How to make homemade french bread.

all-purpose flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: bread flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier with good fats.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: agave syrup

Honey adds natural sweetness.

yeast

🥗Healthier: sourdough starter

💰Cheaper: instant yeast

Sourdough adds depth of flavor.

Pour 1 tablespoon of sugar into a bowl.

Add 2 packages of active dry yeast to the bowl.

Warm 2 cups of milk to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit and pour it into the bowl with the sugar and yeast.

Stir the mixture lightly to dissolve the sugar and yeast, then let it sit for approximately 10 minutes until frothy.

In a mixer, add 5.5 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of salt (mix salt into the flour, not the yeast mixture).

Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl with the flour and mix it together.

Add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil to the mixture and continue mixing until combined.

Finish mixing the dough by hand, ensuring it is slightly sticky but not overly wet.

Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1.5 hours until it doubles in size.

Grease a 15x21 inch baking pan with margarine and sprinkle a little cornmeal on it.

Once the dough has risen, divide it into three equal sections.

Form each section into a cylinder shape by rolling it on the counter.

Place each shaped loaf into the greased baking pan, ensuring they are spaced out.

Cover the loaves and let them rise again for about 45 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make a few shallow slits on the surface of each loaf with a sharp knife.

Brush the surface of the loaves with hot water to help create a crispy crust.

Place a tray with water on the lower shelf of the oven to create steam while baking.

Bake the bread in the preheated oven for approximately 30 to 35 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens