Crusty French-Type Bread

CRUSTY FRENCH-TYPE BREAD
(Sponge Method)
Adapted from a recipe in "Cookwise," by Shirley O. Corriher
This is a great book... check out the original recipe... it will be even better

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Makes two 18 inch loaves

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (115'F)
1 3/4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup semolina flour

Stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer which has been warmed by running hot water over the outside. This is so the cold bowl won't reduce the water temperature so much. Let stand until foam appears. This may happen suddenly, after as much as 5 minutes. Add the flour. With the paddle blade in electric mixer, beat on low-medium speed for 4 minutes to beat air into the sponge. Let sit for 2 1/2 hours, covered, in a warm, draft-free location.

2 cups bread flour
1/4 of a 500 mg Vitamin C tablet, crushed
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup crushed ice
1/2 tsp cider vinegar

Switch to the dough hook. Add ingredients listed above and knead for 5 minutes on low-medium speed. The dough should be elastic and very soft. Add additional flour or water as needed to achieve this. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until slightly more than doubled, up to about 2 hours.

Punch down, reach into the back of the bowl under the dough and pull up over the center. Repeat with the front of the bowl. Turn the dough onto a board and cut in half. Shape each half into a smooth round. Grasp two sides and gently pull into an oval. Let it spring back and pull again. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes.

To shape the baguettes: place both hands on top of the dough ball, fingers behind the loaf and thumbs in front. Push down with the thumbs and pull the top of the dough forward. Repeat several times This will elongate the dough and form a seam in front of you. If not long enough, roll and stretch. Pinch seam shut.

3 Tbsp virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp Salt

Place the baguettes on parchment paper. Mix the salt and oil and brush on the loaves. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours until slightly more than doubled. After an hour and a half, heat oven to 450' F and place baking stone in second rack in the second position from the bottom. Five minutes before baking, place a shallow oven-safe pan with 1/2 inch of water on the bottom rack and reduce the temperature to 425'F.

Careful not to deflate the loaves, brush the loaves with the remaining oil-salt mixture. Make three diagonal slashes with a razor blade or very sharp knife. Using a peel, put the parchment paper with loaves on the baking stone. Bake 30-35 minutes until loaves are a deep, rich brown. Mist with water three times during the last 10 minutes of baking.

CRUSTY FRENCH-TYPE BREAD (Sponge Method) Adapted from a recipe in "Cookwise," by Shirley O. Corriher This is a great book... check out the original recipe... it will be even better
Return to menu	Next Pastry recipe
Makes two 18 inch loaves 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 1 Tbsp sugar 1 1/2 cups warm water (115'F) 1 3/4 cups bread flour 1/4 cup semolina flour Stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer which has been warmed by running hot water over the outside. This is so the cold bowl won't reduce the water temperature so much. Let stand until foam appears. This may happen suddenly, after as much as 5 minutes. Add the flour. With the paddle blade in electric mixer, beat on low-medium speed for 4 minutes to beat air into the sponge. Let sit for 2 1/2 hours, covered, in a warm, draft-free location. 2 cups bread flour 1/4 of a 500 mg Vitamin C tablet, crushed 1 1/4 tsp salt 1/3 cup crushed ice 1/2 tsp cider vinegar Switch to the dough hook. Add ingredients listed above and knead for 5 minutes on low-medium speed. The dough should be elastic and very soft. Add additional flour or water as needed to achieve this. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until slightly more than doubled, up to about 2 hours. Punch down, reach into the back of the bowl under the dough and pull up over the center. Repeat with the front of the bowl. Turn the dough onto a board and cut in half. Shape each half into a smooth round. Grasp two sides and gently pull into an oval. Let it spring back and pull again. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes. To shape the baguettes: place both hands on top of the dough ball, fingers behind the loaf and thumbs in front. Push down with the thumbs and pull the top of the dough forward. Repeat several times This will elongate the dough and form a seam in front of you. If not long enough, roll and stretch. Pinch seam shut. 3 Tbsp virgin olive oil 1/4 tsp Salt Place the baguettes on parchment paper. Mix the salt and oil and brush on the loaves. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours until slightly more than doubled. After an hour and a half, heat oven to 450' F and place baking stone in second rack in the second position from the bottom. Five minutes before baking, place a shallow oven-safe pan with 1/2 inch of water on the bottom rack and reduce the temperature to 425'F. Careful not to deflate the loaves, brush the loaves with the remaining oil-salt mixture. Make three diagonal slashes with a razor blade or very sharp knife. Using a peel, put the parchment paper with loaves on the baking stone. Bake 30-35 minutes until loaves are a deep, rich brown. Mist with water three times during the last 10 minutes of baking.