Unfailing Unflappable French Bread ( Jane Ruhmkorff via her Aunt Margaret Batjer Jennings)
2 envelopes of dry yeast
2 1/2 cups hot water ( not tepid nor scalding)
1 Tbl salt
2 Tbl sugar
6-7 cups bread flour
Put the yeast and 1/2 cup of the hot water into small bowl. Stir and add a little sugar. This is proofing the yeast.
In a large bread bowl put the salt, the sugar and about half the flour. Stir until well blended. Add the 2 cups of hot water.
By this time the yeast should be proofed. If it is bubbly, add this mixture to the flour/salt/sugar/water mixture. Add the rest of the floour ( about 3 cups) until you have none sticky dough.
When the dough can be comfortably handled, place on counter or board and knead for about 5 minutes. Keep hands lighlty floured to keep from sticking. Sufficient kneading is done whendough becomes smooth and elastic and leaves the board clean. ( It should be about ear lobe consistency ;-) ).
Wash the bread bowl, dry and grease with Pam or salad oil. Put dough in greased bowl, then turn over so the greased side is up. Aim for a low, flat mound rather than a high ball of dough. This will facilitate rising.
Let rise on a wooden board in oven that has been pre-heated to 170 degrees ( the lowest temperature!). When the bowl of dough has been placed in the oven, turn the oven off and close the door. The temperature for rising should not exceed 110 F.
After the bowl of dough is set to rise, set the time for an hour.
Go Away. ;-)
Remove the bread from the warm surroundings in which it has been residing for an hour. Turn on the oven again to 170 and leave the board in the oven.
Punch the raised dough down several times to release the air and place on alightly floured board or counter. Divide into four parts ( for two baguette pans) or 3 parts for a two-loaf baguette pan and cookie sheet for third loaf.
Work each piece of dough into a long, even, smooth rope or loaf about 2 inches shorter than the pans.
With a very sharp knife, slash each rope of dough with 5 or 6 half inch diagonal cuts. Quickly brush the loaves with salad oil or milk or egg white thinned with a tiny amount of water. Lightly oil the pans and place the loaves in the pans. Be sure to brush inside the slashes you have made.
Let the bread rise in the pans in the oven. Be sure to turn the oven off after pans are in to rise.
The loaves should rise to the top of the baquette pans in 35 - 45 minutes.
Remove the pans and the boards from the oven. Pre-heat to 400 deg.
Bake at 400 deg for 15 minutes and reduce to 350 and bake for 20 minutes longer or until bread is well browned.
Remove from oven and take out of pans at once.
- provided with large yellow porcelain bowl as a wedding gift. Thanks Jane - we still remember.
2 1/2 cups hot water ( not tepid nor scalding)
1 Tbl salt
2 Tbl sugar
6-7 cups bread flour
Put the yeast and 1/2 cup of the hot water into small bowl. Stir and add a little sugar. This is proofing the yeast.
In a large bread bowl put the salt, the sugar and about half the flour. Stir until well blended. Add the 2 cups of hot water.
By this time the yeast should be proofed. If it is bubbly, add this mixture to the flour/salt/sugar/water mixture. Add the rest of the floour ( about 3 cups) until you have none sticky dough.
When the dough can be comfortably handled, place on counter or board and knead for about 5 minutes. Keep hands lighlty floured to keep from sticking. Sufficient kneading is done whendough becomes smooth and elastic and leaves the board clean. ( It should be about ear lobe consistency ;-) ).
Wash the bread bowl, dry and grease with Pam or salad oil. Put dough in greased bowl, then turn over so the greased side is up. Aim for a low, flat mound rather than a high ball of dough. This will facilitate rising.
Let rise on a wooden board in oven that has been pre-heated to 170 degrees ( the lowest temperature!). When the bowl of dough has been placed in the oven, turn the oven off and close the door. The temperature for rising should not exceed 110 F.
After the bowl of dough is set to rise, set the time for an hour.
Go Away. ;-)
Remove the bread from the warm surroundings in which it has been residing for an hour. Turn on the oven again to 170 and leave the board in the oven.
Punch the raised dough down several times to release the air and place on alightly floured board or counter. Divide into four parts ( for two baguette pans) or 3 parts for a two-loaf baguette pan and cookie sheet for third loaf.
Work each piece of dough into a long, even, smooth rope or loaf about 2 inches shorter than the pans.
With a very sharp knife, slash each rope of dough with 5 or 6 half inch diagonal cuts. Quickly brush the loaves with salad oil or milk or egg white thinned with a tiny amount of water. Lightly oil the pans and place the loaves in the pans. Be sure to brush inside the slashes you have made.
Let the bread rise in the pans in the oven. Be sure to turn the oven off after pans are in to rise.
The loaves should rise to the top of the baquette pans in 35 - 45 minutes.
Remove the pans and the boards from the oven. Pre-heat to 400 deg.
Bake at 400 deg for 15 minutes and reduce to 350 and bake for 20 minutes longer or until bread is well browned.
Remove from oven and take out of pans at once.
- provided with large yellow porcelain bowl as a wedding gift. Thanks Jane - we still remember.
posted by wonderpfahl | 11:14 AM
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