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The Best French Bread I've Ever Made



This is the best french bread I've ever made.  I got this recipe from my friend, Nikki, who gave us some of this bread as a thank you for my hubby helping them move a piano.  I remember it being delicious and we gobbled it up fast.  I was intimidated for some reason by the recipe and waited a few years before I made it.

We needed some bread for to make some turkey, provolone, avocado sandwiches, so I made some of this bread and it was perfect!  We sliced one loaf like they do at Subway.  Then later I made normal shaped sandwiches with the rest of the bread.  Delicious... light and fluffy and yummy!

Update 2/22/12: This is still my favorite bread after making it for a year! It turns out perfect every time and it's gone in a flash!

printable recipe

French Bread
recipe from my friend, Nikki

Yield: 2 loaves
 
Ingredients
  • 2 c. warm water
  • 1 pkg (or 1 heaping Tbsp.) yeast
  • 1/4 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 4 - 5 c. flour

Directions
  1. Mix yeast, salt, sugar, oil and water in mixing bowl. Let sit about five minutes or so in a warm place until it gets foamy. Tip: run some warm water in the sink and puts the bowl in the sink. I tried this and it worked great.  
  2. Add about 4 cups flour gradually. Add more flour as you knead it until the dough can be poked and leave an indent without being too dry and stiff. (I use my kitchenaid to do the mixing.)
  3. Coat a bowl with oil and roll dough around in the bowl, so the surface is coated with oil. This keeps the dough from sticking as it rises. Put in a warm place (like the sink) and let rise for 30-45 minutes until double in size.        
  4. Shape the dough however you'd like. I make two small French loaves, by splitting the dough in half, rolling each out into rectangle (8"x11"), roll up into loaf shape and turn ends under.        
  5. Let sit for another 10 minutes. Brush top with melted butter. Slash 3 -4 times across the top with a sharp knife. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes till golden brown.
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