Wouldn't you just love to have some bread baking in your oven right now?
I mean, even though it is summer and may be like an oven where you are?
Because baking bread soothes your soul. It smells like home. It just whispers of safety and comfort. You know, because bread would never be cheeky enough to shout.
Warm from the oven, spread with butter, it will fix just about anything. I promise.
You want to know how to get that, right?
Here are ingredients.
French Bread
1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon shortening (I use softened unsalted butter)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 - 4 cups flour
Yup, it is that simple. I was shocked too.
All you do is throw the ingredients in your mixer with the dough hook attachment. (That is that thing that came with your mixer that looks like it belongs to an absent-minded pirate.)
Stir until it comes together in dough ball. Go ahead and let it go for a while to "knead" it.
Stir until it comes together in dough ball. Go ahead and let it go for a while to "knead" it.
Turn off your mixer, cover it with a towel and let it sit for 10 minutes. Turn the mixer on for a bit, then turn it off and leave it again for 10 minutes. Do that two more times.
Remove the dough hook.
Turn the ball of dough onto a wooden board, cut it in half.
Roll each piece on into a 8 x 15 inch rectangle. Roll the dough tightly jelly roll fashion. Pinch the seam and the ends to seal.
Place seam side down on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Make several cuts diagonally across the top of each loaf.
Cover and let rise for another 45 minutes or until the loaves are doubled in size.
When ready to bake, combine water and egg white in a small bowl. Brush to top of each loaf with the egg/water mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you are feeling sassy.
Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped.
That is all you need (knead) to do to get this. That's a really weak baking pun. Sorry.
So simple.
You are welcome.