HOME-MADE BREAD: Making French bread only needs the extra step of misting the loaves with water to make the nice crust.

FRENCH BREAD:

 

 

 

6 to 7 cups all purpose flour                                       

1 ½ tbsp. active dry yeast

1 tbsp. salt                                                                  

2 ½ cups warm water

1 tsp. sugar

 

 

 

Proof yeast with ½ cup warm water with 1 tsp. sugar added for 10-15 minutes. Stir it down and let stand 5 minutes more.

 

Put 6 cups flour and salt in the mixing bowl of standing mixer with dough hook attached. Turn machine on Speed 2 and swirl mixture for a few seconds. With machine running, add yeast water and 2 more cups warm water to make into dough. Continue kneading, adding ½ cup or more flour, until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead dough for 2 more minutes.

 

Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, turning dough over to cover it with oil. Cover with tea towel and leave dough to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.

 

Punch dough down and transfer it onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Cover and let rest for 25 minutes.

 

Shape each piece into a long oval loaf. Place loaves on baking sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal. Make slits, 1/8 to ¼ inch deep,  with a razor blade every 2 ½ inches along the loaf.  Cover loaves and allow them to rise in a warm place until double in bulk. 

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and mist oven with tepid water before baking the bread.

Mist the loaves well with tepid water before putting in oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Spray loaves after 10 minutes of baking, and again 5 minutes later.  Cool on rack.