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Homemade French Bread

Homemade French Bread Recipe – 5 mins a day

This Bread is one that Scott has been making for a few months now. At first, I was a little intimidated because I haven’t been a successful baker (I and measuring haven’t traditionally gotten along), but after seeing him make it a few times, I got comfortable with it.
He makes a big batch of dough at the beginning of the week and we store it in the fridge and make a fresh loaf every couple of days. Planning ahead makes it super simple to have tasty, fresh warm bread in your kitchen nightly.
Prep Time 3 hrs 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 3 hrs 40 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 24 slices
Calories 233 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups lukewarm water (not hot)
  • 1.5 tbsp granulated yeast (I use rapid-rise red star yeast)
  • 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
  • 6.5 cups (2lbs) unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions
 

  • In a 5-quart bowl (optional with lid for storage), dump in water and add the yeast and salt. Stir.
  • Dump in the flour all at once and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon or dough whisk
  • Stir until all the flour is incorporated into the dough, it will be a rough, wet dough.
  • Put the lid on the container, but do not snap it shut. Gases from the yeast need to be able to escape. Allow the dough to sit at room temp for 2 hours to rise. It will fill the container as it rises. Do not punch the dough down.
  • You can let it refrigerate over the next two weeks up until you decide to bake a loaf of bread. It will settle as it cools but the yeast will still be working.

When you are ready to bake a loaf of bread, do the following:

  • With floured hands, remove one large handful of stretchy wet dough from the container and place it on a floured breadboard or cutting board. With your hands, Roll the bread into a round shape, coating it with flour to keep it from sticking to the board and your hands.
  • Let the dough rest at room temp for 40 minutes until it rises and spreads a little bit. Place the bread on a piece of parchment paper.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 and place your pizza stone on the center rack.
  • Put a cookie sheet on the bottom shelf – water will be added to create steam in the oven.
  • Cut the loaf on top with 1/4 inch slashes using a serrated knife – this will allow the bread to expand as it bakes. Sprinkle coarse salt over the top of the bread.
  • Slide parchment paper with bread dough onto the pizza stone and add a cup of hot water to the sheet pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.
  • Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven temperature is accurate.
  • Remove parchment paper after 20 minutes to crisp up the bottom crust of the bread.
  • Remove the bread from the oven after 35 minutes and allow it to cool on a bread rack until it is at room temperature.
  • Slice with a nice bread knife and slather with delicious butter!

Video

Keyword Homemade French Bread Recipe – 5 mins a day