Fabulous French Loaves 255 Recipes

EASY HOMEMADE FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Add the water, yeast and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer (or to a large mixing bowl if you're making the bread by hand). Mix together with a fork and let sit for about 5 minutes.
• Once the yeast mixture is bubbly, add 5 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt (be sure the salt doesn't touch the yeast mixture directly - mix it in with the flour first).
• Mix on low speed (if using a stand mixer) until the dough comes together, adding the last half cup of flour as the mixer begins to knead the dough. Let the mixer knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes on low speed.
• If making by hand, knead the dough for about 6-7 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
• Let the ball of dough rest in the bowl to rise for about 1 1/2 hours, and cover the bowl with some plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
• After 1 1/2 hours punch the dough down and scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (flour your hands as well). Let the ball of dough sit, covered, for about 5-10 minutes before shaping.
• To shape the dough, divide the dough in half (this recipe makes two loaves). Roll the first half out into a rectangle about 16 inches by 18 or 20 inches. Roll the dough up tightly into a long snake-shaped loaf, making sure you roll tightly enough that there are no large gaps of air between the pieces of dough.
• Pinch the ends together tightly to seal them and flip the loaf over, placing it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Repeat these steps for the second loaf to shape it as well.
• Score the loaves with a sharp knife very carefully, creating 5 or 6 cuts on the top of each loaf about 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch thick.
• Cover the loaves and let them rise for another 20-25 minutes, covered with a clean kitchen towel.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Combine the egg and water in a small bowl and brush the mixture very gently over the top of the bread just before baking.
• Bake the loaves for about 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
• Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool almost completely before slicing and serving.

FRENCH LOAVES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt, sugar and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into 12-in.-long loaves., Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Preheat oven to 450°. Sprinkle loaves with cornmeal. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

FABULOUS FRENCH LOAVES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with 2 cups water, 3 cups flour, salt, sugar and vegetable oil; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 9- x 12-inch rectangle and roll up jelly roll style, starting at long edge. Seal edges and place seam side down on a large baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Use a sharp knife to slash each loaf diagonally 3 times. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover and allow to rise 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

MEAT STUFFED FRENCH LOAVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut off the ends of the bread, and carefully hollow out the center portion.
• In a food processor, make soft crumbs out of the bread that was removed from the middle of the loaf.
• Brown the sausage and ground meat in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add onion, and continue to cook until soft.
• In a bowl, combine the cooked meat and onion, the bread crumbs, grated cheese, the egg, mustard, parsley, fennel, basil, salt and pepper and pepper to taste.
• With a long handled wooden spoon, stuff the hollowed out French bread with the stuffing mixture.
• Place the ends of the bread back in place and secure with small skewers.
• Melt the butter and stir in the garlic, let cook over low heat for about 1 minute.
• Brush the loaf with the butter/garlic mixture and wrap in a piece of aluminium foil, leaving it open at the top, slightly so the top browns.
• Bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cut into 1 inch slices for hors d'oeuvres, or into 4 larger pieces for main course servings.

FABULOUS FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Pour warm water into a large, warm mixing bowl.
• Stir in sugar, salt, oil, 3 cups of flour, and yeast.
• Beat vigorously for 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in remaining flour until all dry ingredients are incorporated, leaving spoon right in batter.
• Allow dough to rest 10 minutes; then stir down.
• Allow dough to rest another 10 minutes and stir down again.
• Repeat this process until dough has been stirred down 5 times.
• Turn dough onto floured surface.
• Knead only enough to coat the dough with flour so it can be handled.
• Divide dough into 2 parts.
• Roll each half into a rectangle approximately 9x12 inches, and roll up like a jelly roll starting from the long side.
• Pinch ends to seal.
• Arrange on a large baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal, leaving enough room for both loaves.
• Cover lightly and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• With a very sharp knife, cut 3 diagonal slashes on top of each loaf.
• Brush each loaf with beaten egg.
• Bake immediately at 400°F for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks.
• *NOTE: I have used my Kitchenaid mixer to do all the mixing and it works great either way.

NEW ORLEANS FRENCH LOAVES

Steps:

• In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, combine water and sugar. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until blended. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, blend 3 cups flour, salt and vinegar. Add dissolved yeast mixture to flour mixture all at once.
• Process 3 to 4 seconds to combine. Stop machine to check consistency of dough. The dough should be wet and sticky with a slight degree of body. If it is too soupy, add additional bread flour, ONE TABLESPOON AT A TIME, processing to blend between each addition, until a wet, sticky dough is formed. (I have found adding too much flour makes for a heavy loaf and that is not original to the ones sold in New Orleans.).
• Process no more than 15 seconds to knead dough. Pour vegetable oil into a large bowl; oil hands and fingers well. Remove blade from processor, placing any dough which clings to it in bowl. Remove rest of dough to oiled bowl, forming dough into a loose ball. Turn dough over several times to coat completely with oil. Careful not to mix the oil into the dough.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. When dough has doubled in bulk, stir down dough, removing all air from first rising.
• Position oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 1 double-trough French-bread pan or a triple baguette pan, using some of oil remaining in bottom of bowl. Thoroughly grease hands with some oil from bowl.
• To make 2 French loaves, pinch dough in half; lift out of bowl, 1 piece at a time. To make baguettes, divide dough into thirds. Lay dough in 1 trough of bread pan; repeat procedure with remaining dough. Because of its very wet and loose consistency, dough will shape itself. Brush dough surface thoroughly with some butter-and-salt mixture.
• Loosely cover loaves with plastic wrap. Let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour. Reserve remaining butter-and-salt mixture. When loaves have doubled in bulk, carefully remove plastic wrap; brush loaves with remaining butter-salt mixture. Use very light pressure when applying butter mixture, taking care not to deflate loaves.
• Bake in center of preheated oven until golden brown on top, 25 minutes. Carefully turn loaves over in pan; bake about 10 minutes more to brown bottoms. Cool completely on cooling racks.

FABULOUS FRENCH LOAVES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with 2 cups water, 3 cups flour, salt, sugar and vegetable oil; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Divide dough half. Roll each half into a 9 x 12 rectangle and roll up jelly roll style, starting at long edge. Seal edges and place seam side down on a large baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Use a sharp knife to slash each loaf diagonally 3 times. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover and allow to rise 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

FABULOUS FRENCH LOAVES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with 2 cups water, 3 cups flour, salt, sugar and vegetable oil; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Divide dough half. Roll each half into a 9 x 12 rectangle and roll up jelly roll style, starting at long edge. Seal edges and place seam side down on a large baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Use a sharp knife to slash each loaf diagonally 3 times. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover and allow to rise 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

FABULOUS FRENCH LOAVES [255]

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with 2 cups water, 3 cups flour, salt, sugar and vegetable oil; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Divide dough half. Roll each half into a 9 x 12 rectangle and roll up jelly roll style, starting at long edge. Seal edges and place seam side down on a large baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Use a sharp knife to slash each loaf diagonally 3 times. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover and allow to rise 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.