Arts French Bread Not Bread Machine Recipes

ART'S FRENCH BREAD (NOT BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Pour the yogurt into a fairly large pan and add the hot water.
• Put 1 Tbs yeast on one side of the bowl and 1 Tbs on the other.
• Do the same with salt and sugar.
• DO NOT STIR this mixture.
• Let set until a scummy surface is formed.
• Then add 2 cups flour and stir.
• Add 2 more cups flour and continue mixing.
• Slowly add 2 more cups flour or slightly more until the dough becomes real pasty.
• Flour a bread board and knead the dough.
• Continue to knead until the dough becomes somewhat stiff.
• Place the dough in the bowl and let rise 1 hour, then punch it down and knead it again.
• Let it rise again, then cut into 3-4 loaves and form into loaf shape.
• Spread a light film of butter on foil or a baking sheet and sprinkle corn meal over the film of butter.
• Place the loaves on the foil 1½-2" apart.
• Mix egg white with a little water and a pinch of salt and paint the loaves with this mixture.
• Score the loaves.
• Bake on middle rack of oven at 375° 30-40 minute If the loaf sounds hollow when tapped with your finger, it's done.
• 3-4 loaves.

CRUSTY FRENCH BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• In the bowl of a mixer (or by hand), whisk together 1 3/4 cups warm water and 1/2 tsp molasses until dissolved.
• In a large glass or plastic bowl, whisk together 2 1/3 cups bread flour, 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp yeast and 2 tsp salt. Add water mixture to flour mixture and mix until you have a single mass of dough. Using a dough hook or clean hands, knead dough 4 minutes. Dough should be soft and feel sticky to the touch but should not stick to clean and dry finger tips. If your dough is too sticky after kneading, add more flour a tablespoon at a time.
• Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp (69-75˚F) for 4 hours. Every hour while it rests (3 times total), with a wet hand, punch the dough down and fold it over onto itself a few times (a wet hand will keep the dough from sticking to you without adding any unnecessary flour).
• After rising a total of 4 hours, draw dough edges into the center, turn over and place in a large well-floured bowl, sprinkle the dough with flour, cover with a tea towel and let rise 1 1/2 hours at room temp.
• Meanwhile, place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet in the center of your oven. Place a cast iron pan on the bottom rack and preheat with both in the oven to 500˚F (for safety, don't use glass baking dishes at those high temps).
• Sprinkle the back of a baking sheet generously with fine semolina flour and invert your risen dough over the top of the semolina. Score the top of the dough several times. Slide dough onto preheated baking stone with the help of a spatula if needed and add 1 cup of ice cubes into the preheated cast iron pan below (making sure not to drip on any glass oven surfaces). Bake at 500˚F for 10 minutes then reduce temperature to 400˚F and continue baking 30-35 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Turn oven off, crack door open with a wooden spoon and leave bread in the oven another 10 minutes. Remove bread to a wire rack to cool and let it rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into it.

ARTISAN BASIC FRENCH BREAD AND VARIATIONS (OVERNIGHT)

Steps:

• Mix and knead (I mix and knead in my Bosch for about 5 minutes).
• Cover and let rise 12 hours.
• Divide dough into 2 pieces.
• Shape and let rise 2-3 hours (spray plastic with Pam so it won't stick when you uncover).
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees for about 30 minutes if using a baking stone (using a stone will give the best results).
• Slice tops. If you are not confident in slicing tops, slice before rising -- or dust with flour and use a very sharp knife -- you don't want the whole thing to collapse (brushing with water also works).
• For ideal results allow to rise on a pizza peel dusted with flour and make a quick transfer to stone at baking time (or if that's a little scary, let it rise on parchment paper for an easier transfer).
• Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes, with steam first 10 minutes (spray water in oven liberally about every 3 minutes or see instructions below). Round or boule shaped loaves will take ~ 30 minutes to bake.
• Best steaming method: put shallow pan on bottom rack and allow to preheat 10-15 minutes before baking bread. Pour 2 cups into pan so there will be steam throughout baking time.
• Variations:.
• ASIAGO or PEPPER CHEDDAR: Add to basic recipe 1 cup grated or cubed Asiago or 1 cup grated or cubed Cheddar and 1 1/2 t black pepper.
• BLACK OLIVE AND SWEET RED PEPPER: After first rising, knead in one sweet red roasted red pepper, thinkly sliced, and 1 cup coarsely chopped black olives (delicious with Kalamata or other deli olives if you like them!). Shape into 3 round loaves and place on cookie sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise and bake.
• FRESH ROSEMARY BREAD WITH OLIVE OIL: Substitute q cup whole wheat flour for white flour, and add in 1/4 cup olive oil to dough. After kneading, knead in 1/3 Celsius fresh rosemary leaves, chopped. Let rise overnight, Shape into 2 or 3 boules (round loaves), let rise and bake. Brush warm loaves with olive oil. also good with 1 cup sunflower seeds.
• MULTIGRAIN: Soak together 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/4 cup wheat kernels, 1/4 cup rolled barley or wheat, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1 T millet, 2 T molasses, 1/2 c more water for 20 minutes. Combine with 4 3/4 c whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups water, and 2 tsp yeast. Knead into the basic bread.
• PIZZA CRUST: use 1/3 batch for a 14-16" round pizza, 1/2 batch for a rectangular pizza on a cookie sheet.
• RYE BREAD/RYE ONION BREAD: Stir 3/4 cup water into 1 2/3 cup ry flour, let sit at least an hour. For onion bread, add in 1/2 cup chopped onion. Mix and knead this in after the first rising. Shape, let rise, and bake.
• SEEDS, WHOLE WHEAT, AND FRUIT: Before mixing dough, combine in a small bowl 1 T flaxseed, 1 T millet, 1/2 c raisins, 1/2 c chopped dried apricots, and 1/2 c chopped pitted prunes. Add enough hot water to just cover. Mix dough, subbing whole wheat flour for hal the white flour. Knead till smooth, then knead in seed and fruit, rained, as well as 1/2 c sesame seeds and 2/3 c cooked wheat kernels. Let rise overnight. Shape into 2 disks, 2" thick. Score into 6 wedges each. Let rise until nearly doubled. Bake. Serve warm or cold, plain or with jam or cream cheese.
• WHOLE WHEAT AND BARLEY: Mix 4 3/4 c whole wheat flour with 1 1/2 cups water. Add 1/2 t year and 1 cup cooked barley to basic bread dough. Shape, rise, and bake. Great for sandwiches. May also add in 1 cup chopped walnuts.