French Bread

I tried this french bread recipe from the Our Best Bites cookbook last week and really loved how it turned out!  Note that you need several hours for this to raise, however.  I only noted the first raising time, and therefore started it too late.  I just let it rise in a (barely) warm oven with a pot of boiling water in there as well and it turned out in the end.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. yeast
• 1 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4-5 1/2 c. flour
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 egg, separated
• 2 Tbsp. cold water

Instructions:

Combine yeast, water, and sugar in large mixing bowl and allow to stand 10 minutes or until bubbly. Add salt, vegetable oil, and egg yolk (set white aside for later) and combine. Add 3 c. flour and mix well until combined. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that barely sticks to your finger. Knead, either by hand or in mixer (my personal and very lazy choice) for another 2-3 minutes.

Cover and allow to rise 1 hour 30 minutes.

Punch down dough. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Shape into loaf and place on greased cookie sheet.

Cover and allow to rise another 1 1/4 hours or until doubled. Keep an eye on things–if they seem like they’re getting so big that they might collapse, hurry and get them into the oven.

Preheat oven to 375. Mix egg white with water and brush over dough. Bake for 10 minutes and repeat brushing the dough with the egg wash.

Bake an additional 8-10 minutes or until bread is golden brown and your house smells like heaven.