Homemade French Bread
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Recipe type: Bread
Prep: 
Cook: 
Total time: 
 
An easy homemade French bread that can also be made slightly smaller and used as a baguette.
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups warm water (just above body temperature)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2¼ tsp yeast (1 packet)
  • 4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (I used 3 cups all-purpose + 1 cup multigrain bread flour)
  • 2 tsp salt
Instructions
  1. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together the warm water, yeast, and sugar.
  2. In another bowl, stir together 3¾ cups of the flour and the salt. Turn mixer on low speed and pour the flour/salt mixture gradually into the yeast mixture.
  3. Once it's all in, turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix for 3 minutes. Dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and form a ball. If it's too sticky, add more flour by the tablespoon until it comes together.
  4. Dust a clean work surface with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Turn dough out onto the surface and knead until elastic and smooth, 5-7 minutes. Form into a ball and place dough into a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
  5. When it's risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, punch down, and divide the dough in half. Shaping one half at a time, roll or spread the dough into a rectangle, approximately 12" long and 3-4" wide, then fold the rectangle inward onto itself length-wise to form a long loaf. Pinch the edges together to form a seam. Place, seam side down, on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with other half. Cover and let rise another 30-45 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 450. Place a large inverted baking sheet into the oven to preheat too.
  7. When dough has completed second rise, take a sharp knife and cut shallow slits diagonally across the tops of the loaves.
  8. Have a ½ cup of water standing by.
  9. Remove the heated baking sheet from the oven, keeping it upside down. Carefully place your loaves onto the inverted hot pan (pick up the parchment paper and slide the whole works over - I found this the easiest way).
  10. Place the pan back on the centre rack of the oven. Just as you are about to close the oven door, toss the ½ cup water into the bottom of the oven. Close the door immediately.
  11. Bake 20-23 minutes, until loaves are golden and firm to the touch.
Recipe by Hidden Ponies at https://hiddenponies.com/2012/10/homemade-french-breadbaguette/