French Bread

Since, I learned how to baked, I do challenged myself baking instead of buying bread from my favorite bakery shop. I’ve gradually moved more and more towards making my own food at home. There are several reasons for this: it tastes better, it reduces preservative intake, it’s more nutritious, and it’s often substantially cheaper than what you find in the store. It does take time, but once you get used to it, most food preparation doesn’t take much more time than going to the store, buying it, taking it home, popping it out of the package, and following the directions.

French bread is bread made flour, yeast, water and salt. that has a strong and chewy crust. The interior is full of bubbles, often due to the use of sourdough starters to prepare the bread, though not all French bread is sourdough. Usually, the loaf is shaped into a torpedo, batard, or baguette style. In France, the baguette form is standard, and bakers may prepare this type several times a day so people have access to fresh bread for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a late-night snack.

Ingredient:

2 cups warm water (105-115°F)

4½ tsp yeast (2 packages)

1½ tsp. salt

1 tbsp sugar

5½ to 6 cups of all purpose flour

1 egg white, lightly beaten 

cornmeal for dusting

*  Combine ½ cup of warm water, yeast and pinch of sugar in a small bowl, let stand 

   for 10 minutes or until foamy.

*  In a large bowl, combine the remaining water, salt, sugar. Add the yeast mixture

   and stir until combine. Add 2 cups of flour and mix well. Continue to beat 

   the mixture for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add additional flour ½ 

   cup increments stirring well after each addition, until the dough becomes stiff 

   and starts to pull-away from the sides of the bowl.

*  Turn out the dough onto a generously floured work surface, or switch from 

   the paddle attachment to the dough-hook attachment in your stand mixer. 

   Knead in the remaining flour, adding a few tablespoon at a time, until the 

   dough is stiff and no longer sticks o your hands. If kneading by hand process 

   is about 6 minutes. If using the mixer it takes 4 minutes.

*  Lightly grease a large bowl , put the dough and turn over to coat the surface 

   with oil. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or until double 

   the portion.

*  Divide the dough in half. To shape each loaf, press or roll each portion into 

   rectangle. Make the rectangle as long as you would like your loaves to be-- 

   9 inches or so for free-roem loaves, longer and thinner for baguettes.

*  Lightly dust the baking sheet with cornmeal. Please the loaves seam-side 

   down on baking sheet with at least 3 inches between them. Lightly cover 

   with plastic wrap and let rise until double about 20 minutes.

*  Preheat oven 375°F 

*  Just before baling brush the tops  and sides of the loaves with the beaten 

   egg white. Using the sharp serrated knife, make three diagonal slashes ¼ 

   to ½ inches deep on the top of each loaf. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until 

   loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when topped. 

   Allow the loaves to cool, and serve warm or room temperature.