Easy French Bread 

For those of you who fear that baking bread is more than you can handle, I submit this suggestion for the New Year.  The beauty of this bread is in its simplicity. Mixing, kneading - even part of the rising - are all done in a food processor. You are sure to enjoy it yourself and/or to be proud to serve to guests.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

½ teaspoon vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

@ ¾  cup warm water

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

Preparation:

·       Pulse flour, salt, and vinegar in a food processor to combine.      

·       Proof the yeast with a pinch of sugar by mixing it with 1/3 cup warm water (@105 degrees). 

·       Once proofed, with the motor running, gradually add the proofed mixture to the flour mixture in the food processor.

·       Mix approximately ¾ cup warm water (can be less than 105 degrees) into the yeast granules remaining in the original proofing cup.

·       With the machine running, add that water to the flour/yeast mixture until the flour forms a ball that pulls away from the sides of the food processor (you may not have to use it all).

·       Keep food processor running for approximately 60 seconds to knead the dough.

·       Cover processor feed tube and let dough rise until it fills bowl, about 1 hour. Pulse several times to deflate dough. 

  • Generously oil a 17-inch-long French Bread pan (preferably dark nonstick). bread pans with olive oil.

·       Turn out dough onto a work surface (dough will be very soft). Press or use a rolling pin to roll into a 10- by 8-inch rectangle. and 

·       Fold in the 2 short outer sides to meet in the middle, pinching edges together. Turn over (seam side down), then roll and stretch into a 15-inch-long irregular loaf. Put loaf, seam side up, in bread pan and turn to coat with oil, leaving loaf seam side down.  (No worries if you do not have a French Bread pan. You can bake the rolled-out dough on a baking sheet)

·       Let loave rise, uncovered, in a warm draft-free place 30 minutes.

·       Place an oven rack in upper third of oven, then place a large roasting pan with 1 inch of water in it on bottom of gas oven or on lowest rack of electric oven. Preheat oven to 450°F. 

·       Make 3 shallow diagonal slashes down length of each loaf with razor or sharp knife (optional).

·       Bake loaf 30 minutes, then carefully remove pan of water from oven. Remove bread from pan and turn upside down on upper oven rack, then bake until golden and crusty all over, about 5 minutes more. Cool loaves on a rack. 

ENJOY!

Note from Susan:Please feel free to contact me (sbbarron@gmail.com) with any questions or concerns you may have.I am DELIGHTED to help!