Making Yummy French
bread!
Ooh, I simply love French bread! It’s just too easy
to eat! The classic buttery taste and large size make it the right bread
to have with the dry foods of French cuisine, and to soak up the
extra-rich gravies of gourmet French food. But French bread is really
good for health too as the French food industry has a rule where no
preservatives are used to make French bread. As a result, the bread can
go stale very fast as compared to other commercially prepared foods. If
you want to learn more, here are a few details about French bread and
why it is synonymous with France and French cuisine.
A little history
French bread is characterized by its classic pipe
shaped structure, no preservative dough, its classic length and very
crisp exterior that opens out to release gas. The inner gas causes the
interior of the bread to be really soft and chewy in texture. The
average French bread is about 60 cms and has diagonal cuts on the
surface of the bread. The first French bread was supposed to be created
in Vienna, Austria and later when steam ovens were created, the bread
shape and dough was further refined to create the classic shape that is
now so popular. Later on, steam ovens were used to inject steam into the
crust to create the soft chewy interior and hard exterior crust. This
method of baking also created an airier loaf that was tastier to eat and
which expanded more on baking. The shape of the French bread is now
synonymous with French culture and the bread is now strictly regulated.
There are no preservatives used in it as a result, the bread lasts for
just a day.
How to prepare the bread?
As with any other bread the process of creating a
loaf is the same. Take a look at this simple recipe on how to create the
perfect French bread.
Ingredients
Good wheat flour seven cups
Yeast: Fresh yeast or the fast proving variety mixed
with warm cup of water and a tsp of wheat flour
Salt to taste
Warm Water 2 and three quarters of a cup
Process
1.
Start by creating the culture of the French bread where you can
mix yeast, water and the tbsp of flour in a warmed cup and leave aside
to rise. The consistency should be like thick cream. The yeast starts to
bubble immediately and you can let it rise for two hours or overnight
for best results.
2.
Now add half the quantity of the flour and then add the yeast
solution. Knead till proper and then add the remaining water till the
dough is well mixed. Use the biggest bowl possible for this as the dough
can be really sticky and it expands with time too.
3.
Once the mix is complete, try to keep the dough aside for an hour
or so to prove. Heat the oven to about 425 degrees Fahrenheit and then
wait for an hour.
4.
Once the dough has proved, remove it and divide it into three
halves. Do not punch down again.
5.
Roll into a cylinder shape and place on a greased baking tray.
Brush over with egg yolk and bake for twenty minutes or till the bottom
sounds hollow.
6.
You’re home made French bread is ready to eat
The fact of the matter is that French bread is
delicious and no matter what, you don’t really need an excuse to eat it.
If you can find the bread at your local grocery prepared authentically
then go ahead and splurge. |
