Rustic French Bread Recipes

RUSTIC FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Combine yeast, warm water and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for about 5 minutes for yeast activation.
• Add half of the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Fit your mixer with dough hook and begin to knead over medium-low speed. Add remaining flour and continue to knead until dough just comes together. Dough will be sticky at this point.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured bowl and cover with a clean towel. Let dough rise for 2 hours. Transfer dough to a generously floured piece of parchment paper or cutting board and gently form dough into a smooth ball. Sprinkle top of dough with more flour, then cover with a large bowl (like a dome) and let rise for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place dutch oven with lid into the oven to preheat for 20 minutes prior to baking bread. * If you don't have a dutch oven, use a baking sheet but don't preheat the sheet.
• Score top of bread with a very sharp knife. Very carefully transfer dough with parchment paper (or by itself if not using parchment paper) to the hot dutch oven. Bake bread for 30 minutes with the lid on, then carefully remove lid and bake for another 20 minutes until top is nice and golden. *If using a baking sheet, bake for 35 minutes. Internal temperature of bread should be about 210 degrees.
• Remove bread from oven and carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Once cooled, slice and serve! Store bread in a storage bag or container on the counter for up to 3-5 days.

RUSTIC FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Plan on making sponge first.
• I use active yeast and mix with water first to proof it. After 5 minutes, mix in flour with plastic or wood utensil until starter leaves side of bowl. I like to use a glass mason jar with lid. Let sit at least 6 hours in warm place until it triples, refrigerate if not using right away(take out and leave at room temperature for an hour before use).
• Mix in 4 1/2 cups of flour (I used 2 cups whole wheat and the rest white), water, sponge starter, salt. Knead for about 10 minutes. Dough should be sticky, but not stick to your hands. Place in lightly oiled bowl and turn over once to coat.
• Let rise until double in bulk (about 2-3 hours).
• Punch down and shape into 2 loaves on 2 cookies sheets dusted with flour.
• Place in warm place (I heat oven alittle and place in it .)Let rise until double.
• Preheat oven to 450. Place a small pan on lower shelf to hold 2 cups of boiling water. Score top of loaves with and x.
• Place boiling water in pan on lower shelf, place loaves on center shelf and bake for 40 minutes. I baked mine for 30. Bottom of bread should sound hollow. I agree as stated by reviewer, 450 degree was too high a temperature for full 40 minutes. I baked until golden brown all over for 30 minutes, turned off oven with bread inside for last 10 minutes directly on rack.
• Turn off oven and let sit for 10 minutes to develop crust. Take out and let cool off on cooling rack. I served with my recipe for roasted garlic.

EFFORTLESS RUSTIC BREAD

Steps:

• Mix water, yeast, and salt together in a large bowl until mixture becomes foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir flour into yeast mixture until well incorporated. The dough will be loose and look wet. Cover bowl loosely with a damp towel and let sit for about 5 hours.
• Shape dough into 2 loaves using damp hands. Place loaves on a cornmeal-dusted work surface and score the tops a few times with a sharp knife. Allow loaves to double in size, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place loaves on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven, spraying the surface of the dough occasionally with water, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

MARIANNE BAGUETTE - TRADITIONAL RUSTIC FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Put the ingredients into the bread machine. Set to the dough programme and start. Grease a large baking tray & Pre-heat oven to 220C/400°F.
• Once the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured surface and punch it down to deflate it. Shape dough into two long "baguette" shaped loaves and place on the baking sheet. Cover loosely with lightly oiled cling-film and leave to rise for about 30 minutes until doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, place an oven proof bowl containing water on the bottom of the oven to heat up. (About 250mls).
• Sprinkle top of dough with flour, then using a sharp knife cut 5 diagonal small slits across the tops of the baguettes.
• Bake for 15 minutes then reduce temperature to 190C/375F and bake for a further 10 - 15 minutes. (If they start browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil on top.).
• Transfer to wire rack to cool.
• Eat immediately.

TRADITIONAL ARTISAN STYLE BAGUETTE - RUSTIC FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Place the yeast, honey and warm water in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the salt and the flour. Use a wooden spoon to stir 2 cups of the flour mixture into the yeast mixture; stir in the remaining flour mixture (dough will be stiff).
• Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead with floured hands until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. Add a little flour, 1 tablespoon at a time as necessary, to prevent dough from sticking.
• Place in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap (or a clean kitchen towel) and leave to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
• Gently punch dough down to deflate it and shape into two oblong baguettes. Dust tops lightly with flour and place on a lightly greased baking sheet; let rise uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Use a serrated knife to cut 3-5 small diagonal slits across the tops of the baguettes, and lightly sprinkle with cool water.
• Bake in the middle of oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• Best eaten the same day.