My wonderful sister-in-law shared this recipe with me. Nothing is better than homemade french bread as a side to your meal. Yields 2 loaves.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 T sugar
2 T dry yeast
1 T salt
2 T oil
6 cups flour
Directions:
Mix all ingredients. Knead for 6-8 minutes. Place in
a large bowl sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover and let rise 4
times, kneading well between risings.
To form into loaves, divide
dough in half. Roll each half into a rectangle. Roll up jelly-roll
style from long end. Pinch ends to seal. Put on greased baking sheet
seam-end down. Cut about 5 slits into top of bread. Cover with egg
wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Let rise until double.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
**For the longest time I found that any bread I made would rise slowly. I created this little trick . . . I put a wet clean wash cloth in the microwave for 30 seconds. I take the wash cloth out and immediately put my bowl of dough covered with a thin cloth inside the microwave to rise. Don't turn on the microwave, just let the bread rise in that moist warmish atmosphere. Works for me every time!
