Community Pick
The Ultimate French Bread
photo by Anonymous
- Ready In:
- 1hr 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 11
- Yields:
-
1 long loaf
- Serves:
- 10-12
ingredients
- 1 1⁄4 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 1⁄2 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon yeast
-
CRUNCHY CRUST GLAZE
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
-
SOFT CRUST GLAZE
- 1 egg
- water, beaten
-
SILKY CRUST GLAZE
- 1 egg
- milk, beaten
directions
- Add to bread machine according to owner's manual (my machine does liquids first); program for DOUGH or MANUAL.
- At the end of the cycle, place on lightly floured surface, rolling into a large rectangle; start at the longest end and roll up tightly, pressing seams and tapering each end, tucking under.
- Place loaf on a greased baking sheet or stone; cover and let rise for one hour until doubled.
- Near end of rising time, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Mix glaze ingredients in a small bowl; brush over loaf generously; snip three diagonal slashes over the top (optional).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, top will be golden brown.
- VARIATIONS: After rolling dough into a rectangle, (1) sprinkle with grated cheese [cheddar is delicious], or (2) generously brush with melted butter & sprinkle some aromatic herbs, or (3) spoon leftover marinara sauce close to the edges, -- then roll up tightly and pinch edges; continue as described in Step #3.
- VARIATION #2: Mince one small onion (about 1/4 cup) and add to wet ingredients.
- CREATIVE SUGGESTION: Shape into a round loaf instead of the usual long loaf.
- BABY FRENCH BREAD LOAFLETS: Divide dough ball into 12 balls, tapering to make mini-loaves; bake 15-20 minutes--watch carefully!
- FRENCH TWIST: Divide dough into 3 pieces, rolled into 14-16" ropes. Lay them on pan and braid in usual fashion, tuck ends under, stretch out a bit if need be; brush with 2 T. melted butter; cover & rise for about 30 minutes; brush with glaze, bake 20-25 minutes--watch carefully.
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Reviews
-
This is a wonderful and easy recipe. I don't have a bread machine so I used my Kitchenaid mixer. I put everything in the bowl except the flour and let the yeast become active (when it bubbles) before adding the bread flour. I mixed it on low for 6 min. and then rolled it out as directed. Simple and comes out great every time. I have made it 3 times now and even sprinkled garlic powder inside with some melted butter. YUMMMM. Thanks so much for posting.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p><img src=http://pages.prodigy.net/indianahawkeye/newpage21/10.gif alt=/ /> <>< wife & mother of seven (four adopted foster children grown up now & three biologicals)--my baby(!!!) is a 12th grader! ... plus five grandkids (ages 5 - 21 y.o.); been married 34 years now to the *same wonderful <>< man.* .....</p>
<p>Love cooking and being the happy little home-maker. .....</p>
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<p>..... as well as quilting, writing, flower-gardening, and home-organizing, ...and very active in our <>< church, Bible study, teaching, and singing alto in choir. Plan to get back to writing and earning money at it! AND I work as a virtual assistant--check out www.elance.com for more info on VA-ing.</p>
<p><<<<<***God is good!***>>>>><br /> <br /><strong><em>. . . C O N T E S T S . . . </em></strong><br /> <br />My little Rosebud Cottage was a winner in the Basic Category in the 2009 Gingerbread House-Making Contest. </p>
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<p>I entered my mother-in-law's excellent recipe in the contest (Recipe #241146) and won the Family Friendly category! <br /><img src=http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c99/ruemke/ff.jpg alt=/ /></p>
