French Bread Baking
A True Classic
French Bread is a true classic! The crusty, chewy bread is just wonderful with a bowl of soup or pasta. Serve it sliced with Italian Herb Oil dip (https://sanctuary-ridge.com/2020/07/23/sanctuary-ridge-family-recipes-2/) as an appetizer. You can even make Homemade Croutons with this classic. The potential is endless! And if you are fortunate enough to have any left after you bake it, the bread stays fresh for 3-5 days!
How difficult is homemade bread?
This is such an easy bread to make, I truly believe anyone can do it! The best part of this recipe is that it can be made from start to finish in about 2 hours time. It comes together so quick. The longest part is waiting 15 minutes between kneading the dough over one hour’s time. If you have never made homemade bread, this is the one you need to try!
French Bread
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 TBSP Instant Dry Yeast
- 1/2 Cup Warm Water
- 1 1/2 TBSP Granulated Sugar
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 1/2 TBSP Olive OIl
- 2 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 6 Cups Plain Flour, plus more for kneading
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 Cup warm water with 2 1/2 TBSP dry yeast and 1 1/2 TBSP granulated sugar in a small bowl. Allow this to dissolve for 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the remaining ingredients, adding flour two cups at a time until all flour is incorporated. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface. Allow the dough to rest and continue to knead 2-3 times, every 10 minutes for one hour. Separate the dough into 4 equal loaves, careful to pinch out any air bubbles. Place the loaves 2-3 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with beaten egg whites for crispy bread! Slash 4 diagonal lines into the tops of each loaf. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Let the loaves rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!
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