There’s nothing quite like the smell of homemade French bread baking in the oven. A good loaf has a beautifully crisp, golden crust surrounding a soft, chewy center, making it just as enjoyable alongside dinner as it is warm from the oven with a little butter. This classic French bread recipe is a rewarding way to bring that fresh-baked flavor into your own kitchen.
Making bread from scratch does take some patience, but the process is straightforward. The dough needs time to rise and develop its texture before it’s shaped and baked. Once you get comfortable with the process, you’ll find that homemade bread is much less intimidating than it first appears.
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A bread lame is a useful tool to have when making French bread. Scoring the surface of the loaf before baking gives the dough a controlled place to expand in the oven and creates the classic appearance of a bakery-style loaf. A sharp lame also makes it easier to create clean, deliberate cuts without dragging through the dough.
The finished French bread is wonderfully versatile. Slice it and serve it with soup, pasta, or a hearty stew, use it for sandwiches, or simply tear off a warm piece and dip it in olive oil. It’s also an excellent bread for making garlic bread or bruschetta.
One of the best reasons to make homemade French bread is that you control exactly what goes into it. There’s something especially satisfying about turning a few basic ingredients into a crusty loaf that fills the kitchen with the aroma of freshly baked bread.
If you’ve been wanting to try baking bread at home, this French bread recipe is a great project. With a little time and practice, you can produce a beautiful loaf with the crisp crust and tender interior that makes fresh-baked bread so irresistible.
Not what you are looking for? Try these other homemade bread recipes:
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French Bread
A crisp, crunchy crust and slightly chewy center make this bread as traditional as the breads served in France.
- Total Time: 1:15
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups warm water (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F)
- Cornmeal
- 1 egg white, slightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups of the flour, the yeast, and salt. Add the warm water to the flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour).
- Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease a baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal.
- Roll each portion of the dough into a 15×10-inch rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side; seal well. Pinch ends and pull slightly to taper. Place seam side down on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl stir together egg white and water. Brush some of the egg white mixture over loaves. Let rise until nearly double in size (35 to 45 minutes).
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across the top of each loaf. Bake for 20 minutes. Brush again with some of the egg white mixture. Continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes more or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove bread from baking sheet. Cool on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves (28 slices).
- Prep Time: :40
- Cook Time: :35
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8