actually Going out to get one meant a million other things would be triggered by that single act of leaving the house. Putting on make up, real clothes, running errands, the list goes on and on. I just couldn’t do it. All I needed was a little French Bread for a few upcoming blog stories. It was my day of intended for cooking and I certainly didn’t want to get off track. What’s a person to do? Well, I just baked the French Bread instead. That’s how easy (and dangerous) it is to have this life skill!
French Bread – So Easy, So Delish!
Baking French Bread should not be so easy. It’s just one of those foods I shouldn’t have anywhere near me. My husband walked in the door and was struck upside his noggin by the scent of this magnificent, crusty bread baking in the oven. Just how is it possible that some flour, salt and water and a little yeast turn into so many amazingly delicious things! This is also how we make kids glue and paper mache, so there’s a lot of wiggle room here! A French baguette, is actually just the same as French bread. The baguette just describes the shape of the French bread. All right, enough already. This is how I made it!
French Bread – Yeast Of All!
I always have various types yeast in my pantry. It’s one of my staple, “gotta haves”. For this French Bread recipe, I added two envelopes of active dry yeast to 1 cup of warm water and 2 tablespoons of honey. You can use sugar or honey. Yeast likes to feast on sweet stuff, who doesn’t? It’s fun to watch yeast do it’s thang too! Let it sit for about 5 minutes and this is what happens. It should get really bubbly and expand.
In the bowl of my mixer with the hook attachment, add 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons kosher salt and let the hook give it a good mix. Add the yeast mixture, then 1 cup warm water. Once the mixture starts to attach in a ball to the hook, remove the dough and put it onto a lightly floured surface.
Kneed the dough for 5-7 minutes, until it’s no longer sticky at all. Put the ball of dough into a bowl that’s been lightly oiled, to avoid sticking. Put a clean dish towel over the bowl and let it rise for about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 450° Take out a baking sheet and lightly dust with cornmeal.
It’s Alive!
The process is just like magic every time! I hope you won’t be afraid to give this a try, it’s never failed! Punch the gas out of the ball of dough and it will immediately fall. Put it back onto the floured board and cut it into 2 pieces, as evenly as possible. Put half back into the bowl and cover it with the cloth. Keep the other half of the floured surface. Form the dough into a flat rectangle shape. Next, fold half into the middle and the other half onto the other fold and pinch together, repeat this about 3 times until the shape is about 14 inches long.
Fold the ends in about 1 inch and pinch as well. This should make a familiar rounded end on each side. Put the baguette on the prepared baking pan, seem side down. Cover the loaf with the towel and prepare the other half of the dough the same way. Allow both to rise again for about 10 minutes, covered with the towel. Cut deep scores, about 8 along the entire length of each loaf.
Baking The Bread
On the lowest shelf, put a metal rimmed baking pan and let it heat. Bake the bread on the middle rack of the oven, then add about 4 ice cubes to the metal tray on the bottom rack, and quickly shut the door. This helps create steam in your oven for the baking process. Only use metal for this process.
Allow the bread to bake for 15 minutes until nicely browned. Don’t even let this stuff cool, make sure you’re butter is ready to go! What a great surprise to make for a special dinner. There’s just nothing better than the smell and the taste of freshly baked bread!
Notes
Makes 2 loafs
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting/kneeding
- 2 envelopes dry active yeast
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons honey or sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- vegetable oil for bowl
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup cornmeal for baking tray
Instructions
- In the bowl of my mixer with the hook attachment, add 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons kosher salt and let the hook give it a good mix. Add the yeast mixture, then 1 cup warm water. Once the mixture starts to attach in a ball to the hook, remove the dough and put it onto a lightly floured surface.
- Kneed the dough for a few minutes, about 7 minutes, until it's no longer sticky at all. Put the ball of dough into a bowl that's been lightly oiled, to avoid sticking. Put a clean dish towel over the bowl and let it rise for about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 450° Take out a baking sheet and lightly dust with cornmeal.
- Let It Rise
- The process is just like magic every time! I hope you won't be afraid to give this a try, it's never failed! Punch the gas out of the ball of dough and it will immediately fall. Put it back onto the floured board and cut it into 2 pieces, as evenly as possible. Put half back into the bowl and cover it with the cloth. Keep the other half of the floured surface. Form the dough into a flat rectangle shape. Next, fold half into the middle and the other half onto the other fold and pinch together, repeat this about 3 times until the shape is about 14 inches long.
- Fold the ends in about 1 inch and pinch as well. This should make a familiar rounded end on each side. Put the baguette on the prepared baking pan, seem side down. Cover the loaf with the towel and prepare the other half of the dough the same way. Allow both to rise again for about 10 minutes, covered with the towel. Cut deep scores, about 8 along the entire length of each loaf.
- On the lowest shelf, put a metal rimmed baking pan and let it heat. Bake the bread on the middle rack of the oven, then add about 4 ice cubes to the metal tray on the bottom rack, and quickly shut the door. This helps create steam in your oven for the baking process. Only use metal for this process.
- Allow the bread to bake for 15 minutes until nicely browned.
