French bread....?

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Cheryl J

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Hi, all. I recently got brave and made powerplant's hamburger rolls :yum:, and now I have 2 envelopes of yeast left, and a lot of flour. I thought it would be fun to try making a loaf of French bread.

Does anyone have a simple tried and true recipe for this? I'd rather it not involve potato, or herbs, just something easy to try for my first time. I've looked online and there are tons, but thought I'd check here with my friends first. :chef:

I don't have to have a stone, do I? Also, I've read that misting with water in the oven occasionally, will give me that nice crust I'm hoping to get. Is this true?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me. Please keep in mind I'm really new at this. :ermm::LOL:
 
Oh, I meant to add this, but it's too late for me to edit....I don't have a Kitchen Aid mixer or bread maker machine. I won't mind kneading by hand like my mom and gma used to do. :)
 
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Cheryl, you don't have to use the yeast right away. You can store it in your freezer for later use. I bake all our bread products and buy yeast by the pound and keep mine in a tightly-sealed glass jar in the freezer. Go thorough about 5 pounds per year.

I have a good recipe for French bread and will share it with you in the morning. I don't have it at my fingertips and it's nearly bedtime in my time zone. But, suffice it to say, it must be good because I was asked to make some for a university fundraiser last fall. In about three weeks I made 93 loaves of the stuff. You'd think I'd have the recipe memorized after that.

I use my bread machine to knead the dough and to put it through the first rise, then shape the loaf by hand and allow to rise for its final time in the usual manner.

And, no, my recipe doesn't call for any tools that wouldn't be found in any ordinary kitchen.

See you in the morning.
 
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Thank you so much, Katie and Princess. :) I know it's late in most members areas...I'll check back again in the A.M. :)
 
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I assume that by "French Bread" you mean baguettes (there is more to French bread than just long and skinny). This recipe isn't exactly simple, but it's not terribly difficult either. It just takes attention to the times specified for resting and rising. I've found with this site, if you follow the process directions pretty closely, the bread comes out really good (this recipe may seem to have more rises than most, but that just creates more flavor by giving the yeast more time to work) - I get raves for the ciabatta I make from his recipe. This recipe can be either made into baguettes or boules (round free standing loaves). If there are terms or processes that stump you, explore the site for answers.

http://artisanbreadbaking.com/bread/french_baguettes/

A word of caution, he has recently reorganized the site and some of the links in the recipes are broken. The information is still there, but you have to find the correct link in the menu on the Techniques page of the site.
 
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When I think of a French bread I think of a bread that is about as long and about as wide as a regular loaf of bread, but it's not the same shape. I may be mistaken, but I think a baguette is made with the same dough, it's just longer and skinnier.

Here's a picture from a local bakery, Première Moisson. I would call the one on the far left a baguette and the one next to it a French bread or French loaf.

web-thumb_groupe-levain.jpg
 
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When I think of a French bread I think of a bread that is about as long and about as wide as a regular loaf of bread, but it's not the same shape. I may be mistaken, but I think a baguette is made with the same dough, it's just longer and skinnier.

Here's a picture from a local bakery, Première Moisson. I would call the one on the far left a baguette and the one next to it a French bread or French loaf.

web-thumb_groupe-levain.jpg

The two loaves stacked in the center of the photo are (or look like) boules.
 
The two loaves stacked in the center of the photo are (or look like) boules.
They may well be called that in other French speaking places. They did start out round / ball shaped. It's usually called a "miche" here in Quebec.
 
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I didn't forget you, Cheryl. My morning just filled up before I knew it. But, here's my recipe:


[FONT=&quot]KATIE’S FRENCH BREAD[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](Makes 2 loaves)

[/FONT]​
[FONT=&quot]1 1/3 cups water, slightly warm[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2¼ tsp. granulated sugar[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1¼ tsp. salt[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4 cups bread flour[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2¼ tsp. active dry yeast[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1 egg white, slightly beaten, for glazing loaves[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cornmeal, for baking sheet[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]In the work bowl of your bread machine combine the flour sugar, salt, yeast and water. Set the machine on the DOUGH cycle.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
When the bread machine has finished, remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and allow it to rest, covered, for about 5 minutes.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
After it has rested, divide it into two equal portions and shape into a long rope, about 14 inches long.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet that has been very lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Make sure the loaves are several inches apart because they will expand during their final rise.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
Either cut one long slash lengthwise or 5 equal slits slightly diagonally across the loaves. Brush with egg white and put in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
Bake in preheated 400˚F oven for 25 minutes or until deep golden brown.

[FONT=&quot]P.S.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] It freezes very, very well.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]I've always used bottled spring water in my bread recipes. That is because most of the water[FONT=&quot] where I've lived has been so ch[FONT=&quot]l[FONT=&quot]or[FONT=&quot]inated that is reeked of bleach or ha[FONT=&quot]d [/FONT]iron or other components it just seem[FONT=&quot]ed not right to me. You make the call.

