Makes 2 large or 4 thin loaves French bread
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
Bread flour
Sugar
Salt
Instant yeast
Warm water
Olive oil
Tools
11 by 17-inch baking pan
Baker’s joy non-stick baking spray
Preparation of ingredients
Dry ingredients
Step 1- Add 4 cups bread flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 and 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, and 1 teaspoon salt into stand mixer bowl. Stir all ingredients with a sturdy spoon until combined.
Making the dough
Step 2- Add 1 and 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon warm water (Temp 115 degrees F.) and 1/4 cup olive oil into stand mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix on a medium- low speed or according to your stand mixer’s instructions on mixing doughs for 7 minutes. Once done the dough should slightly stick to your hands.
Forming the dough
Step 3- Lightly flour the surface of your table. Add the dough on top of the table. Add flour onto your hands and knead the dough for 2 minutes. If you have any issues with the dough sticking, incorporate the bread flour added onto your table into the dough and go from there. Form the dough into a ball. Let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 4- Press the dough down with your hands. This will release the gases caused by the yeast. Form the dough into a ball again. Cut the dough in half. If you want 4 thin sized loaves cut the ball of dough into quarter pieces.
Forming the loaves and letting the dough rise
Step 5- Spray your 11 by 17-inch baking pan with the Baker’s joy non-stick baking spray.
Step 6- Lightly flour the surface of your table with the bread flour. Add the first piece of dough on top of the table. Form the dough into a rectangle. Roll and stretch the dough outwards with your hands until the dough reaches 17-inches in length. Do the same thing to all the other pieces of dough. Once done you should have 2 large or 4 thin pieces of dough that’s 17-inches long.
Step 7- Place the dough pieces onto an 11 by 17-inch baking pan. Cut diagonal slits at the top of each loaf of dough using a serrated knife. Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 35 minutes.
Baking the bread
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 8- Place the bread into a preheated 425-degree oven on the middle rack. Bake for 15 minutes. When the baking time is up, remove the bread from the oven.
Step 9- Let the bread cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. When you first remove the bread from the oven. Tap the top of each loaf of bread. It should have a hollow sound. The bread will be hard when your first remove it from the oven but will soften as it cools.
YouTube instructional video
