Crusty Country Style French Bread

Total Time: 4 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs 40 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups water (warm 110 f or 43 c)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 5 -5 1/2 cups flour (plus additional flour for dusting)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg , lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, combine the warm water and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• 2 add the yeast and stir gently to mix.
• 3 let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• 4 in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 4 cups of the flour and the salt. beat on low speed just until combined.
• 5 slowly add the yeast mixture and beat just until incorporated about 1 minute.
• 6 increase the speed to medium low to medium and beat for 10 minutes adding more flour, about 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (i used speed 4 on my artisan when i still had it and now use speed 2 with my p600).
• 7 turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute.
• 8 form into a ball and dust lightly with flour.
• 9 sprinkle a little flour into a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl.
• 10 cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. 45-60 minutes.
• 11 turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• 12 punch down the dough and knead for a few seconds.
• 13 form the dough into a ball and return to the bowl again.
• 14 cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. 20- 30 minutes.
• 15 turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch down.
• 16 cut the dough into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a ball.
• 17 let rest 5 minutes.
• 18 line a french bread pan with a clean kitchen towel (a large flour sack towel works well) and sprinkle with a little flour.
• 19 roll each ball into a log with tapered ends, about the length of the pan, and place on the towel in the pan. cover with the overhanging edges of the towel and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
• 20 position an oven rack in the lowest position of the oven, and place a baking pan 1/3 full of boiling water on the rack.
• 21 preheat oven to 425 f (220c).
• 22 gently lift the towel holding the loaves off of the pan, taking care not to let the loaves touch each other and set on a work surface.
• 23 spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray and using the towel as a guide gently flip each loaf into a well in the pan.
• 24 brush off excess flour.
• 25 using a sharp knife, make 3-5 diagonal slashes in the loaves about 1/4 inch deep (6mm).
• 26 brush with the beaten egg mixture.
• 27 bake on center rack until the bread sounds hollow when tapped, about 30-35 minutes.
• 28 transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool the loaves in the pan until room temperature.