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Aunt Alisa is our go-to person for bread making.  She has a sweet dinner roll recipe and a butterhorn recipe that we often use with meals, and we are so thankful that she decided we needed a French bread, too.  It is a delicious and airy bread with a crunchy outer layer that will not cut your mouth. We look forward to seeing all of the creative ways that she and Nana will use it in meals.

Recently Nana used this French bread for making roast beef sandwiches with short ribs and flanken ribs (cooked liked she makes for shepherd’s pie).  Then she served the sandwiches with French onion soup.  It was a menu we were all thankful they created.  Have fun with this recipe and, as always, share your stories with us.

 

Ingredients
  • 1 package or 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (1100F to 1150F)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 3 to 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • cornmeal
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon cold water

 

Instructions
  • In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups of flour.  Beat until blended.
  • Stir in enough remaining flour to form stiff dough.
  • Place on a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes).
  • Put in a greased bowl turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about an hour).
  • Punch dough down, then return to bowl. Cover and let rise for an additional 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Punch dough down, then turn out onto a floured surface. Shape into a 16 x 2½-inch loaf with tapered ends.
  • Sprinkle cornmeal over a greased baking sheet. Place loaf on baking sheet.
  • Cover and let rise until doubled (about 25 minutes).
  • Beat egg white and cold water, then brush over the top of the dough.
  • With a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes 2 inches apart across the top of the loaf.
  • Bake until golden brown for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

 

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
Psalm 34:8