French Bread

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Mix yeast and 1/2 cup warm water (optional honey) in bowl and set aside 5 minutes until the yeast is bubbly

Step 2

Mix four and salt in a large bowl, add bubbly yeast and remaining cup of water. Mix throughly. may need to add more water as needed. When tacky turn dough out onto a flour surface and continue kneeding together. form a large ball. Set in bowl and cover with towel allow to rise double in size, about 2 hours.

Step 3

Punch down and scale the dough into units weighing about 10 oz and roll it into a ball, set aside while the remaining dough is portioned

Step 4

Starting with your first portion, flatten the rounded, relaxed dough with your hands into an oval shape and lengthen it.

Step 5

use a rolling pin to flatten the dough. If the dough shrinks, allow it to rest 5 minutes and try again. Roll the dough into a log along the longest side and seal the seams well making each baguette style loaf. Repeat with the remaining units

Step 6

dust a pan with cornmeal and place the bread seam side down

Step 7

Cut diagonal slashes on the tops of the dough. Allow the loaves to rise until they're slightly puffy . The loaves should certainly look lighter and less dense than when you first shaped them, but won't be anywhere near doubled in bulk. about 45 minutes

Step 8

Preheat the oven to 400. place a pan of water on the lower rack

Step 9

put the bread pan in the oven, caution hot steam will escape the oven when you open it! steam the bread for 10 minutes and then remove the pan of water

Step 10

continue to bake the bread until nicely browned