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(French Style) White Bread




Source of Recipe


Adapted from Basic White Bread recipe






Recipe Introduction


This is not 'French Bread', only baked to look like it is. Sort of what you can buy at most bakeries, but tastes better because you make it yourself. Try to keep the dough as moist as possible. This makes for a nicer crust.
Makes: 2 loaves





List of Ingredients



• 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
  
• 1 cup warm water
  
• 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoon) active dry yeast
  
• 1 cup whole milk
  
• 2 tablespoons soft shortening
  
• 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  
• 5 1/2 cups white bread flour
  
• *NOTES
  






Instructions



1. Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle in yeast, give a slow stir. Set aside 10 minutes.
   
2. Scald 1 cup milk, de-scum, cool to lukewarm. Stir in 2 tablespoons shortening, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup warm water. Add milk mixture and 2 cups white bread flour to dissolved yeast mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until smooth and elastic.
   
3. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of remaining flour gradually. If necessary, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make a soft dough which leaves sides of bowl. Turn out onto a floured board and form into a ball.
   
4. Knead dough for about 10 minutes, adding more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as necessary, until dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky but, a little moister than for regular bread.
   
5. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning the dough to grease all over. Cover with greased waxed paper and a light towel.
   
6. Place in a non drafty, warm place and allow to rise until doubled (45-60 minutes).
   
7. Punch down in bowl and turn out onto lightly floured board, knead a few times to dispel any air bubbles and divide into 2 equal portions. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
   
8. Shape each portion into a Baguette (long loaf) or Boule (round loaf).
   See Bread Making 101/shaping. http://www.baking911.com/bread/101_shape.htm
   
9. For Baguette; Pushing with one hand and pulling with the other, not pulling on the dough to hard otherwise it will tear, form each ball into a rectangle. Roll the dough up tightly into a thin log, pinching the edges to seal. Taper and round off the ends.
   
10. For Boule; Knead briefly and pat lightly into a thick disk. Bring the edges up and to the center, section by section, forming a round. Turn the dough over. Rotate the ball of dough, pushing with one hand and pulling with the other. Use the stickiness of the dough and the friction on the table to tighten the ball and seal the folds on the underside. Continue to shape the round of dough until the skin of dough is tight. Don't pull on the dough otherwise it will tear.
    
11. When the dough is formed, place seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a light towel and allow to rise in a warm place until fully proofed.
    
12. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
    
13. For the customary 'French' crust; wet the tops of the loaves with water using a soft pastry brush or a light mist from a spray bottle. With a sharp knife, make diagonal half inch deep slits, one every inch accross the top of each loaf. Wet first, then slice.
    
14. Bake at 375 F (190 C) on lower oven rack for 20 to 25 minutes. Baguettes will bake faster than boules. In order to make sure that the bread bakes evenly, rotate the loaves front to back, side to side when 2/3 done. Most home ovens are not perfect in heat distribution.
    
15. Remove from baking sheet. brush top crust with butter if a softer crust is desired. Cool on wire racks, turning over occasionally.
    






Final Comments


NOTES:
It's the same recipe ingredients as for white bread! Just the shapes and wetting the tops before baking has changed.
For an 'Italian' style bread, instead of wetting the tops of the loaves, place an oven proof pan of boiling water below the loaves to keep continual steam in the oven.

Variations:
French Onion Bread; add 2 tbsp dried onion flakes or cut the salt and add 2 tbsp dry Onion Soup Mix when adding the flour. For an extra touch, add 1 tsp, or more, dill and/or finely chopped parsley as well.

Buttermilk French Bread; Exchange 1 cup (whole milk for 1 cup buttermilk. Do not scald!

French Garlic Bread; Blend 2-3 very finely minced cloves of garlic and 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley in 2 tbsp butter and replace 1 tbsp of the soft shortening.

Sesame French Bread; Brush the loaves with an egg-white wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. May have to cover with tin foil last 10 minutes baking to prevent burning.

Bacon and Herbs French Bread; Add 1/2 cup cooked, crushed bacon with 1/2 tsp any/each of parsley, sage rosemary, thyme. Mix in when adding the flour.

Pain De Provence (French Herb Bread); Having a special entre? Add 2 - 3 tbsp of any of: basil, dill weed, fennel, lavender, majoram, oregano, parsley, sage, summer savory, thyme.

Pain De Pomme de Terre (Apple Bread) Add in 1 cup apple sauce, with a cup of fresh diced apple. 1 tsp cinnamon. Dredge the diced apple with flour and fold in after first rise. Could even add some crushed walnuts and call it 'Pain De Pomme de Terre aux Noix'


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