Tag Archives: French bread

Classic French Bread

 

Stop and think of the aroma of freshly baked bread.  Home-made bread is always a delight and  a treat.  This loaf of Classic French Bread is easy and not to time-consuming.  It is worth the extra effort  to have a crusty warm loaf of bread with your favorite hearty soup. Left-overs, if there are any, can be used for bruschetta and bread pudding.

Make a big pot of soup using cookbookinabox® recipes for Summer Vegetable Soup and Corn and Mushroom Chowder as hearty soups.

Loaf of Classic French Bread

Loaf of Classic French Bread

Classic French Bread

Julia Ann
A small loaf of French Bread and an easy to do.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Breads
Cuisine French
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package dry yeast 2 1/2 teaspoons

Instructions
 

  • Put the warm water and yeast into a large bowl or a mixing bowl, let stand for 5 minutes or until the yeast has bubbled on top.
  • Whisk the flour, salt and sugar into a smaller bowl.
  • Add the blended dry ingredients into the yeast mixture.
  • Stir with spoon or beat with mixer using a dough hook until blended.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured bread board or counter and knead about 5 minutes; roll into a ball.
  • Spray a large bowl with the cooking spray.
  • Put the ball of dough into the greased bowl, roll it around to coat the top side.
  • Cover, let rise in a warm place (85 F) free from drafts until doubled in size (45 minutes or hour.
  • Punch dough down and pour onto a lightly floured board or counter and shape
  • into a loaf, round or long.
  • Put it onto a greased baking sheet.
  • Cover dough into warm place until doubled in size (30 minutes +/-)
  • Preheat oven to 450F.
  • Make 2 diagonal cuts across of the top with a sharp knife.
  • Beat the water and egg white together, brush over the top of bread.
  • Bake at 450F for 20 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Notes

To have a warm place: turn the oven on warm and turn it off while bread rises.
This can also be made in a food processor. Mix the flour, salt and sugar first in the process, then add the yeast mixture. Process until dough forms a ball, process additional minute. Turn the dough out to knead for 5 minutes. This recipe is from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 1999, p 35......cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® s, bring you great recipes for your cooking experience. 2007-2018 Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox "Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off." All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Enjoy your soup and crusty Classic French Bread, Make it often.

 

cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®  bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox®  “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com. All rights reserved.

Sweet Wheat Bread, Netta Belle’s Choice

Sweet Wheat Bread is a good winter time comfort food.  Like bears, we want to hibernate too with our tummies full on cold snowy winter days.  At our house, we like fresh homemade bread.  So the past 2 weeks I have been baking breads:  panettone, French bread, peasant bread, whole wheat bread and now looking for the next new recipe.  Hot bread and butter is such a good snack with tea or coffee for a mid-morning or mid afternoon break.

Sweet Wheat Bread

Sweet Whole Wheat Bread

I have a family hand-me down 8-inch cast iron skillet I like to use for the sweet whole wheat bread and for corn bread.  When I make corn bread I put 1/4 cup of olive oil in the skillet, then heat for a 2-3 minutes before pouring it into the batter.  The hot skillet and oil makes a crisper bottom on the corn bread, a good accent to soups.

French Bread

Classic French Bread

Classic French Bread recipe was taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes, 1999, p 35.  It was good, only problem it was a small loaf.  It would not last long with a family that likes hot buttered bread.

Julia Child’s  recipe for French Bread took longer however,  made two loaves.  I used my electric mixer with the dough hook to get the dough formed, then hand kneaded.  I used the recipe from Julia Child, The Way To Cook, p.38.  Here are some photos to show few of the steps to make French Bread.  It does rise 2 times to double in volume before being formed into a loaf.

Pouring the yeast mixture into the electric mixer to stir into the flour and salt.

Pouring the yeast mixture into the electric mixer to stir into the flour and salt.

Kneading the dough

Kneading the dough

Ready for the first rise.

Ready for the first rise.

.Dough punched down after the first rise

Dough punched down after the first rise.

Second kneading before forming into loaf.

Second kneading before forming into loaf.

Forming the Frenchbread loaf.

Forming the French bread loaf.

French Bread using Julia Child's recipe.

French Bread using Julia Child’s recipe.

The Peasant Bread did not get its picture taken before cut and eaten.  The recipe was adapted from Bernard Clayton, Jr., The Complete Book of Soups and Stews, 1984, p 402. I took some liberties to change it by using half all-purpose flour, half whole wheat flour and added 2 tablespoons wheat germ.  I proofed the yeast in water hotter than the 70 degrees and let is rise in a warmer than room temperature.  The bread was a large loaf with a dense texture. It toasted well and was good for toasted cheese sandwiches.

Sweet Wheat Bread, Netta Belle's Choice

Julia Ann
A rustic country sweet wheat bread when baked in a cast iron skillet. A good accompaniment to a casual meal or with soup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Course Breads
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Instructions
 

  • Use bread machine on the dough cycle or mix and let rise the first time.
  • Put all the ingredients in bread pan in the order given, except the egg white,water and turbinado sugar.
  • Set the bread machine to go through the dough cycle. This is the primary knead cycle and a rise cycle.
  • Prepare the pan for baking: oil 8-inch cast iron skillet or 5 x 9 x 3-inch loaf pan.
  • Remove the bread from the bread machine pan after the first rise.
  • Put on a lightly floured bread board to form into desired shape or pan.
  • Cover the bread dough with a towel, set in a warm and draft free location.
  • Let dough rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
  • After the second rise, slash top of bread with sharp knife.
  • Brush the dough with the beaten egg white and water.
  • Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  • Bake 35 minutes or until brown; if it browns too fast, cover with foil.
  • Cool on rack before cutting.

Notes

This bread can also be formed into a long loaf or a round loaf to be baked on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox®
“Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.”nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com.All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® Spices, bring you great recipes, outstanding herbs and spices for your cooking experienc

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com.  All rights reserved.