Bread Machine Crusty French Bread Recipes

BREAD MACHINE FRENCH BREAD - EASY BAGUETTE RECIPE

Steps:

• Unplug the bread machine & then remove bread pan.
• Place the water and then the rest of the ingredients into the bread pan. You can make a little indent on top of the flour in order to avoid the yeast falling into the water (until the machine starts). Do not combine the salt with the yeast (as the salt can kill the yeast). Place the yeast & salt in separate parts of the bread pan.
• Place the bread pan back into the bread machine & then plug in the bread machine.
• Put your machine on the "Dough" setting and press the start button. In our bread machine, the kneading & rising on the dough setting takes about 1:30 hours.
• When your bread machine has finished, unplug the machine & pour the dough onto a cutting board. Wear oven mitts (as the bread pan/bread machine may be hot). Sprinkle some flour on the cutting board (before you pour the dough) in order to avoid the dough sticking to the cutting board.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts if you want to make 4 skinny baguettes (roughly 12 inches long). Or divide the dough into 2 equal parts in order to make 2 thicker french bread "rolls".
• Roll the divided dough with your hands into your preferred shape (i.e. baguette or thicker bread roll). See our tips below on shaping the bread dough (especially about the making the dough roll about 1/2 the width of your desired end product... as the dough expands as the yeast rises).
• Place the shaped dough onto a nonstick baking sheet.
• Coat the dough with olive oil. Use a small pastry brush.
• Cover the dough & baking sheet with a light kitchen cloth or plastic wrap in order to protect from dust, etc.
• Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
• During this "rising" time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
• After the hour, remove the covering from the dough and "score" (slice) the top of each dough roll with a sharp knife. Make diagonal slices about 1/2 inch deep and about 3 inches apart. This will help prevent the bread from cracking during baking. See the tips below about how to score bread.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven. It should bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Wear oven mitts.
• At the 8-10 minute mark, turn the baking sheet around in order to ensure an even "browning" of the bread. Wear oven mitts.
• Remove the baking sheet when done and place the bread on a cooling rack. Wear oven mitts.

FAILPROOF FRENCH BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Place ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturers directions.
• Start machine on dough setting.
• When dough cycle is complete, remove dough with floured hands and cut in half on floured surface.
• Take each half of dough and roll to make a loaf about 12 inches long in the shape of French bread.
• Place on greased baking sheet and cover with a towel.
• Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 450°.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown, turning pan around once halfway during baking.
• Remove baked loaves to wire racks to cool.

FRENCH BREAD | BREAD MACHINE

Steps:

• Add all the ingredients (water, salt, bread flour, yeast) in the order recommended by your bread machine manufacturer.
• Close the lid, select the "French bread" cycle, 1.5 lb loaf size and crust of your preference (dark is preferred for French bread) and start the cycle.
• French bread is ready once the cycle is complete.
• Remove the container from the bread machine. Invert and shake it a little bit to remove the bread.
• Place it on a cooling rack to cool it down.
• Once cooled down, slice it with an electric knife or a serrated knife.
• Remove the dough from the bread machine pan just after the last knead cycle and knead it on a lightly floured surface.
• Shape the dough into a loaf and apply a few cuts using a serrated knife and allow to rise for 60 minutes in a warm place.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 400 °F for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool on cooling rack. Slice it wit a serrated or electric knife.

FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.
• Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.
• With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack.

CRUSTY FRENCH BREAD FOR BREAD MACHINE

Steps:

• 1. Put ingredients in bread machine,wet ingredients first, set on dough setting
• 2. Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Shape into 2 baguettes by making a flat rectangle out of your dough, then folding the top and bottom towards the middle, like an envelope, and sealing the seam with your fingers. Keep repeating the folding and sealing, stretching the rectangle lengthwise as you go, until it's about 12 to 14 inches long and 2 inches wide. Fold and seal either end to round. Flip seam-side down and place on a sheet pan or baguette pan that has been dusted with cornmeal. Score the tops of the loaves, making deep diagonal slits 1/2-inch deep, cover with a dishcloth and let rise in a warm environment until they have doubled in size, 25 minutes.
• 3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and position your oven racks with one on the bottom and the other in the middle. Place an oven-safe (non-glass) bowl or pan on the bottom rack. Baste top of loaves with a beaten egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water.
• 4. When your bread has doubled for the second time, remove the towel and quickly and simultaneously, slide the sheet tray with the baguettes onto the middle rack while carefully throwing the ice cubes into the bowl on the bottom rack. The ice will create a burst of steam that will give you a nice crispy crust. Quickly shut the oven door so no steam escapes. Bake the baguettes until golden brown, 15 minutes.

THE BEST FRENCH BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Add 3/4 cup water, salt, flour, parmesan cheese, garlic powder and yeast to bread machine pan in order suggested by manufacturer.
• Select dough/manual cycle.
• When cycle is complete, remove dough from machine to a lightly floured surface.
• Roll dough into a 15x10 inch rectangle.
• Beginning at long end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll.
• Pinch seams and ends to seal.
• Taper ends by gently rolling back and forth.
• Place loaf, seam side down on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Lightly brush loaf with oil.
• Cover and let rise in warm draft-free place until almost double in size, 10 to 15 minutes.
• With a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across the top of loaf.
• Lightly beat egg white and 1 tablespoon water; brush some of egg white mixture over top of loaf.
• Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
• Brush again with remaining egg white mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake 5 to 10 minutes more or until done- bread should sound hollow when tapped.
• Remove the bread from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.