Cherished Cottage

French Bread

Ingredients

• 2c warm water (about 105°; don’t make it too hot or you’ll kill the yeast)
• 1 tbs rapid-rise yeast
• 2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 5c (approximately) flour
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• olive oil
• 2 tbs melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Fill a small bowl with the water and add the yeast and sugar. Stir to combine & set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy on top.
3. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine 2 cups of flour and the salt.
4. Set the mixer to the lowest speed or the “stir” setting and pour the activated yeast into the flour/salt mixture.
5. Once that is mixed, keep the mixer running and add the flour in a half a cup at a time until the dough is smooth but not sticky. You may need to bump the mixer speed up a little bit if it seems to be struggling. You shouldn’t need to put it past the 2nd speed setting.
6. Leave dough in mixer bowl & form into a ball. Using a pastry brush coat the dough with olive oil. Cover & let rise for 45 minutes.
7. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Split the dough in two and set half aside. With the first half form a rectangle and gently roll is out to about 15 inches long. Turn both ends in a little and pinch the seams closed. Flip the dough loaf over and gently round the ends with your hands. Place on a prepared cookie sheet.
8. Repeat step 6 with the second half of dough.
9. Make 3 diagonal cuts on the top of each loaf and then cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
10. Bake 18-25 minutes (mine usually takes about 20). Remove from oven & brush the tops of each loaf with melted butter.