Kelsey's Foolproof French Bread

Let's Get Started!

Makes 1 LARGE loaf

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. warm water (about baby bath or bottle temp - just warmer than room temp)

• 1 Tbsp. or 1 packet of rapid rise yeast (if you live in Utah or other higher elevation, you may want to use normal active yeast instead)

• 1/4 c. sugar

  
  

In large mixing bowl, add water. Sprinkle yeast on water. Then sprinkle sugar on yeast. Don't stir, let sit for 5 mins. If the yeast gets bubbly then you know your yeast is good!

Next, add:

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil

Then add:

• 3 to 4 cups of flour (the more humid it is outside, the more flour you'll need)

• 1 1/2 tsp. salt (if using sea salt or pink himilayan salt, add extra 1/4 tsp)

TIP: Add your salt on top of the flour so that it doesn't kill the yeast in the wet mixture.

Directions

1. Add additional flour, if needed. Dough should be a little sticky but doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl or to your fingers when you touch it.

2. Knead until dough is smooth and stretchy.

3. Roll out into a rectangle or large oval (about the length of your cookie sheet).

   
   

4. Roll up length wise and add slits. **(read below if you plan to freeze your dough and cook later)

   
   

5. Put on greased or parchment lined cookie sheet (if it's too long you can put it on the pan diagnol).

   
   

6. Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 2 hours

   
   

7. FASTER RISE TIPS: (if you're in a rush, you can just let it rise for one hour, it won't be as fluffy but will be fine). Another faster rise trick is to turn your oven to 200 degrees. Once heated, turn the oven off, and put the loaf in to rise (takes about an hour).

   
   

8. Brush the entire top and sides with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water). And bake.

Bake at 375 for 20 mins.

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Did you know that you can use different washes on your bread to achieve different looks? Here's how the different washes look. I prefer the whole egg one.

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**YOU CAN FREEZE YOUR LOAVES AND BAKE THEM LATER.

If you want to do this, after step 4 above, wrap your loaves in plastic wrap and stick in the freezer. When you are ready to bake them, follow these instructions.

Frozen Bread Loaves Instructions

Takes about 6 hours total

1. Spray or place parchment papers on a cookie sheet.

2. Place loaf on each cookie sheet.

3. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise 4-5 hrs (double in size). In a rush? turn your oven to 200 degrees. Once heated, turn the oven off, and put the loaf in to rise for about 2 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (remove loaf first, if it was rising in the oven)

5. Make egg wash by mixing one egg with 1 Tbsp of water.

6. Brush over risen loaves with a pastry brush, coating all sides but the bottom that’s touching the parchment (if you don’t have a pastry brush, you can spoon it over the top and spread gently with a clean hand).

   
   

7. Bake for 20 mins (until top is golden brown).

8. Let cool.

Enjoy your bread!