Warm carbs!

My dearest and best friend, Denise, introduced me to a bread recipe soon after we met. They had just moved into the area and invited Papa Smurf and I over for supper.  Denise is an amazingly good cook.  She served us delicious homemade soup and this wonderful homemade bread, soft on the inside with a thin crusty edge.  She assured me that I could easily make this bread.  I have always been quite intimidated by anything that called for yeast but wished I would be able to bake bread. When the bread machines came out it was the bomb but it was never quite what I had in mind.

Denise's recipe was an instant hit with me because I didn't need to have special flour in the house - it uses plain ole' all purpose flour. It doesn't require kneading - just a little stir every 10 minutes. And instead of a bread machine, and all it's parts and the room needed on my kitchen counter, it uses much less time and only a french bread pan. And trust me, if I can make this bread - ANYONE can!

I've been making this bread for a few years now and I give a loaf of it to each employee on their birthday - who doesn't like warm carbs?!  And unless I need both loaves on the same day for birthdays we get a loaf of our own to enjoy at home. 

You don't need to use one of these french bread pans .....

(of course, my friend, Denise gave me my pan.)

but the pans will give you bread that looks like this instead of flat, broad bread.

Dissolve 2 pkg. active yeast into 1/2 c. warm water. I buy bulk yeast, keep it in my freezer and use 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast.

Select a non-metal bowl that you will mix the dough in and also allow it to rise. Put these ingredients in the bowl:

3 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1/3 cup oil

2 cups hot water

Using a wooden spoon, stir well.

(Sorry, my bread making bowl happens to be white - not so great for picture taking.)

Stir in the yeast mixture.

Add 3 more cups of flour and stir.

Leave spoon in batter and allow dough to rest 10 minutes.

Stir down batter and let rest another 10 minutes.  Repeat this step for a total of  5 times.

(Stir, rest 10 minutes, stir, Rest, stir, Rest, stir, Rest, stir, Rest)

 

After the last stir down turn the dough onto a floored surface.  My friend, Denise, has this gorgeous handmade, multi-colored wood board that someone made for her. 

Covet thou not thy neighbors bread board.

Knead only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled.

Divide the dough into two portions.

With your hands simply work the dough into a rectangle (about 9 x 12 inches).

Roll lengthwise.

Grease the bread pan and place the dough into pan seam side down.

Cover the dough with a light weight cloth and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

With  very sharp knife, cut 3-4 diagonal gashed in each loaf.

Brush with egg white.  (give the yolk to your dog)

Bake in hot oven (400) 25-30 minutes or until crusty brown.

 

Thanks Denise.  I'm so glad God brought us together.  And though the miles now separate us you will  remain my BFF!!!!

  

~~~~~ 

Homemade French Bread

2 pkg. active dry yeaast

1/2 cup warm water

6 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups Hot water

1/2 cup oil

1 egg white, slightly beaten

1.  Dissolve yeast in warm water.

2.  Combine 3 c. flour, sugar, salt, oil and 2 c. hot water.

3.  Stir well.

4.  Stir in yeast mixture.

5.  Add remaining flour, stirring well with a heavy wooden spoon.

6.  Leave spoon in batter and allow dough to rest 10 minutes.

7.  Stir down batter and let rest another 10 minutes.

8.  Repeat step #7 four more times.

(9:00  Rest  9:10  Rest   9:20  Rest  9:30  Rest  9:40  Rest)

9.  Turn dough on to floured board.  Knead only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled.

10.  Divide into 2 equal parts.

11.  roll each part into a 12x9 rectangle.

12.  roll lengthwise and place on a greased baking sheet (or french bread pan) seam side down.

13.  Let rise in warm place for 30 minutes.

14.  With a very sharp knife, cut 3 diagonal gashes in each loaf.

15.  Brush with egg white.

16.  Bake in hot oven (400 degrees) 25 30 minutes or until crusty brown.

17.  Enjoy!