Cookbook:French Bread
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French Bread | |
---|---|
Category | Bread recipes |
Servings | 2 loaves |
Time | 3 to 4 hours |
Difficulty |
Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes | French cuisine | Vegetarian cuisine | Bread
French Bread[edit]
Ingredients[edit]
Volumetric [note 1] Grams Baker's % 2 packages active dry yeast [note 2] 14.4 1.59% ½ cup warm water (about 110°F) 118.5 13.08% 1 tablespoon salt 18 1.99% 2 cups lukewarm water 474 52.30% 7 to 7½ cups flour 937.5 100% 1 egg white 33 3.64% corn meal Formula 1595.4 170.18%
Procedure[edit]
- In a small bowl, soften yeast in warm water.
- Combine salt and lukewarm water in large bowl.
- Beat in 2 cups flour.
- Blend in yeast, and stir in enough flour to make stiff dough.
- Turn out dough on floured surface.
- Knead 10 to 15 minutes, working in last of flour (you may want to do this with a heavy duty electric mixer with dough hooks).
- Form into a ball and put in greased bowl, turning to grease top, then cover with a cloth.
- Rise until doubled (until a finger impression stays), about an hour, depending on temperature.
- Punch down dough, turn out on floured surface, and divide in half.
- Cover dough and rest for 10 minutes.
- Shape each half of dough into a 5 by 12-inch rectangle.
- Roll up each portion tightly, starting on the long side, sealing as you roll, taper if you like.
- Place each loaf diagonally, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal.
- Slash loaf tops ¼ inch diagonally, every 2½ inches with floured sharp knife or razor blade.
- Beat egg white until foamy, add a tablespoon water.
- Brush top and sides of loaves with egg mixture.
- Cover with damp cloth, not touching loaves (drape cloth over inverted glasses).
- Turn on oven to preheat to 375°F.
- Let loaves rise until doubled, 60 to 75 minutes.
- Bake until light brown, about 20 minutes.
- Brush loaves with egg mixture again.
- Bake another 15 to 20 minutes, or until done.
- Cool on wire racks.
Tips, Notes, and Variations[edit]
- To get a rapid initial rise, use water about 130-135°F, and pour into bowl with yeast mixed with initial flour and salt and start mixing.
- All rising should be in a warm place, like near the refrigerator.
- A baking stone, ceramic brick, or even an iron skillet or griddle preheated in the oven (to place the baking sheet on) will give a good "spring" or quick rise when the loaves are first placed in the oven.
- For even crispier crust, brush each time with plain water.
Conversion Notes[edit]
- ↑ Weight conversions from USDA National Nutrient Database. Original recipe text and ingredient order preserved. 7.25 cups flour presumed as all purpose. Egg size presumed as large.
- ↑ This amount of yeast will result in a perceptible yeast flavor. To reduce this flavor, it is recommend to use no more than 1.05% active dry yeast, although you can expect fermentation time to increase somewhat. Further reductions will result in less yeast flavor and longer bulk fermentation times.