baking french bread is easier than you think

I love baking bread. 

When I first started out, many years ago, I ended up with a few failed loaves on my hands, but after time I figured out how to mix the ingredients properly and I learned what the dough should feel like when it has been kneaded properly.  These days I use a stand-mixer, which pretty much does all the hard work, but the scent of the bread is no less perfect than when I did things by hand.

To make the dough:
1 cup + 2 TB. of warm water
2 tsp. yeast
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups flour  (I used 1/2 white flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour.  You may use whatever you like)

***(This is the same dough that I use for calzones.  It also makes great pizza crust.)

Start by dissolving the yeast in the water.  Next you will add  enough flour and the salt to the water mixture until you are able to handle the dough with your hands (it shouldn't be extremely sticky, although a bit of stickiness is OK).  Knead the dough on a lightly floured counter for 8 minutes.  (If you are using a stand mixer, knead the dough for 4 minutes at speed 2.)   The dough should feel smooth and elastic at this point.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl (covered with a cloth) for 1 hour or until it doubles in size. 

(You may also make this in your bread machine on the dough cycle.)

Shape your loaf as shown and place it on a baking sheet covered with cornmeal:

Dust the dough with some flour and then cover it with a towel and let rise for an hour, or until doubled in size:

Once the dough has doubled in size,  slash the top with a sharp knife.  Be careful doing this because it is possible to deflate your risen dough:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and place a pan of water on the lower rack.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown.

Let the loaf cool and then enjoy.  This bread is great for sandwiches or simply sliced with butter.

If you find that your crust is too hard or the bread has risen too much and is crumbly, simply toast it and enjoy.  Then start all over again until you come up with a loaf to be proud of!

(I tripled the recipe to make 3 loaves:

Click here for some great bread recipes and tips for successful loaves.

Happy bread baking!

Comments

[Felicia]

Looks delicous! How long does it take from start to finish?

[Tracy]

I can smell it from here!

[Stacy]

A girl after my own heart. I love baking bread, too! There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread. YUMMM!!!

I have a french baguette recipe, but I will try this one, too!

~Stacy

[Aimee]

i have always been a failure in the bread category...i have never known what "warm water" means. I have a goal to learn to make sourdough bread this year...but you are however inspiring me to give it a go again :)

[Wendy]

One of my goals for this year was to learn how to bake bread. You are making it so easy for me! Since your calzones were such a hit with my family I'll be trying this recipe tomorrow night.

[Mindy]

It is so beautiful! I bet your house smells so yummy!

I am also loving your bread box!

Making bread is one of my favorite pleasures.

[Beck]

Oh! I wish I'd seen this earlier!
To your commentor who wanted to know what "warm water" means - hot water that you can comfortably hold our finger in.

[Islandsparrow]

I just bought a jar of yeast so I am all ready to go!I love the smell of bread baking...

[Emily]

your scoring was gorgeous. Mine usually come out to deep or too shallow. Yours look great.

[Kiva, Southern Girl Musings]

Yummy!!! I will have to try it as I am known for hitting and missing in the bread baking category (more miss than hit). :)

[Becky]

Those are just beautiful. I do not have a stand mixer so I use my bread machine on the dough cycle. Then I take out the dough and make the loaves (mine in long thin loaves) and bake them on unglazed quarry tiles in my preheated oven.

They are among my family's favorite breads. Tradition on every holiday and many days in between.

[Aimee]

thanks for the heads up on "warm"...I'll give it a go next week. When you use your KitchenAid, do you use that dough hook? (can you tell I have never done it before?!!?!)

[DebD]

Hey! Perfect timing. I'm right in the middle of making bread myself. Traditional WW Challah (dinner's going to be a little late tonight).

I do so love the smell of fresh bread in the oven.

[Pauline]

Wow, the bread looks fabulous! I love making bread. I make a simple version with my 12 year olds and it's one of their favourite practicals.

[Thimbleanna]

Oh Yum! Thanks for sharing -- I've always wanted to make french bread. It's on my to-do list -- after the pre-wedding diet LOL!

[jodie]

I love your recipes!!! They're always a hoot in my house... I can't wait to try this bread, I might even give it a go this weekend... Thanks...

[Amber]

I love this! I became very obsessed with baking years ago and then worked in an artisan break bakery for three summers. Though I baked thousands of loaves of bread during that time, I still found magic in each one. I guess I have the heart of a baker and it looks like you do, too!;-)

I love The Fresh Loaf site. I tend to forget to check in on it often enough. Thanks for the reminder! (Also, Peter Reinhart---who has written many wonderful bread baking books, as well as spiritually inclined ones, too---has a great blog. I'm sure if you googled his name, you'd find his blog)...

[erin s]

You make it look so easy. I love fresh bread. I am lazy though and use my bread maker to make the dough. However, I do cook it in the oven as I find the bread maker over bakes.

[Tracy]

Delicious...thank you! Happy weekend ((HUGS))

[julie]

Looks delicious... I love the smell of baking bread!

[Missy]

your bread looks yummy! i need to try that recipes. thanks :)
missy

[Stephanie]

I haven't made bread in FOREVER! Thanks for the reminder. Your pictures look fabulous!

[Carla]

Hey Randi-

That bread is beautiful. I wish I had some right now! Thanks for the wonderful tutorial. I read about your picture issues, and I'm with ya. I would HATE to see a personal photo on another blog without having someone ask my permission. Take care!

[Christine]

Beautiful. I love your recipes (the calzones were a big hit!).

[Nikki]

Thanks so much for the recipe. We LOVE french bread, but I'm always intimidated by the complicated looking recipes. You've inspired me.

~Nikki

[Lei]

Yum... I cna practically smell it that looks so good!

[Scrapbooker47]

This bread is absolutely beautiful! I cannot imagine the smell in your home. Thanks for sharing!

[Sonnja]

I love bread!
Kind regards,

Sonnja
Beertje Zonn

[Lisa]

And I love eating bread! MMM... On my way!

[Pieces]

Mmmm, num. I usually use my bread machine to make dough but it takes twice as long as doing it myself. I made your calzones this week (num!) and I didn't even think of using my Kitchenaid to knead the dough. Duh! I see more bread baking on the horizon for me.

[Judy]

Your bread looks yummy. Thanks for the recipe.

[Marsha]

Mmmm... looks delicious! And I bet it smells even better!

[d-thinker]

The work is in mixing the dough, and getting the yeast ready.

[Heather]

I've been wanting to make the calzones and tonight is the night! Thanks for the recipe and for the versatility of it. I'm going to try the French bread too. It is beautiful.

I linked back to your blog in my post today. Thanks for the inspiration. :)