There's nothing better than hot crusty French bread and the satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself!
Course: Bread
Cuisine: English
Servings: 1loaf
Ingredients
2 1/2tsp. active dry yeast(1 packet)
1 1/4c.warm water(110 degrees)
1T.granulated sugar
1 1/2tsp.salt
3c.all-purpose flour
2tsp.cornmeal
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir in sugar, salt, and 2 cups flour; mix thoroughly. Gradually add the remaining flour until the dough begins to form a ball and pull away from the side of the bowl.
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5-8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl; turn over to grease the top of the dough. Cover the bowl with clear plastic or a damp towel. Let rise in a warm place (about 80 degrees) until double, about 1 hour.
Lightly grease a baking sheet or French bread pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. Punch down dough and place on lightly floured board; knead to squeeze out air bubbles. Shape the dough into an oblong loaf. With a sharp knife, make 3 diagonal cuts on top of the loaf; place on the prepared pan. Let rise, uncovered, until double, about 45 minutes. Before baking, brush the top of the loaf with 2 teaspoons of water for a crispy crust. Or, for a shiny crust, combine egg white and 2 teaspoons of water and brush the top of the loaf.
While the bread is rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. To ensure a crisp crust, spray oven walls with water or place a shallow pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven while baking bread. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan; place on a wire rack to cool.