Happy French Bread Day!
Oprah isn’t the only one who LOVES bread! We do too!
Here is one of our favorite French Bread Recipes to celebrate French Bread Day.
French Baguettes
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 50 Minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
Directions:
- In a large measuring cup add 1 cup warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir to combine and let sit for 5 min to activate yeast. I a large bowl, sift bread flour and salt. Dig a well in the center of the flour and salt mixture and pour in activated yeast mixture.Slowly start stirring yeast mixture in flour well allowing the sides of the flour well to fall in to wet mixture. Continue stirring and incorporating flour until a wet sticky dough is formed. When you can no longer stir the dough, begin kneading in the remaining flour within the bowl.Once the flour is no longer able to mix into the dough, remove from the bowl, and continue to knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
- Pplace dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
- Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8×12 inch rectangles. Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper end. Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.