Crusty French Bread

By á-3948

Start your dough in your bread mixer and then let rise and in the oven it goes!

Ingredients

• Brush with:
• 2 cups of warm water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 6 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• Cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp water

Preparation

Step 1

Place all dough ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed. Select the dough cycle and press start.

Once the bread machine stops (1 1/2 hrs). Remove the pan from the bread machine and punch the dough down (deflate it), then cover and let it rise a second time, until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Remove the dough and place it on a floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Use a sharp knife and cut the dough into two equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle. Roll up jelly roll fashion and pinch the seam together. Tuck the ends underneath. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place the bread on the prepared baking sheet; cover and let rise until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Carefully make several evenly placed diagonal cuts (with a sharp knife) on top of each loaf. Beat together the egg white and 1 tablespoon of water then brush over each loaf with a pastry brush.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Enjoy.

*I was rushing and skipped the egg wash, it still turned out great just didn't have the golden brown color*

Recipe adapted from For the Love Cooking Blog by Alexis AKA MOM 3/9/11.