French bread just needs to be homemade. The stuff in the store is so… airy. This is worth the effort! I first learned to make French bread in 4-H foods class. It’s best eaten fresh, but makes fabulous toast and French toast a day or two later!
Easy French Bread
- 7-7½ cups unbleached flour (I usually use 2-3 cups white whole wheat flour in there.)
- 2 packages (about 4½-5 teaspoons) yeast
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 2½ cups very warm water
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- cornmeal
- 1 egg white
In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add butter to warm water; stir until melted. Add to the dry ingredients.
Beat on low until combined, then beat for 3 minutes at a high speed.
Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rice until double. Punch down and divide in half. Let dough rest 10 minutes.
Roll each half into a rectangle. Roll up tightly (like you would cinnamon rolls); seal well. Taper ends and turn them under.
Place each loaf diagonally, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal. Gash tops diagonally.
Beat the egg white until foamy. Add 1 Tablespoon water to egg white. Brush tops and sides of loaves. Cover; let rise until double.
Put a shallow dish (I use a pie pan) of water on the bottom oven rack. Bake the bread on the next shelf at 375° for 20 minutes.
Brush again with egg white and bake 20 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
*** French bread is a delicious side for Italian dishes, tastes great along with soups (especially stews) and makes the best toast ever!
I love homemade bread, and I’m always looking for a good recipe. I just made some and it’s rising as I type!
This is an awesome recipe! Thanks so much for sharing…
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it.
Do you happen to have a whole wheat with or without seeds(think for toast and sandwiches) recipe for people without bread machines? I can’t seem to find a good one.
If I ever perfect a good one, I’ll let you know! Whole wheat bread is hard to get right. You might try Tammy’s Recipes.
This looks really good. Wonder if it could be mixed in a bread machine? I can’t knead for long periods anymore.
I made french bread today to go with this:
http://susieshomemade.blogspot.com/2010/12/zuppa-osso-buco.html
This bread would make the best garlic bread. Thanks!
I made this tonight and I was very impressed! I did not have any cornmeal, so I skipped that part. It turned out perfect. We had ours with Chicken Alfredo pasta. And… I had a slice slathered with butter and honey for dessert. Oh, I love my carbs!
Amy, could you freeze this unbaked at some point? Thanks!
Then did you toast some this morning for breakfast? That’s MY favorite.
I’ve never tried freezing the dough, but If I did, I think I’d try freeing a fully shaped loaf and letting it rise overnight.
I freeze sandwich bread loaves–shaped, after the first rise. Then just let rise on the cupboard until they are not cold and start rising again. Works for me!
Soooo I tried freezing and it did not work for me:( The loaves came out very flat. I think I will just bake first and then freeze. Two other questions… what do you cover your dough with when it’s rising? I have used a damp towel, but the dough rises up onto the towel and then it’s almost impossible to get off. I’m weirdly scared to put plastic wrap in my oven (I turn it on for a few minutes and then turn it off to get my warm place to rise). Any suggestions? Also, do you bake both loaves at the same time or one at a time? Thanks!
I don’t cover my dough at all when it’s rising. I do that same oven method, also. I have baked both loaves at the same time, and just rotate the racks.
Ok, am I the most annoying commenter or what? Any suggestions on keeping the bread fresh? It’s amazing fresh out of the oven and a few hours after. But it seems like no matter what I do, it gets stale the next day. Thanks!
Ha! Not at all annoying, and a valid question. Truly, though, I prefer to just use it up quickly. In the day or two after it’s baked, I prefer it as french toast or regular toast. Day-old french bread makes the BEST TOAST EVER! (Oh, and croutons. Make croutons with it!) I think I’m going to write a “what to do with day-old french bread post.
I make our family’s bread too, hope you can get back into it when things settle down a little…….well, do they ever really settle down? No, but we somehow learn to juggle even more things, lol
Thanks for the recipe- I’ve never used the water in the pan thing, so I’m going to try it tomorrow. You’re so right, most “French” bread in the store is blah :/
Hi was just wondering how much flour should be left over or if any??
It all depends on what kind of flour you use and how humid it is in your area. I’m also told that altitude may affect how much flour you need. I wrote the recipe to use all of the flour, but you certainly don’t want a heavy, stiff dough, so just add a little at a time toward the end until the dough is easy to knead and not sticky. Hope that helps!
Yes it does thank you. This was the first bread I ever made and didn’t know altitude hindered it. we are above by 1,000 here in Co so I guess that’s why I didnt need it all. thanks again
For the 2nd bake, do you keep the water in there, or remove it? Thanks, I can’t wait to try this recipe!
I leave the water in the whole time. Don’t know if that’s the “right” answer, but it’s what I’ve always done.