French Bread
Bake the perfect French bread at home! 🥖 Follow this easy French bread recipe for a crispy crust & fluffy inside. Simple & delicious!
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Baking Sheet
- Oven
- Bench Scraper
- Lame (Bread Scoring Tool)
- Spray Bottle or Steam Tray
Ingredients
Bread Base
- 4 cups bread flour Or all-purpose flour for a softer loaf
- 1 ½ cups warm water Around 110°F to activate yeast
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast Or instant yeast
- 2 tsp salt For flavor balance
- 1 tsp sugar Helps yeast activate
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead for 8-10 minutes by hand (or use a stand mixer with a dough hook) until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough, shape it into baguettes, and let it rest on a baking sheet for 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Lightly dust loaves with flour and score the top with a lame or sharp knife.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, adding steam (place a tray of water at the bottom of the oven or spray loaves with water).
- Let bread cool on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
For extra crunch, turn off the oven and let the bread sit for 5 minutes before removing.