EASY CRUSTY FRENCH BREAD
The French
rolls are the PERFECT yeast bread to serve on weekends because they are warm
and moist inside, crispy on the outside and incredibly easy to prepare!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1.5 tsp. kosher salt
- 2.5 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2.25 tsp. active dry yeast
- 1.25 cups warm water (about 100 degrees F should do)
INSTRUCTIONS
First, Combine
the yeast, sugar and hot water in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook
(you can also mix this dough by hand if you wish - use a large mixing bowl
instead. square).
Then, Let
the yeast rise for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is nice and sparkling.
Add the
kosher salt to the bowl.
Add the
flour to the bowl, a little at a time, and mix at low speed until all the flour
is incorporated and the dough starts to come off the sides of the bowl. (If you
mix by hand, mix until the ingredients have mixed and form a smooth dough).
Turn off the
blender and remove the bowl and dough hook. Set the dough hook aside.
Lightly
flour all sides of your dough (do not mix the flour, it's just to prevent the
dough from sticking!) And return it to the mixing bowl to flour on all sides.
Cover with a cloth and let rise for about 1 hour, until the dough has doubled
in volume.
When the
dough is lifted, lightly flour a large cutting board.
Tilt the
dough in the bowl and on the cutting board. DO NOT CUT THE PASTE - you want to
keep all these air bubbles intact for a delicious, airy bread. (Note: if the
dough sticks a little in the bowl, just wet your hand with a little water and
gently separate the dough from the bowl so that everything is finished).
Sprinkle a
little flour on the top of the dough, then start to shape it into a round loaf.
I like to pull each corner of the dough several times towards the center (as if
I was bending an envelope) several times, then turn the dough and hit it to get
a nice round loaf. (Watch the video above to see how I do that!)
Flour a lifting
basket or small mixing bowl and place your bread in the direction of the seam
down. Cover with a cloth and let rise another 30 minutes.
While the
bread is rising, place an empty Dutch oven (with the lid on) in your oven and
heat to 460 ° F.
When the oven
is hot, you're ready to go! Use gloves to remove the Dutch oven and remove the
lid.
Carefully
tip your bread dough out of the basket on your floured cutting board, then VERY
CAREFULLY (without burning yourself!), Place it - sewing up, this time - in the
Dutch hot oven. (You can use a piece of parchment paper here to make it easier
if you wish - see video and recipe notes).
Put on your
kitchen gloves, put the lid on the pan and put it back in your hot oven.
Cook the
bread for 30 minutes.
After 30
minutes, remove the lid of your Dutch oven. The bread should be crisp and
slightly browned. Continue cooking, uncovered, for another 10 to 20 minutes
until the bread turns color and you get a nice brown crust.
When the
bread is cooked, use oven gloves to remove it from the oven.
Use a long
spatula to remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place it on a cooling rack.
Cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Slice, brush with butter. Happy
Cooking Time.
