READY IN ABOUT 2¼ hrs

The French Bread

Read Reviews (10)

"This French bread recipe has been perfected to my satisfaction - crunchy on the outside, and soft airiness on the inside. I hope you enjoy these stunning loaves!" — Sam Nemati

Directions

Place the sourdough starter, water, olive oil, salt, sugar, yeast, and flour in that order into the pan of a bread machine, set the machine on the dough cycle, and start the machine.
After the machine has finished its cycle, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead several times; mix in more flour if the dough is very sticky. Cut the dough in half, and roll each piece of dough out into a rectangle about 8 by 12 inches and 1/2-inch thick. Roll the rectangles into loaves the long way, pinch the seams, and taper and pinch the ends of the loaves.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and sprinkle paper with cornmeal. Place the loaves gently onto the prepared baking sheets, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Place a large baking stone onto the center rack of oven, and place a baking dish onto a lower rack. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Carefully pour boiling water into the baking dish.
Remove plastic wrap from loaves, and slash several 1/2-inch deep cuts into each loaf with a sharp knife. Whisk egg yolk and milk together in a small bowl until thoroughly mixed, and brush the loaves with the egg yolk mixture.
Place the loaves into the preheated oven on top of the baking stone, and quickly spray the inside of the oven 4 or 5 times with a water-filled spray bottle. Shut oven door; wait 1 minute, and spray again; repeat twice more, spraying the oven 4 times with water at 1-minute intervals.
Bake about 15 minutes, and remove the water-filled baking dish. Continue to bake until the bread is browned and the loaves make a hollow sound when thumped, about 15 more minutes. Remove bread to cool on racks.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 20 mins
COOK 15 mins
READY IN 2 hrs 5 mins

Footnotes

Cook's Notes
The sourdough starter is a large amount, so be sure to make it ahead of time if you don't have enough.
The bread machine, baking stone, and spraying of the oven are all optional and serve to make a more perfect loaf of French bread.

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Aug 04, 2011

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/sourdough-starter/detail.aspx

—pbmb

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Aug 08, 2011

I did not see a recipe for the started so how could I try it then review it. I guess my rating would be 1. would love to have tried it

—oznof

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12 Ratings

Jul 16, 2011

I had the starter made already, and kneading is difficult for me so I was intrigued by this recipe, which starts out in the bread machine......I was NOT disappointed!!!!!! I'd give it more stars if I could - easy and turned out beautifully. I did note that the cooking time says 15 minutes, but actually it's fifteen minutes, remove water pan, then additional 15 minutes. Thank you, Sam for giving me a homemade bread I don't have to knead for 10 or more minutes.

—MRSLEM

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Aug 04, 2011

SAM, WHERE DO I GET THE SOURDOUGH STARTER RECIPE? I WOULD LOVE TO TRY THE FRENCH BREAD. IT SOUNDS WONDERFUL

—pete

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Jul 15, 2011

I love this bread. Sourdough makes it tangy.

—FairBecca

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Dec 04, 2011

For a Starter, just type sour dough starter in the search and it will bring a few up so you can pick the one you would like. This recipe was simple to make. It tastes wonderful!

—BethS

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Jan 22, 2012

I just made this recipe and it was perfect. the outside crunchy and the inside beautifully moist. I used 2 cups of whole wheat flour with 2 cups of white flour. I also did not use egg whites or dairy milk, instead I brushed on homemade almond milk. This was delicious! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.

—sheilarbeal

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Aug 04, 2011

Super recipe! I make a lot of bread using the bread machine with Dough cycle. I spray the dough when it's ready to rise with an olive oil or good quality cooking spray to keep dough from getting a skin.

—con207214

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Nutrition

Calories
173 kcal
9%

Carbohydrates
34 g
11%

Cholesterol
13 mg
4%

Fat
1.3 g
2%

Fiber
1.7 g
7%

Protein
5.8 g
12%

Sodium
156 mg
6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

The French Bread

Serving Size: 1/16 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 16
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 173
Calories from Fat: 11

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 1.3g 2 %
Saturated Fat 0.3g 1 %
Cholesterol 13mg 4 %
Sodium 156mg 6 %
Potassium 117mg 3 %
Total Carbohydrates 34g 11 %
Dietary Fiber 1.7g 7 %
Protein 5.8g 12 %
Sugars 1.6g
Vitamin A < 1 %
Vitamin C < 1 %
Calcium 3 %
Iron 24 %
** Thiamin 27 %
Niacin 33 %
Vitamin B6 4 %
Magnesium 5 %
Folate 78 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.