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French Bread
The secret to this beginner-friendly loaf is a wet dough that skips the intense kneading entirely. You'll use a standard electric mixer to bring everything together before baking it right in a regular loaf pan. It's a foolproof way to fill your kitchen with the aroma of fresh yeast without spending all day working the dough. Serve thick, warm slices alongside a hearty soup, or use them to build the ultimate sandwich. Brushing the hot crust with melted butter right out of the oven keeps it incredibly soft and rich.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 package regular active or fast-acting dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 1 Grease bottom and sides of 8x4-inch loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal. In 1-quart saucepan, heat milk, water and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until very warm (120°F to 130°F).
Instructions
- 1Grease the bottom and sides of an 8x4-inch loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray, then sprinkle with cornmeal. In a 1-quart saucepan, heat the milk, water, and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat until very warm (120°F to 130°F). Heating the liquids activates the yeast, but don't exceed 130°F or you'll kill it.
- 2Combine 1 ½ cups of the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir in the warm milk mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute, scraping the bowl frequently.
- 3Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 1 more minute, continuing to scrape the bowl. Stir in the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour until a soft dough forms.
- 4Pat the dough evenly into the prepared pan using floured fingers. Cover loosely with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes. You'll know it's ready when a gentle poke leaves a lasting indentation.
- 5Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for 22 to 27 minutes or until the top turns a deep golden brown.
- 6Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack immediately. Let the bread cool completely for about 2 hours before slicing. Cutting into hot bread ruins the crumb structure and makes it gummy.
Notes
- Crust: For a softer crust, brush the top of the hot loaf with melted butter immediately after removing it from the pan.
- Storage: Keep the cooled bread in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Pan size: An 8x4-inch loaf pan gives the bread the best height. A 9x5-inch pan will work, but the loaf will be wider and flatter.