How To Make French Bread
With a crispy crust and a soft, chewy center, the French bread is a delicious variant of bread that can make your mouth water with its amazing smell and taste especially when served with delectable French cheese. Some of the most popular French breads are the crispy narrow bread known as the baguette and the onion French bread flavored with onions. Making French bread is quite easy once you understand the right technique. Here are the step by step instructions that will guide you in making mouthwatering French bread.
For making French bread you will need a teaspoon of active dry yeast, flour, warm water, salt and one beaten egg. In a bowl combine, yeast with water to proof it. Add some sugar to the mix and let the yeast stand for five minutes till the surface turns foamy and bubbly.
Now make the dough for the bread by adding two cups of flour, warm water and salt to the yeast water. You can beat it with an electric mixer or blend it with a spoon. Add 4 to 5 additional cups of flour till the dough turns smooth and sticky.
Now on a surface add some flour and then place the French bread dough on it. Knead the dough with the hands. This should be done for around ten to fifteen minutes till the dough is fairly smooth and elastic. The longer the bread is kneaded the better is the texture of the bread.
Shape it into a ball and place in a greased bowl, ensuring that all sides of the dough are greased. Cover it with a towel and place it in a shallow pan filled with warm water and sprinkle cornmeal atop it.
Once the dough has risen, knead it for around a minute to remove the air bubbles. Cover and let it rest again for ten minutes. Now roll the dough back and forth on a fat surface to allow it form long narrow pieces of loaves. Place these dough rolls on a baking sheet and cut around three to four slashes on each loaf. Cover with towel and let it rest again for 30 minutes.
The oven needs to be preheated to 425 degree Fahrenheit. Brush each loaf with beaten eggs and water. Bake the bread for around half an hour till it turns a nice golden brown. Allow it to cool and then cut it into slices.
