This is about the easiest loaf of bread one could make. Boy does it smell like heaven in my house when I am baking this bread. Yeast breads just make your whole house so aromatically wonderful while they are baking.This bread is similar to a french bread actually, but when I make a french I add some olive oil in the beginning with the warm water. The picture at the top of my site is the bread straight out of the oven! There are lots of variations you can do with this bread, I will list them at the bottom of the recipe.
French-Style Bread
1 1/2 packages active dry yeast
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 cups warm water (100 to 115 degrees approx)
1 tbsp of salt
5-6 cups bread flour (or all purpose will work)
1 tbsp egg white, mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
Combine the yeast with the sugar and warm water in a medium bowl and allow to proof (abt. 5 min).
Mix the Salt with the Flour and add to the yeast mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a stiff dough.
Remove to a lightly floured board and knead till no longer stick, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary.
( generally I need abt 5 cups of the flour, and then add in a tad more as I knead)
Butter a LARGE bowl with approx 1 1/2 tbsp butter.
Then place your dough in the bowl and roll it around till dough is coated with butter.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
(in these cold winter months I use the oven with the light on- and it usually takes 1 1/2 hours, but may take up to 2 hours)
Punch down the dough and turn out onto floured board. Cut in half. Then shape into two long, "french style" loaves.
Place on a baking sheet covered lightly with cornmeal (or flour) . Then cut 3 slits in the top of each loaf with a sharp knife.
Brush with egg wash.
Place in a COLD oven. Turn temp to 400degrees and bake for 35 minutes or until well browned and hollow sounding when tops are rapped.
Variations:French-Style Bread
1 1/2 packages active dry yeast
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 cups warm water (100 to 115 degrees approx)
1 tbsp of salt
5-6 cups bread flour (or all purpose will work)
1 tbsp egg white, mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
Combine the yeast with the sugar and warm water in a medium bowl and allow to proof (abt. 5 min).
Mix the Salt with the Flour and add to the yeast mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a stiff dough.
Remove to a lightly floured board and knead till no longer stick, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary.
( generally I need abt 5 cups of the flour, and then add in a tad more as I knead)
Butter a LARGE bowl with approx 1 1/2 tbsp butter.
Then place your dough in the bowl and roll it around till dough is coated with butter.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
(in these cold winter months I use the oven with the light on- and it usually takes 1 1/2 hours, but may take up to 2 hours)
Punch down the dough and turn out onto floured board. Cut in half. Then shape into two long, "french style" loaves.
Place on a baking sheet covered lightly with cornmeal (or flour) . Then cut 3 slits in the top of each loaf with a sharp knife.
Brush with egg wash.
Place in a COLD oven. Turn temp to 400degrees and bake for 35 minutes or until well browned and hollow sounding when tops are rapped.
- you can substitute half whole wheat and half white flour.
- you can add 4 or 5 tbsp of olive oil to the liquid in the first step of the recipe
- use 1/3 white flour, 1/3 whole wheat, 1/3 cracked-wheat
- you can even let this have second rising: first punch down, then knead for approx 5 min, let rise again, punch down again, then when you form the loaves let it rise for like 30 min- then bake as recommended--gives a more tightly textured loaf.
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