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1 Hour French Bread

Slightly crusty on the outside and super soft on the inside
Total Time1 hour
Course: Bread
Keyword: 1 hour bread, homemade bread, quick french bread, yeast bread
Servings: 6 to 8 people
Author: Dixie

Equipment

  • Stand mixer

Ingredients

  • 2 tbs instant yeast (I used Fleischmann's in the 4 oz jar)
  • 2 cups warm water (I turned my faucet on and let the hot water run until I had the hottest tap water possible)
  • 2 tbs sugar
  • 3 tbs vegetable or olive oil
  • 2 1/2 tsp salt
  • 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 1/2 tbs water

Instructions

  • In a stand mixer bowl add the yeast, water and sugar. With the dough hook attachment in place mix on lowest speed just for a few seconds.
  • Let the yeast, water and sugar set for 3-5 minutes until mixture is bubbly. If the yeast doesn't proof start over and check the expiration date on your yeast. (This step has to be accomplished in order for the yeast to rise later.)
  • Add in the oil and salt and mix for a few seconds.
  • Start adding the flour slowly, one cup at a time and mix on low speed. You may not need all 5 1/4 cups of flour or you may need to add just a little more at a time until you've reached the right consistency. The dough should start to pull away from the sides of the bowl and form a ball around the mixer's dough hook.
  • Once you've added the flour, turn the mixer on medium to high speed and 'knead' the dough for 2 minutes.
  • Remove the mixer bowl from the stand mixer and cover the bowl with a clean dish towel. Let the dough set and rise undisturbed for 15 minutes.
  • Sprinkle some flour onto the surface of a clean workspace (I used my countertop). Punch the dough down and divide into 3 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a long shape the length of your pan. (Roll it into shape with both hands. This shouldn't be complicated and the hands on time should be minimal.)
  • Place the dough onto the pan (I used a French bread pan) that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cut 5-6 diagonal slits across the tops of each loaf.
  • Let the dough rise again for about 10 minutes while your oven is preheating to 375 degrees. If it rises for any longer it will begin to over-rise.
  • Bake for 22 minutes on oven rack placed on the middle position in oven.
  • Remove the bread and brush with water and egg white mixture (just whisk together in a small bowl). This will make the bread more crusty. Bake for 2-5 more minutes.
  • TRY to let cool slightly before slicing!

Notes

Recipe Notes:
The first step in making bread with yeast is make sure you are NOT using expired yeast.  Mix the yeast, sugar and water together with a whisk or the lowest speed of a stand mixer. 
After setting for 3-5 minutes it should start changing texture and become bubbly and foamy.  Sometimes you can actually see it moving.  This is what you want.
If you don't accomplish this first, important step, there really is no reason to continue with your recipe - the bread will NOT rise properly and probably not be very good.