Focus on food: December 12, 2006

French Bread

The following recipe is from the French Comfort Foods
Cooking Class held by Sally Myers. This was a great class that included French Bread, Tart Tatin, Flaky Buttermilk Pie Crust, Coq au Vin II, and Bouillabaisse.

Ingredients:
• 1 Tablespoon yeast
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups warm water
• about 5 cups white bread flour

Egg Wash:
• 1 egg whisked with 2 tablespoons water

Directions:
• Mix the yeast, sugar and water in a large bowl and let sit 10 minutes until yeast has activated (it gets foamy).

• Add the salt, then start adding the flour, a cup at a time mixing with a large spoon all the time. When the dough becomes difficult to mix, add flour more slowly and mix with your hands.

• Incorporate enough flour so the dough is no longer sticky and knead for 5 minutes. This can be done right in the bowl.

• When well kneaded, form the dough into a ball and let it sit in the bowl covered with a clean cloth near a heat source until it has doubled in size, about an hour.

• Punch dough down and cut into three equal pieces, briefly kneading each piece and covering with the cloth.

• Roll out each piece of dough to get the air bubbles out, then roll up and pinch together.

• Pull dough and roll alternately to form a loaf. Place on baking tray and cover, let rise again about a half an hour.

• Brush with the egg wash and slash each loaf three times with a serated knife. Bake in a 400° oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 20 minutes or so.

• Bread should be browned and quite crusty on the outside. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack at least 20 minutes before using.