Supermarket “French” bread vs a real baguette

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JustJoel

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I must admit that, if I’m at the market at the right time, those “French” bread loaves are coming out of the bakery oven, and I’ll nab one. Warm, soft, with a very thin crust, which is easier to eat for me.

I’d like to re-create this loaf, rather than a crusty, rather thin by comparison real French baguette.

Should I just use a basic white dough bread? A recipe for hoagie rolls maybe?
 
I can make fairly good french roll, the problems is the 20 minutes hand kneading it needs. I can try to find the recipe.
 
I've made these. There is a bit of a crust, but not so much that the sandwich ingredients squirt out when eating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-KvT1l-5AI

I've wrapped them individually in plastic wrap and froze them. To use, thaw them, and then heat in a 350 F oven for a few minutes to firm up the crust.

Thank you... Great video instructions for a non-baker, like me... :)

Ross
 
Maybe an Italian bread recipe?

My experience with baguettes on my visits to France are that they are wonderful for about twenty minutes from the time they leave the oven. By the end of the day, they are too tough. Italian bread seems to be a thinner and more forgiving crust -- better for sandwiches. As tenspeed said, less likely to squeeze the guts out or you sandwich.

Cajun po-boy rolls are very similar.

CD
 
If you are interested in learning more you might want to look at the youtube videos by artisan bread with steve. Nowhere near as entertaining as Chef John, but very informative for us novice bakers.
Thank you, tenspeed... I like this guy and he makes me want to try bread again.. My last attempt at no-kneed bread was meh, at best...

Ross
 
Thank you, tenspeed... I like this guy and he makes me want to try bread again.. My last attempt at no-kneed bread was meh, at best...

Ross
If you make plain bread, put it in the fridge for at least a few days after the first rise to develop flavor. According to the artisan bread in 5 minutes a day people, it should keep for up to 2 weeks.

Try this one, using the standard no knead process. It's my favorite.

Rosemary - olive oil bread

Bread flour -3 cups
Table salt - 1-1/4 teaspoons
Chopped rosemary -2 - 3 tablespoons
Instant or active dry yeast - 1/4 teaspoon
Cool (55 to 65 degrees F) water - 1-3/8 cups
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
 
If you make plain bread, put it in the fridge for at least a few days after the first rise to develop flavor. According to the artisan bread in 5 minutes a day people, it should keep for up to 2 weeks.

Try this one, using the standard no knead process. It's my favorite.

Rosemary - olive oil bread

Bread flour -3 cups
Table salt - 1-1/4 teaspoons
Chopped rosemary -2 - 3 tablespoons
Instant or active dry yeast - 1/4 teaspoon
Cool (55 to 65 degrees F) water - 1-3/8 cups
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup

Thank you for the good information and I will try the recipe... Love rosemary...:yum:

I found his Quick Beer Bread recipe.. That will be made soon, I think..



Ross
 
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If you make plain bread, put it in the fridge for at least a few days after the first rise to develop flavor. According to the artisan bread in 5 minutes a day people, it should keep for up to 2 weeks.

Try this one, using the standard no knead process. It's my favorite.

Rosemary - olive oil bread

Bread flour -3 cups
Table salt - 1-1/4 teaspoons
Chopped rosemary -2 - 3 tablespoons
Instant or active dry yeast - 1/4 teaspoon
Cool (55 to 65 degrees F) water - 1-3/8 cups
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Have you ever added Kalamata olives to this recipe?
 
Have you ever added Kalamata olives to this recipe?
I haven't, but have a recipe for olive bread that calls for adding 1-1/2 cups chopped Kalamata olives to basic no knead bread, omitting the salt (due to the olives). I might try it someday.

Edit - I just noticed it calls for 3/4 tsp. yeast, instead of the usual 1/4 tsp., presumably because the salt in the olives inhibits the yeast.

I'm kind of stuck on the rosemary olive oil bread, with occasional rye, and plain bread very infrequently. Rosemary is great toasted and buttered. My daughter tops a slice of rosemary bread with a runny fried egg.

I have a 3 qt. CI dutch oven specifically for a half sized loaf of bread. It was a cheapie from Kohl's Black Friday sale, I think it was around $10 or $15.
 
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Here’s the recipe I ended up using. I made sure not to overbake it, a problem I’m constantly running across (I think the oven runs really hot!).

4 cups bread flour 508g 100%
1 3/8 - 1 1/2 cups warm water (110-115F degrees) 325g 64%
2 Tbl sugar 25g 5%
1 Tbl active dry yeast 8g 1.5%
1 tsp salt 6g 1%
3 Tbl cold butter, cubed 42g 8%

I used olive oil in place of butter, because I heard it makes for a softer dough than butter, and I nicked 25g of flour and 125g of water from the total and made a tangzhan, to give the bread even more softness.

The rolls came out perfectly. I’d post a pic, but we ate them before I could get around to it! Next batch, I promise!
 
Here’s the recipe I ended up using. I made sure not to overbake it, a problem I’m constantly running across (I think the oven runs really hot!).

4 cups bread flour 508g 100%
1 3/8 - 1 1/2 cups warm water (110-115F degrees) 325g 64%
2 Tbl sugar 25g 5%
1 Tbl active dry yeast 8g 1.5%
1 tsp salt 6g 1%
3 Tbl cold butter, cubed 42g 8%

I used olive oil in place of butter, because I heard it makes for a softer dough than butter, and I nicked 25g of flour and 125g of water from the total and made a tangzhan, to give the bread even more softness.

The rolls came out perfectly. I’d post a pic, but we ate them before I could get around to it! Next batch, I promise!

Is this a no knead recipe?
 
Is this a no knead recipe?
No. I mixed and kneaded it in my bread maker, no special instructions. Then I let it rise, then deflated it and formed the rolls. Another short rise, then into a preheated 375°F oven for about 20 minutes. I also put a pan of hot water in the oven. The only thing that the recipe warns against is incorporating too much flour when shaping. I oiled my bench and hands instead of flouring.
 
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