"French Bread"

My favorite after school treat was homemade bread.  Just the smell of fresh baked bread can cure a lot of things; eating it- now that does wonders for the soul!  My boys devour homemade bread.  If you don't bake a lot, no worries- this bread is super easy.  We call this "French Bread" at our house because of how it's shaped and the slits on top.

RECIPE

2 1/2 C. warm water
2 TBL yeast
3 TBL sugar
1 TBL salt
1/3 C. oil
6 1/2 C. bread flour

* In a Kitchen Aid (using the dough hook attachment), measure out the yeast and sugar.  Add the warm water (I put mine in a glass measuring cup and microwave it until it's warm, about 20-30 seconds) and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Add the salt, oil and flour.  Let it knead for 6-8 minutes.  Grease a large bowl.  Using a plastic spatula, scoop the dough out into your greased bowl.  Cover with saran wrap and let it rise until doubled in size (about 45 min).  Punch down the dough and knead out the remaining air bubbles on a floured surface; then divide the dough in half.  Roll the dough into a 10X13 rectangle.  Roll the long end up, jelly roll style, and pinch the seam together.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and pinch and tuck each end so it has a finished look.  Cut 4 diagonal slits 1/4" deep across the top with a sharp knife, egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).  Spray a piece of Saran wrap and cover the bread.  Repeat with the second piece of dough.  Let them raise until doubled in size (again, about 40 minutes).  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Remove the bread from the pan immediately and place on a cooling rack.  Let it cool for 8-10 minutes before cutting.  

Tips:

• Bread flour makes a difference.  If you don't have it, just use regular flour.  
  
• Get a good seam so it will hold together while baking.  When I make bread with other people, they are always so gentle with the dough- I tell them bread doesn't have feelings- pinch away!  
  
• For the egg wash, just mix an egg yolk and 1 tsp water together and gently brush it on the dough.  (I never do this step when I make it for our family cause I'm lazy.  As you can see from the pictures, I was lazy again!)  
  
  
  
  
  I never sprinkle cornmeal on the pan to cook the bread on-but you can if you want a more authentic feel to it.
• We call this french bread even though it doesn't keep that hard outer shell after it bakes.  It softens (and wrinkles) as it cools.  You have to put a pan with water in the oven below the bread to get that crispy outer shell.
• I'm weird about homemade bread- it has to be eaten out of the oven for that soul healing effect.  It's good for sandwiches the next day and makes great french toast on the third day.  If you haven't eaten it all by then, go feed the ducks!
• You can half the recipe if it's just you and the hubby for dinner.
• If you and bread don't get along, try this trick with Rhoades Rolls:      

We call them "little butt rolls"!  Grease a muffin tin well (on the top too).  Put 2 dough balls in each cup.  

Cover and let it raise until the rolls are almost touching each other (mine took about 5 hours).

  Turn the oven on to 350 and put the rolls in while it's preheating.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Dump them out on the counter then place on a cooling rack.  Kids love these cause they pull apart.  My husband prefers these to homemade rolls-must be the kid in him :)