For people who love to eat bread more than rice, here is a simple recipe and tips on how to make French bread. French bread is a delectable addition to a meal. The thick crust and the soft inside make for a truly authentic French bread. There are many kinds of French bread depending on their size and shape. Read on to find out!

 

The French word baguette means “little stick”. A baguette is longer than it is wider. It can be a meter long and be only five to six centimeters wide. The shorter baguettes are called demi-baguettes. There are also long loaves which are thicker called flutes, while the thinner version of the flute is the ficelle.

Here is a simple recipe for the baguette which I got from Squidoo.

 

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup water (or a little more, depending on the type of bread machine you are using).
3 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Red Star brand active dry yeast

Method

Put all the ingredients in your bread pan. Select the dough setting. When the cycle ends, allow the dough to rise for one additional hour. At that time, punch down the dough and let it rise in the machine for yet another hour. Then remove the dough onto a floured kneading board. Shape it into a ball then flatten it using just your hands.

Line a wicker basket with a kitchen towel and flour the towel. Be sure to use a basket that's twice the size of your dough. Put the dough in the basket. Do not cover. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

When double in bulk, turn the dough upside down onto a greased baking sheet, or for best results, use an authentic baguette pan.

Take a sharp knife, and being careful not to flatten the loaf, make four slashes across the top, resembling a # sign.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Put a cup of boiling water in a small pan which you place on the bottom shelf. Put dough in oven and bake for twenty minutes.

Remove and cool on rack for at least sixty minutes before you slice it. To keep the crust crisp, avoid storing it in a plastic wrap.

 

Source:

http://www.squidoo.com/frenchbread

Here are also several tips to remember when you make your homemade French bread.

Make sure to use the best ingredients. Wouldn’t you want to get French bread right on the first try? Then don’t scrimp on the ingredients. Consider the quality of your flour and yeast. Yeast, even if it has not reached the expiration date yet, can rise up and turn bad. So make sure that the yeast you are using is good.

 

Also take note of the salt you will be using. Kosher salt or other special salts may be better.

 

Be patient. You should allow plenty of time for the rising and baking of your French bread especially if it is your first time to try making your own. French bread should rise for a minimum of three times in order to attain those air bubbles which make it soft and chewy on the inside, and crunchy on the outside.