French Bread

Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees f)
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter, freshly feed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2-3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornmeal

Recipe

• 1 insert the dough hook into your mixer.
• 2 in large mxing bowl, dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup warm water.
• 3 add the starter, salt, sugar and 1 1/2 cups flour.
• 4 mix on medium until smooth and flour is incorporated, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• 5 cover and let rise for 60 to 90 minutes or until double in bulk.
• 6 on low speed of mixer, slowly add remaining flour and baking soda.
• 7 knead dough for 5 to 7 minutes with dough hook.
• 8 the dough should have a satin texture and form a ball, cleaning sides of the bowl.
• 9 shape the dough into a ball and let rest on a floured board for 10 minutes.
• 10 form into a french loaf, place on greased cookie sheet that has been lightly dusted with cornmeal.
• 11 make 3 to 5 diagonal slashes on top of loaf with sharp knife or scissors.
• 12 cover and let rise 90 minutes.
• 13 bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.
• 14 when baked the loaf will be nicely brown and sound hollow when tapped with knuckles.