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<p>My gastronomically GROOVIN' team mates are the lovely and talented Team Captain: CraftScout #463202, our equally talented & hip CookBook Guru (staying in the 70's mode) JackieOhNo! #386585, and a slew of Gnome-warriors including Gandalf The White #167236, Az G 946146, kellychris #416985, luvcook'n #308434, Axe #310749, NELady #743849, and sarahubasics #744296 <br /> <br />WE TOOK 5TH PLACE (no thanks to me---I was along for the ride, but unfortunately didn't get to participate very much--with an emergency trip to Montana!)!!!! <br /><img src=http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa130/nowsonexitmusic/bumbag5.gif?t=1211686551 alt=/ /> <br />My fellow hagsters included AmandaInOz, <br />CaliforniaJan, DreamoBway (Christina), JanuaryBride (Jen), JCC (Janice), jkoch960 (also Janice!), megnbrycesmom (Holly), Queenofcamping (Karen), and our lovely team captain Leggy Peggy. <br /> <br />My floozeriffic Fantabulous Friendly Foodie Floozy team-mates included captain Chef #28729 (Iowa), Chef #37036 (Texas), Chef #37449 (No. Carolina), Chef #107135 (Nebraska), Tina Chef #222055, Chef #337668 (Colorado), Chef #448342 (Colorado), Chef #306797 (Australia), and Leanne Chef #416807 (Canada). ...June/July 2007 <br /> <br /><strong>. . . M Y . . T H R E E . . C H E F S . . . </strong><br /> <br />2009 (November) <img src=http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/kiwidutch/my3chefs2009final-1.jpg alt=/ />My themes were Rise-n-Shine Breakfast and Autumn Suppers OAMC <br /> <br />2008 (Summer) <img src=http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e110/flower753/Food/my3chefs2008Small.jpg alt=/ /> My themes were Ruh! Ruh! Rhubarb! and Sparrow Guts! and Quick Fix: Pizza For Lunch! <br /> <br />2007 (June) <br />My themes were <br />*Picnic & Lunch Box Snacks* <br />*Canning Up Summer's Bounty* <br /> <br /><strong>. . . P I C K - A - C H E F . . . </strong><br /> <br />PAC Autumn '09 <br /><img src=http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/ZaarNicksMom/Animation6.gif alt=/ /><img src=http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/ZaarNicksMom/PACsticker-Adopted.jpg alt=/ /> <br />My children were Chef #1273716 and chef #321816; my mother was Chef #226863. <br /> <br />PAC Spring '09.... <br /><img src=http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/MrsTeny/Permanent%20Collection/PACSpring09Participation.jpg alt=/ /><img src=http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/MrsTeny/Permanent%20Collection/PACSpring09Iwasadopted.jpg alt=/ /> <br />I adopted Chef #176481 and Chef #892963. I then had a late-in-PAC baby named Chef #619505.... And I was adopted by Mom2Rose!!! <br /> <br />PAC Autumn '08 ... <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/PACfall08partic.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/IWasAdoptedfall08.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /> <br />My small family included Chef #434123; and then I got myself adopted by Chef #361931(my sheep-mother, NOT my step mother!). :rofl: <br /> <br />PAC Spring '08 ... <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/PAC08Main.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/adoptedspring08.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /> <br />My children Chef #797028, Chef #532407, Chef #28177, Chef #510821, Chef #356933 & Chef #429493 and from the preemie nursery I picked up Chef #488944 and Chef #665370. Charlotte J was my little mother! <br /> <br />PAC Autumn '07 ... <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/smPACp.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/Adopted1smp.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /> My children were Chef #179488 from KY, Chef #207616 from NC, Chef #38901 from TX...and from the newborn nursery Chef #351525 and Chef #21667, and my littlest one is Chef #469264 all the way from the Philippines! And I was adopted by Chef #451700 over in Norway! She took the MOST beautiful pictures of my recipes!!! <br /> <br />PAC Spring '07 . . . <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/pacbanner.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/200_PACpic.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /> My children included Chef #396078, Chef #402846, Chef #37593, Chef #122993, Chef #48439 from the Newborn Nursery, Chef #321820, Chef #59476, Chef #293042, Chef #236959, and Chef #196248. ... I was adopted by Chef #186802 <br /><br /> <br /></p>