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Country French Bread and Baguettes

Source of Recipe

Submitted by Brandon Johnstun From Jacques Pepin


Recipe Introduction

This is a recipe everyone needs to learn and have so you can make a quick and easy bread. This is what you use to make and use with alot of meals. The best thing you can do is get a pizza stone and a cast iron pan to make great bread. You pre heat the stone for one half an hour. Then you put the cast iron pan in next to the heating element. While it is hot, after you put the bread in, you fill it with a cup of water. Or you just use a bottle with a sprayer, and squirt about 10 squirts in the oven to make a very crunchy hard crust. NOTE: You should by a pizza stone and a silicone baking mat to make your baking the best you ever had.

Recipe Link: www.kqed.org/jacquespepin

List of Ingredients

Tools

Food processor
Measuring cup
Measuring spoon, 1/2 Tsp, 1 1/2 Tsp, 1 Tbl
Baking stone
Baking sheet
Silicone baking sheet
Bowl
Towel


Ingredients

2 C Tepid water
1 1/2 Tsp Active dry yeast or 1 cake fresh yeast
1/2 Tsp Sugar
4 1/2 C Bread flour, plus extra flour for kneading
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
3 Tbl Cornmeal




Recipe

Serves: 1 large loaf or 3 baguettes
Time required: Prepare: 20 minutes to make, and anywhere from 3 to 5 hours to rise Cook: 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours
Oven temperature: 425 degrees
Difficulty: Average


Directions

For the main dough

1. Put 1/2 c. of water, yeast, and sugar into a large food processor and process enough to mix. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Add flour and salt and begin processing dough.

3. With processor running, pour in remaining 1-1/2 c. water and process 30 seconds.

4. Turn the dough onto a board with additional flour and knead. After 2-3 minutes of kneading, the dough should be smooth but strong.

NOTE: The best way I have for letting the bread rise is to turn the dishwasher on and run it for 5 minutes. Then turn off the machine, very important, so you do not shut the door and start the water squirting all over. This will let the steam and the heat rise the dough very very quickly and efficiently. This is a home version of the professional bakeries steam proofer. The other way is to put a wet clean towel in the drier and run it for 5 minutes, then shut it off, and put the bread in the drier.

5. Put the dough in a large bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap, or a cotton towel, or a plastic container with a lid, and let rise in a warm place for 3 hours.

NOTE: The long rise is for developing the flavors in the bread. Some breads rise for 1 to 4 days to make the flavors in the artisan breads, just to give you an idea compared to the 1 hour you are normally used to.

6. When risen, the dough should have doubled in volume. Bring the sides of the dough to the center and knead gently to deflate and make it into a ball.


For the country French bread

1. Roll the dough tightly on itself into a ball, then press and mold it into a large oval-shape loaf (11"x6") with the seam underneath. You do this by tucking under the bread as you make a smooth top.

2. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick mat. Sprinkle cornmeal on the mat, and place the loaf in the center of the sheet.

3. Let rise at room temperature for 1-1/2 to 2 hours in a proof box. It is important for bread dough to be left to rise in an area that is fairly warm, draft-free, and moist.

NOTE: To make a proof box, cut the top off a cardboard box large enough to accommodate the baking sheet holding your formed loaf. Insert the box into a large plastic garbage bag, and close the bag. Alternatively, turn a large cardboard box or plastic bin upside down over the proofing bread.

NOTE: NOTE: NOTE: NOTE: NOTE: NOTE: NOTE: NOTE:
I hope you know this is important. Catch on yet, garbage bags have an insecticide put in the plastic. If you want to get sick, put any of your food in a garbage bag so it touches the food. You will be spraying insecticide on your tongue. Hope you learn this one the easy way.

4. Preheat oven to 425°.

5. Sprinkle the loaf with flour from a sieve.

6. Using a razor blade, make a few slashes to the top on the diagonal.

7. Carefully slide the baking pad onto the hot bread stone and bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours. During the first 10 minutes of baking, create steam by spraying water into the oven at 3-minute intervals.

8. When the bread is brown and hollow-sounding, remove it from the oven and let cool 1 hour before slicing.


For the baguettes

1. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Press and extend each piece of dough into a log 8 inches long, then pinch the sides together along the entire length of each log to create a seam on one side. Using both hands, roll and extend each dough strip into an 18 inch baguette.

2. Transfer baguettes to a baking sheet lined with a nonstick mat coated with cornmeal.

3. Roll 1 baguette in the cornmeal and arrange it and other baguettes at equally spaced intervals on the sheet.

4. Slide the tray into the proof box for 1 hour in a warm kitchen.

5. Remove baguettes and sprinkle two loaves (not the one rolled in cornmeal) with flour from a sieve.

6. With a razor or a serrated knife, score the surface of the baguettes.

7. Slide the pad and baguettes onto the hot stone and bake for 30-40 minutes, spraying some waters in the oven after 1-2 minutes to create steam. Repeat spraying again 3-4 minutes later.

8. When cooked, the loaves should be brown and crusty. Remove, and cool completely on a rack before slicing.


Serve with

Make bruschetta.

Use with any great meal.

Serve hot with alot of garlic butter.


Variations

*Roll in a seed you like, like sesame seed, poppy seed, or anything.

*Add cheese, dried fruits rehydrated, pieces of smoked ham, or anything you like.