[FONT=&quot]Most of the time I ma[FONT=&quot]ke the 5 diagonal sla[FONT=&quot]shes and use my sharp kitchen scissors to do the cuts. Again, your call.

[FONT=&quot]The br[FONT=&quot]ead is ultra-easy and sooo yummy. You'll want to have some right out of the oven with real butter.

[FONT=&quot]And, guess what,[FONT=&quot] my [FONT=&quot]profre[FONT=&quot]ssor friend[FONT=&quot] called me yesterday to see if I would be willing to pursue another French bread marathon for his students to raise money for a trip they will be taking to Ital[FONT=&quot]y in December? Couldn't say no. [FONT=&quot]Here I go again.

My best day last time was 12 loaves in [FONT=&quot]8 hours. That's only because I had both my bread machines going at the same time with staggered finish times.[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
 
Thank you so much for your replies everyone, I really appreciate it! :)

I meant to get on here earlier today, but it's been a busy day - and I just now got a msg from my daughter that she and my grandson are coming over for the afternoon. So it may be a while before I get back on the computer. :ermm: :LOL:

Looking forward to making my first loaf of homemade bread! :yum:
 
Katie, as I mentioned, I don't have a bread machine. Would it work just as well if I kneaded by hand? Thank you so much for your recipe....copied and saved.

RP....copied and saved yours as well. It's a really technical recipe for my feeble brain :LOL: but I can imagine that the extra rising time would make for a great bread with some nice airy holes....yum...:yum:

Taxy, yes....that French bread is what I imagined....not really a long skinny baguette, but a sandwich sized bread. Thank you for the pic.

Princess, I think I'm gonna go with yours for now....it seems easy enough for my first try. :chef:
Thank you again, everyone. I also want to try Chief's potato bread....so many recipes and ideas, so little time....! LOL
 
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Katie, as I mentioned, I don't have a bread machine. Would it work just as well if I kneaded by hand? Thank you so much for your recipe....copied and saved.

Thank you again, everyone. I also want to try Chief's potato bread....so many recipes and ideas, so little time....! LOL

Yes, Cheryl, you can knead by hand. Just make sure you knead for at least 15 minutes, then place into a greased bowl, turn to grease the dough. Cover with a towel and place in a warm, draft-free space to double in size. This should take about an hour.

I use my microwave as a proofing box. Before I put my bowl or pan/tray of dough in, I put a cereal bowl of water in. Microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Let it sit, door closed, for about 2 minutes before putting in the dough. Leave the bowl in. There's enough moisture and warmth to last for about an hour, which is usually long enough for any of my breads to rise.

Have fun.
 
I'm going to have to try that microwave proofing method. Thanks for describing it Katie.

I just stumbled on it one day out of necessity and have been doing it ever since.

This method provides a, darned near, perfect environment...draft-free, warm, moist. Everything. Plus, there's really no way anyone could interfere with process.

An added bonus is that the microwave gets a nice steam-cleaning in the process.
 
I just stumbled on it one day out of necessity and have been doing it ever since.

This method provides a, darned near, perfect environment...draft-free, warm, moist. Everything. Plus, there's really no way anyone could interfere with process.

An added bonus is that the microwave gets a nice steam-cleaning in the process.

Katie, I've always just proofed my bread dough on the counter in the mixer bowl covered in plastic wrap. Always turns out good. What's the advantage of the microwave method?
 
Katie, I've always just proofed my bread dough on the counter in the mixer bowl covered in plastic wrap. Always turns out good. What's the advantage of the microwave method?

In a nutshell, it provides a complete and constant environment. Seasonally, our house changes as far as humidity and temperature goes, even though we have modern HVAC. That wasn't so in the house Buck and I lived in. There was no AC, so in the summertime the temperature in the house varied wildly. The winters were equally challenging for other reasons that can be attributed to a house built in 1880. I've found the microwave method to be nearly 100% reliable. No variations. It's always the same no matter what the weather in our world or our house is like.
 
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The King Arthur Flour web site has a whole bunch of tried and true bread recipes. You might want to try a no-knead dough recipe because you don't have a kitchen-aid mixer or a bread machine.

Thank you, SirLoin. :LOL: I copied and saved your link. Sometimes I feel like I'm one of the only ones here who doesn't have the latest in KitchenAids and bread machines. LOL :)
 
Thank you, SirLoin. :LOL: I copied and saved your link. Sometimes I feel like I'm one of the only ones here who doesn't have the latest in KitchenAids and bread machines. LOL :)
I don't have either. I did get encouragement to buy a 14 cup Cuisinart food processor with three bowls and a dough blade.
 
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