Description
Bake bakery-style French bread at home. This recipe delivers a wonderfully crisp crust and a soft, airy interior, perfect for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 105-115°F)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast.
- Pour in the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix; the dough will be sticky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour. This is the first rise.
- Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces.
- Shape each piece into a long, narrow loaf, similar to a baguette. Try to create surface tension by gently pulling the dough toward you as you shape it.
- Place the shaped loaves onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them.
- Cover the loaves loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Let them proof (second rise) for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) about 20 minutes before the end of the proofing time. Place a shallow pan on the bottom rack to create steam later.
- Just before baking, use a sharp knife or razor blade to make three diagonal slashes across the top of each loaf.
- Carefully pour about 1 cup of hot water into the preheated shallow pan on the bottom rack to create steam. Quickly close the oven door.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy your artisan bread baking success!
Notes
- For an extra crispy crust, spray the oven walls with water a couple of times during the first 10 minutes of baking.
- If you want soft and fluffy French bread instead of crusty, omit the steam pan and brush the loaves lightly with melted butter immediately after removing them from the oven.
- This recipe can be adapted for a quick French bread recipe under 2 hours by using warmer water (120°F) and allowing a slightly shorter rise time if your kitchen is warm.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 0.5
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 0.5
- Saturated Fat: 0.1
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.4
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 31
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 0