French Bread

Also super good for French toast. Can you believe that? French bread makes great French toast? What are the odds?

Ingredients:

3 C. Hot Tap Water

1 TBSP Yeast, active dry, not instant

2 TBSP Sugar

2 TBSP Olive Oil

1 TBSP Salt

Flour

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425.

This recipe is super similar to the white bread from Bake Believe, but think of it as 2.0. There are a few more steps and a couple things to think about this time. 

I’ll even put my serious face on while explaining it so you don’t get the wrong idea. 

Ready, go!

First, get your tap water into a glass measuring cup that can hold at least 4 cups. Water should be hot to the touch, but not scalding. If it burns your fingers, it will kill the yeast. And if you kill the yeast you might as well be making pancakes.

Sprinkle the sugar into the water and then stir in the yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. This is enough time for the yeast to foam up and start to grow, but not long enough for it to overflow on your counter. 

When it’s ready, put it into the bowl of a stand mixer and add salt and olive oil, then about 5 cups of flour. Mix it up and let it rest for about 5 more minutes. 

I’m really digging the 5’s right now. 

Keep adding flour until the dough is sticky, but not wet. Nothing should be shiny here, but when you dab your finger on the dough, it should pull back with you. 

Cover and rise for 1 hour. 

Flop onto your counter, (meaning flop the dough on your counter, but you can flop on the counter too if you want, I won’t judge.) Divide into two pieces. You might need some flour on your hands to keep it from sticking to you. That’s fine, all the cool kids are wearing flour on their hands, so you’re good. 

Shape dough into two long, skinny loaves and let rise another hour on a cookie sheet. Space far enough apart that they won’t rise into each other. Take a sharp knife and cut diagonal slits in the top of each one. 

Cause they’re pretty. 

Then bake for 15-20 minutes. Golden brown here. 

Let cool on cooling racks before you try to cut them or, again, they squish into pancakes. 

Brush with melted butter because, why not?

French Bread
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French Bread

Recipe by Cori Cooper

Ingredients

  • 3 C. Hot Tap Water

  • 1 TBSP Yeast, active dry, not instant

  • 2 TBSP Sugar

  • 2 TBSP Olive Oil

  • 1 TBSP Salt

  • Flour

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425F. Get your tap water into a glass measuring cup that can hold at least 4 cups. Water should be hot to the touch, but not scalding. Sprinkle the sugar into the water and then stir in the yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
  • Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and add salt and olive oil, then about 5 cups of flour. Mix it up and let it rest for about 5 more minutes. 
     
  • Keep adding flour until the dough is sticky, but not wet. Cover and rise for 1 hour. Divide into two pieces. Shape dough into two long, skinny loaves and let rise another hour on a cookie sheet. Space far enough apart that they won’t rise into each other. Take a sharp knife and cut diagonal slits in the top of each one. 
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes. Golden brown here. Let cool on cooling racks before you try to cut them. Brush with melted butter because, why not?