Quick and Easy French Bread
By Rhonda Steed
I love learning things from the generations before me. And this recipe comes from spending time with a lovely lady who was my grandma’s good friend. She had asked me to come show her how to bake something and she showed me how to bake this. It’s become one of the most used bread recipes at my house. It’s basically a tasty white bread shaped as french bread. One of the times that President Nelson and his wife Sister Nelson came to Raymond and I was asked to make bread for the meal. I made this bread for them. Sister Nelson asked if she could take home the leftover bread and keep it in her freezer to cut off pieces and remind her of home. Of course we sent it home with her.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups/900g hot (120-130F) water
2 Tbsp instant yeast
2 Tbsp white sugar
2 Tbsp salt
8 cups/ 1205g Bread Flour
1 Egg
Sesame Seeds
PREPARATION:
- In a stand mixer, add hot water, sugar and yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes so it can start bubbling.
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Add the salt and 6 cups (about 1000g) of flour and then start mixing. As the mixer is going, keep adding the rest of the flour, Mixing each in well before adding the next one.
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Dump the dough into a greased bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled.
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Preheat the oven now to 425F. Dump dough onto the counter and then divide into 4 equal portions. Form into tight, long loaves and place onto pans. Taking a lame (or a sharp blade) score the bread multiple times down the loaf.
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Break the egg into a small bowl, whisking it and then brush all over the loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and let rise for 15 minutes (about the time it takes for your oven to preheat.
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Bake loaves for 20-23 minutes or until golden brown.