How to Make Your Own Delicious Homemade French Bread

My family is hooked on French Bread!  They would have it EVERY night if it were up to them.  However at over $2 a loaf it can break the bank to have this fluffy,   mouthwatering white bread too often.   So I’ve been making my own for quite some time now…for Pennies!   I thought you might like to learn how to make your own delicious French Bread too!

How to Make Your Own Delicious Homemade French Bread

This is kind of an old recipe,  so I really don’t remember where I got it,  but I remember I adapted it from a bread maker recipe so if you wanted to use your bread machine you could..

It’s super easy and faster not to use a bread machine though and I use it quite often.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/8 cups warm water (about 110 degrees) This really means..warmer than warm, but not hot.
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• cornmeal to sprinkle on pan so dough doesn’t stick

Directions:

First put Water,   brown sugar and yeast in a large bowl.  Let the yeast proof (this means to get bubbly)  If your yeast is fresh this only takes about 5-10 min.

Then add Salt, Olive Oil and Flour and mix with a spoon

After that is mixed up really good..turn it out onto a clean floured surface.  I just use my counter.  Then you are ready to knead.  Kneading just means mixing more with your hands and making sure that the yeast and everything is evenly distributed.  Kneading will also determine the texture of your bread.

Don’t let kneading scare you!  LOL  All you do is Squoosh the dough together and then start fold it in half  toward you..then push down in the middle away from you.  Turn about a third of the way and do again and again.  I usually Knead for about 5 min or less.  You know that the dough is ready when it no longer sticks to the counter and it feels nice and pliable..just like play dough really 🙂

Sprinkle cornmeal onto your baking sheet.  Cornmeal works great at keeping dough from sticking to pans.  That’s bakeries often use.

Shape dough into a loaf.  Now with a pastry brush..brush water all over the loaf.  Let is rise until doubled in size..about 50 min. 

After you’ve let the dough raise,  brush with egg wash (thoroughly mixed egg)   Cut 4 slits in the top about 1/4 inch deep.

Cook at 375 Degrees for about 20 – 25 minutes.  With A Bowl of Water in Oven (this makes crust crisp)….Until golden brown.

After the bread comes out of the oven, let it rest and cool for about 1/2 hour before cutting. 

LITTLE TIPS

~If you want to have the REALLY CRUSTY BREAD,  make earlier in the day and then about 5 minutes before dinner pop into the oven again.  It will make a really nice crust.  Even if you used a bread machine for this recipe .. you can still pop in oven right before a meal and have the same results.  It becomes more like an Artisan Bread.

~You can easily double or triple this recipe.

~Bake up several loaves and freeze!  Wrap up really good for freshness.

~Top with cheeses,  sesame seeds,  garlic oil

~Also makes great Garlic Bread!

~You can also make the bread with Whole Wheat Flour.  You can do 1/2 and 1/2,  3/4 and 1/4  or all Whole Wheat.  If you do ALL Whole Wheat you may need to use just a smidge more water.

Enjoy!

What are your favorite breads?  Would you like me to feature more Bread Making?

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine French Bread

Ingredients

  

• cups •3 unbleached all-purpose flour
• tablespoon •1 brown sugar
• teaspoons •1 1/2 salt
• cups •1 1/8 warm water This really means..warmer than warm but not hot., about 110 degrees
• tablespoons •1 1/2 Olive Oil
• teaspoons •1 1/2 active dry yeast
• •1 egg
• tablespoon •1 water
• t •cornmeal to sprinkle on pan so dough doesn’ stick

Instructions

 

• First put Water, brown sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Let the yeast proof (this means to get bubbly) If your yeast is fresh this only takes about 5-10 min
• Then add Salt, Olive Oil and Flour and mix with a spoon
• After that is mixed up really good..turn it out onto a clean floured surface. I just use my counter. Then you are ready to knead. Kneading just means mixing more with your hands and making sure that the yeast and everything is evenly distributed. Kneading will also determine the texture of your bread
• All you do is Squoosh the dough together and then start fold it in half toward you..then push down in the middle away from you. Turn about a third of the way and do again and again. I usually Knead for about 5 min or less. You know that the dough is ready when it no longer sticks to the counter and it feels nice and pliable..just like play dough
• Sprinkle cornmeal onto your baking sheet. Cornmeal works great at keeping dough from sticking to pans. That’s bakeries often use.
• Shape dough into a loaf. Now with a pastry brush..brush water all over the loaf. Let is rise until doubled in size..about 50 min.
• After you’ve let the dough raise, brush with egg wash (thoroughly mixed egg) Cut 4 slits in the top about 1/4 inch deep
• Cook at 375 Degrees for about 20 – 25 minutes. With A Bowl of Water in Oven (this makes crust crisp)….Until golden brown
• After the bread comes out of the oven, let it rest and cool for about 1/2 hour before cutting

Notes

If you want to have the REALLY CRUSTY BREAD, make earlier in the day and then about 5 minutes before dinner pop into the oven again. It will make a really nice crust. Even if you used a bread machine for this recipe .. you can still pop in oven right before a meal and have the same results. It becomes more like an Artisan Bread.

~You can easily double or triple this recipe.

~Bake up several loaves and freeze! Wrap up really good for freshness.

~You can also top with cheeses, sesame seeds, garlic oil

~Also makes great Garlic Bread!

~You can also make the bread with Whole Wheat Flour. You can do 1/2 and 1/2, 3/4 and 1/4 or all Whole Wheat. If you do ALL Whole Wheat you may need to use just a smidge more water

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