Crusty French Bread
Prep
20 mins
Cook
30 mins
Servings
2
Difficulty
Hard
Making crusty French bread at home is easier than you might think, and I love sharing this simple recipe with friends. With just basic ingredients and about fifty minutes from start to finish, you'll have bakery quality bread without the bakery price tag. The yeast does most of the work for you, making this wonderfully forgiving for beginners. Plus, bread flour contains more protein than all purpose flour, which helps build that beautiful chewy texture and keeps you fuller longer. There's nothing quite like pulling a golden, crackling loaf from your oven.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 473 mlwarm water
- 1 tablespoonyeast
- 1 tablespoonvegetable oil
- 1 tablespoonsugar
- 2 teaspoonssalt
- 15 -5 1/2 cups bread flour
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Dissolve yeast in warm water (110 degrees) and sugar in large bowl; allow yeast to proof or foam (about 10 minutes).
- 2
Add salt, oil, and 3 cups flour; beat for 2 minutes.
- 3
Stir in 2 cups flour to make a stiff dough.
- 4
Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- 5
Place in oiled bowl, turn dough to coat all sides, cover and let rise until doubled.
- 6
Punch down and divide in half.
- 7
Shape dough into two long slender loaves.
- 8
Grease and sprinkle with cornmeal either a french bread pan or large cookie sheet.
- 9
Place loaves in pan and cut diagonal gashes on top of each loaf (I use scissors).
- 10
Cover and let rise until doubled.
- 11
Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.
- 12
Note: You can sprinkle or spray water on the loaves during baking if you want a really crunchy crust.
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