which is the best recipe for french bread [plain]?????

Answer 1

ou will need either fresh yeast or dried yeast. The dried yeast can be very quick, so the rising times will be greatly reduced. Careful: you must not use the quantities of yeast for amount of flour that are indicated on the yeast package. They are exaggerated, if you follow them you will have a very strong yeast flavour and it might not even have risen that much. So you should half the quantities indicated.

Ingredients :
- 500 g of flour minimum (17,6 oz)
- 300 g of water (10,6 oz)
- ½ cube of yeast (21 g or 0,75 oz), or the equivalent of dried yeast (8g or 0,3 oz)
- 12 - 13 g salt (0,45 oz)
- a pinch of sugar

- Dissolve the yeast (if necessary, check the instructions on the package) in a small amount of the 300 g of water from the recipe with the sugar. Wait for 15 minutes, until the mixture goes bubbly.

- Add the rest of the water and whisk to add air.
- Add the flour and the salt while you are whisking or mixing by hand. You should get a slightly sticky dough, but humid enough that it doesn't tear. Depending on the quality of the flour you might even have to add a bit of water. You might have to adjust the proportions of this recipe to get a good consistency.
- Knead the dough for 15 minutes. This operation is not absolutely necessary, but makes the dough a bit more elastic. You should stretch the dough with palm of your hand, turn it around ¼ turn and make a ball, stretch again etc....... You can also throw it vigorously on the table.

The first rise can be done in an oiled or floured bowl, protected from drafts in your warmest room. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic clingfilm The dough will double in volume (in 2 to 4 hours depending on the yeast and the temperature)
Put the dough on the table carefully so you don't tear it, push the air out of it and let it rest for ½ hour. Roll it out and fold it several times to get air into it, put it in a floured basket, or eventually on floured oven plate you are going to cook it on.
Let it rise (one to two hours, the second rise is a bit quicker). Before it has doubled in volume, put it on your floured oven tray, or even better, on baking parchment end make slits in the bread with a knife, or a rasor blade diagonally 1-2 cm. deep. Put it into a very humid oven (you can pour a good bowl of water in the bottom of the oven for example on the drip tray, just before you cook the bread. The oven should be preheated to 240°C (464°F).
Bake it for ½ hour, ¼h at 240°C (464°F) then 1/4 h à 200°C (392°F).
Take the bread out, put it on a rack to cool so that it doesn't soften. The bread is perfect if you tap the bottom of the bread and get a hollow sound, when it is not hot any more....

Answer 2

The secret is the PAN- you need the pan shaped like two u's, open at either end.

You can actually use any french bread recipe- this one is pretty simple. My family has it's own secret recipe, maybe you can come up with your own over time. And get that PAN!

5 cups white all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons yeast (or 2 x 7g pkts)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups warm-hot water
1/4 cup cooking oil

Put 4 cups of the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into large bowl.
Pour in hot water and oil and mix until combined- it will be sticky.
Add the remaining flour in increments until dough is no longer sticky.
Knead for about 5 minutes until dough is elastic and smooth.
Place dough back into bowl and cover with a damp teatowel and let it rise until double its size- about 1/2 hour.
Punch it down and divide dough into two pieces.
Roll pieces long enough to fill two well oiled loaf pans/two sides of a french bread pan and leave to rise until dough has reached the rim of the pan.
Bake at 400F for 40 minutes.
Rub hot breads with water and wrap in a teatowel to'sweat' to soften the crust.

Answer 3

this is a really good recipe for french bread

INGREDIENTS
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.
Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.
With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack.

Answer 4

French Bread Rolls to Die For

INGREDIENTS
1-3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon and 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons white sugar
2 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
5 cups bread flour
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, and form into round balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Serves 20

Answer 5

2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups lukewarm water
7-71/2 cups flour


soften yeast in warm water(110 degrees) combine salt and lukewarm water; beat in two cups of the flour. Blend in softened yeast . Stir in 4 1/2 -5 more cups of flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn out on counter and work in another 1/2 cup flour during kneading

place dough in a greased bowl,turning to coat. cover and let raise 1 hour in a warm place or until double. punch down and raise again 30-45 minutes. cut dough in half and shape each half into a 12x15 rectangle. roll up tightly beginning at long side
taper ends if desired

Place each loaf diagonally , seam side down on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. With sharp knife, gash tops diagonally every 2 1/2 inches 1/4 inch deep. brush tops with egg white or spray with water. raise til double 1- 1 1/2 hours and bake 15-20 min at 375 degrees

Answer 6

French Bread

INGREDIENTS
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.

Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.

Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.

With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack.

Answer 7

Classic French Bread:

This bread is best when eaten the same day it's baked. If you have any left over, do as the French do: Use it to make French toast or a bread pudding.

1 package dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon water
1 large egg white

Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Place the flour and salt in a food processor, and pulse 2 times or until blended. With the food processor on, slowly add yeast mixture through food chute, and process until the dough forms a ball. Process for 1 additional minute. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 to 5 times.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover dough, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down, and shape into a 6-inch round loaf. Place loaf on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover dough and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Uncover dough, and make 3 diagonal cuts 1/4-inch deep across top of loaf using a sharp knife. Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white, and brush mixture over top of loaf. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Note: To make a baguette, let the bread dough rise once. Punch dough down, and roll into an 18 x 9-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll up the dough starting at the longer edge, pressing down firmly to eliminate any air pockets; then pinch seam and edges to seal. Cover the dough, let rise, and bake according to the recipe instructions at left.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 (1 1/2-ounce) slice)

Answer 8

the most of french breads needs one steam oven.
at home it does not work out!
the fougasse does not need vapor and it is tasteful!
biga:
310 ml water
225 grams flour
1 pk dry yeast
let to skim it, about 15 min.
mix in:
565 ml water
1130 g flour
4 tsp salt
6 tbsp oil olive
4 tbsp marjoram
knead about 15 min and let the dough about 40 min(to double)-covered
kneads again and put in a baking form(oiled)
let 30 min more and bake -190 degree celsius[375 F]-(about 50 min
is it?
happy new year!