I am baking french bread from scratch and want to know what makes the crust extra crispy?
2006-12-30 04:15:28 · 6 answers · asked by CAROLYN R 2 in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
Before baking the bread take a spray bottle and lightly mist the loaf with water, also put an oven proof bowl with boiling hot water on the bottom rack of the oven. This will make a great crunchy crust!
Here is a great and easy recipe that I use all the time...
Crusty French Bread
This recipe produces two crusty and chewy loaves that are so very good and so much better than store bought.
2 loaves 50 min 20 min prep
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5-5 1/2 cups bread flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water (110 degrees) and sugar in large bowl; allow yeast to proof or foam (about 10 minutes).
Add salt, oil, and 3 cups flour; beat for 2 minutes.
Stir in 2 cups flour to make a stiff dough.
Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Place in oiled bowl, turn dough to coat all sides, cover and let rise until doubled.
Punch down and divide in half.
Shape dough into two long slender loaves.
Grease and sprinkle with cornmeal either a french bread pan or large cookie sheet.
Place loaves in pan and cut diagonal gashes on top of each loaf
Cover and let rise until doubled.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Note: You can sprinkle or spray water on the loaves during baking if you want a really crunchy crust.
2006-12-30 04:18:49 · answer #1 · answered by atomictulip 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Watch out, this is a little bit dangerous - but it does the trick.
When preheating the oven, put a large shallow pan in the bottom. About 5 minutes before putting in the bread, pour 2 cups of water into the pan. Be careful - there will be steam!
Oh, and don't use a glass pan - it will shatter.
2006-12-30 12:25:09 · answer #2 · answered by sdc_99 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the easiest way is to reheat bread that has already been cooked in a high heat oven (450+ degrees). if you do this trick it doesn't matter how crispy the crust is after after the first baking (and cooling).
2006-12-30 12:22:49 · answer #3 · answered by Yo S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've always heard to mist the loaf with water. Or use a water or egg white wash. Since I don't have a mister, I do the wash trick and get nice crunchy and browned loaf.
2006-12-30 12:20:31 · answer #4 · answered by chefgrille 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
coat/brush the bread with egg whites before baking.
2006-12-30 12:43:27 · answer #5 · answered by Common_Sense2 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
egg wash
2006-12-30 12:23:12 · answer #6 · answered by tx311 3 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