Homemade French Bread

175 mins
Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Take two and a quarter cups of warm water with two teaspoons of sugar and one tablespoon of yeast.
  2. 2Let the yeast mixture sit for about 10 minutes to activate.
  3. 3Mix the yeast mixture in with five and a half cups of all-purpose flour.
  4. 4Add two teaspoons of salt and two tablespoons of olive oil.
  5. 5Turn on your stand mixer and let it mix for 10 minutes.
  6. 6Form the dough into a ball, spray a bowl, and place the dough back in the bowl.
  7. 7Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and let the dough rest for one hour.
  8. 8After one hour, punch down the dough to deflate it.
  9. 9Dump the dough onto the counter and divide it into two equal pieces.
  10. 10Flatten one piece of dough into a rectangle.
  11. 11Roll up the dough, tucking in the ends every so often.
  12. 12Set the rolled dough on a baking sheet and repeat with the other half of the dough.
  13. 13Get a knife and score the top of each loaf three to four times.
  14. 14Cover the loaves with a damp paper towel and let them set for about 45 more minutes.
  15. 15Preheat your oven to 395°F and place a pan of water on the bottom rack.
  16. 16Brush the loaves with an egg wash.
  17. 17Place the loaves on the top rack to bake for 30 minutes.
  18. 18Let them cool completely for a whole hour before cutting into them.

Ingredients

  • 2.25 cups warm water
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp yeast
  • 5.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 egg

Equipment

stand mixerbowlbaking sheetknifepan

Tips

  • Make both loaves equal in size for even baking.
  • Tuck in the ends while rolling the dough to achieve a bakery-level French bread.
  • Score the top of the loaves three to four times to allow room for expansion.
  • Let the bread cool completely for an hour before cutting to get an amazing texture.