Crusty French Bread

4.5(9)

I adore this recipe for it's simplicity and versitility! I have added everything from cinnamon sugar to garlic and cheese to this bread, and it still turns out beautifully every single time! If you have the time, this bread really benefits if allowed one single, overnight rise covered in the fridge. The yeast flavors develop perfectly, and the texture is much nicer.

by Wildflower5656·published 2007-07-11

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Yeast Breads

Servings

2 loaves, 20 serving(s)

Total time

2h 10m

prep 10 min

Calories / serving

86 kcal

Ingredients (5)

serves

3 1/2 cups flourflour
1 1/4 cups water, lukewarmwater
1 teaspoon saltsalt
2 tablespoons sugarsugar
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeastyeast

Instructions (7 steps)

01Proof the yeast in the water and sugar.
02Knead in salt and flour until dough is well-developed.
03Let rise until double in size.
04Knead down gently, and allow to rise again.
05Form dough into two loaves and drop into greased bread pans. Allow to rise again.
06Bake at 400* until the loaves pull away from the pan edges, and sound hollow when tapped.
07*For really beautiful loaves, egg wash each toward the end of baking time with 1 well-beaten egg plus 1 TB of water.*.

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