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This recipe will produce
three beautiful crusty loaves of French bread.
Classic
Yeasted French Bread
- 2 (1/4-ounce) packages
active dry yeast or 5 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water - divided use
6 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 large egg white
1/2 cup cold water
- In a large mixing bowl,
sprinkle yeast over 1 cup of warm water (105°F to 115°F
/ 40°C to 45°C); let stand for 3 to 4 minutes, or until
foamy. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups warm water to bowl; mix well.
Add flour by the handful, mixing after each addition, first gently
then vigorously with a wooden spoon. When down to the last cup
or so of flour (this will take about 10 minutes), turn dough
out onto lightly floured surface. Sprinkle dough with salt and
knead for 5 to 6 minutes while adding the remaining flour. The
dough should appear moist and satiny. shape into a ball and place
in a large bowl. Cover bowl with a damp dish towel and let rise
in a warm spot, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in volume.
Punch out the air and let it rise again for another 30 to 45
minutes.
- Divide the dough into
2 pieces, then divide one of the halves in two again. Round each
of the 3 pieces of dough into tight balls and allow them to rest
on the table for 15 minutes, covered with a cloth so that the
outside does not crust over. Shape the two small balls of dough
into baguettes by flattening each piece into a rectangular shape
that measures approximately 6 x 3-inches. With the long side
toward you, fold over a third of the dough down from the top
and then seal the edge with the heel of the hand. Do this two
or three times until the piece is in the shape of a log of about
8-inches long. Stretch each log out by rolling it on the table
under the palms of your hands until it is between 12 and 14-inches
long. Then place each in an oiled, black baguette tray or on
a cookie sheet that has been greased or lined with parchment
paper.
- Shape the larger piece
of dough into a tight, round loaf by first flattening it, then
folding the outer edges over into the middle. Repeat the process
of folding the dough 4 or 5 times and sealing each fold by pressing
down on the dough with the heel of the hand. With the folds underneath,
drag the round ball of dough across the worktable with some pressure
on top to make a tight loaf without any air bubbles. Place it
on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the loaves
rise, covered, for 45 minutes or an hour, until they have doubled
in volume.
- If you are using a baking
stone, place it in a cold oven and preheat the oven to 450°F
(230°C) for at least 1 hour. Otherwise simply preheat the
oven to 450°F (230°C).
- With a razor blade, slash
each baguette 4 or 5 times diagonally on top and glaze them using
the egg white whisked in cold water. Invert round loaf onto a
floured, rimless cookie sheet, slash it with a razor blade in
a tick-tack-toe pattern and slide it onto baking stone (if using).
This loaf is not glazed because the matte, floured crust looks
more rustic (glaze, however, if desired).
- Bake baguettes for 20
to 25 minutes and the round loaf for 40 to 45 minutes. When they
are done the loaves will look golden brown in color and sound
hollow if they are thumped on the bottom. Place the loaves on
a wire rack to cool.
Makes 3 loaves.
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