Really Easy Really Good French Bread Recipes

HOMEMADE FRENCH BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes, or until it begins to foam.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture on medium-low speed or by hand. Knead in 1/2 cup of the remaining flour in increments until the dough is smooth but not sticky. Add more flour as needed.
• Rub the olive oil around the dough ball, cover the bowl with a towel and let rest 15 to 30 minutes. If you have more time, let rise up to 1 hour.
• Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and divide it in half. Set one half aside. Roll the other half into a rectangle (about 15 inches). Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a cylinder.
• Turn both ends in and pinch the seams closed. Round the edges and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the second dough ball. Make three diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf. Cover loaves lightly with a towel. Let rise 30 to 60 minutes (the longer the better, if you have the time).
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake 17 to 23 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. When you knock on it, it should sound hollow. If it's browning too fast, lightly cover with foil and lower the temperature to 375°F.
• Brush the top with melted butter, if desired. Slice and serve while warm.

REALLY EASY, REALLY GOOD FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast, warm water, and sugar in a small bowl.
• In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine hot water, granulated sugar, salt, and oil. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour to the mixture in the large bowl/mixer and mix well. Stir in yeast mixture.
• Add 1 - 1 1/2 cups more flour and mix until well blended. (At this point your dough will still be quite sticky). Leave in bowl and let rise for 1 hour, mixing a few strokes a couple of times during the hour.
• Divide dough into 2 (or 3 if you want smaller loaves) pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface into the length desired then roll up length wise like a jelly roll.
• Put on a greased cookie sheet, sealed side down, and tuck the ends under. Slash the top diagonally across the top every couple of inches with a sharp knife. Brush with egg white. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Let loaves rise 30 more minutes.
• Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

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.