French Bread
Yields 2 loaves
6
cups bread flour (sifted)
2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
3 tablespoons pure vegetable oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Egg wash (1 egg, lightly beaten, mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
Yellow cornmeal (for sprinkling)
- Combine yeast,
sugar, and warm water in a bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Mix
until yeast dissolves.
- Add vegetable
oil and salt to yeast mixture. Beat well. Using a mixer with a
dough hook attachment, gradually add flour to wet mixture,
blending ingredients until well incorporated. Flour working
surface and knead dough into a ball. Place dough in a greased
bowl and cover with a cloth. Set bowl in a warm place until
dough has doubled in size, approximately 1 - 1½ hours.
- On a floured
working surface, equally divide dough in half. Form each piece
of dough into a long loaf, narrowed at both ends. Set loaves on
a greased baking sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal. Place a cloth
over loaves and let rise for another hour.
- Preheat oven
to 350° F.
- Remove cloth.
Brush entire surface of both pieces of dough with egg wash.
Sprinkle with cornmeal. Cut 1-inch diagonal slits, 2-3 inches
apart, across tops of loaves.
- Bake in center
of oven at 350° F for approximately 50 minutes, or until golden
brown. Place loaves on a wire rack and allow to cool.
