French Bread

This delicious bread is made in the food processor.  You can assemble the dry ingredients the night before, start the bread in the morning & let it sit out several hours to rise.  I even use it to make french bread pizzas.  It's really good.  I hope you try it.

1/2 cup warm water

1 T.  yeast

1 T. sugar
4 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 t. salt
1 T. butter
1 cup ice water

Mix sugar & warm water together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle on the yeast & let proof for about 5 minutes.

Put flour, salt & butter in food processor & mix with the plastic blade.  Pour the warm water mixture down the food tube while running & let run until well mixed.

While running, slowly pour the ice water down the tube & let the processor run (and knead) until the mixture balls up.  After it balls up, let it run another 45 seconds.

Put dough in a greased bowl, cover loosely & let rise several hours until it has quit rising.  Punch down on a clean, dry counter & roll out into a rectangle about 12 x 16 inches.  Now you can either cut it lengthwise into 2, for larger loaves, or 3 for baguette size loaves.  You can also make 6-8 sub-style "hard" rolls.   Cut 4-6 slits slits on the diagonal on the top.   Cover & let rise until double.  


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  I usually moisten the top of the bread.  If you want a very shiny crust, you can brush with a beaten egg white.  You can sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if you wish.  Bake about 15-20 minutes, or until golden.

Let cool on wire racks.

Makes 2-3 large loaves, or 6-8 small loaves (these are great for meatball or Italian subs)

I am sharing this with Let's Break Bread Together .