Lets Bake and Break Some Bread ~

I love bread. Bread goes with everything and is a good way to show off your creative mad cooking skills. Everyone looks at making bread as such a challenge. It just takes a little practice and patience. What I'm about to share with you is the easiest recipe for making french bread. You will amaze your guest at your next dinner party NO DOUBT.

I like to call this recipe --- Holy Crap I'm Making Bread!---

There are only 4 Ingredients:

1. 
   
   
   3 1/2 cups of flour
2. 
   
   
   1 tsp yeast [ I use the Instant yeast ]
3. 
   
   
   1 tsp salt
4. 
   
   
   1 1/2 cups of warm water

In a mixer - combine the flour and yeast and mix together. Then add your salt. A little lesson I learned is to make sure that you do not add your yeast and salt at the same time. The salt will kill the yeast. Add your water slowly. You want it to look mushy - wet lumpy [but you don't want to see water at the bottom of your bowl] Let it rest for 2 - 5 min. Mix again for another 5 minutes or until it is gummy looking. [the dough should be attached to the kneading blade and sticky on the bottom. Add in flour at this point so it looks smooth. Velvety looking.

On a floured surface scrape the dough out of the bowl. Knead for a few minuets until you have a nice smooth ball of dough. [you may need to sprinkle a little flour so don't put it away just yet] In a bowl spray with Pam or any baking spray that you have. Put the dough in the bowl and cover for about 45 min - 1 hour.

At the end of the hour your dough should have risen to a big ole poofy ball of dough. Take this out of the bowl and kneed it again. Not to hard! You don't want to eliminate the hour it spent fluffyfiing [ and yes I just made that up ] Break into two equal parts. Here comes the fun.

flour your surface so the dough doesn't stick. Gently stretch out the dough. Think of homemade taffey from York, ME if you have never seen that think of stretching out your socks. It should be almost 12 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. Lay this on the counter...and down the center length wise give it a couple of karate chops. Now take the edges and pinch them together. Make sure you fold in the ends so the air doesn't escape. Now flip it over and lay onto a baking sheet. You'll want to make some slices [ just like the pros] Repeat this step with the other half of dough.

Once placed on the baking sheet, take a dish towel and run it under warm water. Wring it out and cover the dough for 30 / 45 minutes. Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. When the dough has finished the second rise you are ready to paaaaaaaaaaaaaaop it in the oven.

Place the baking sheet on the lower rack. Before you close the door make sure you have a half cup of warm water. Pour this on the bottom of your oven. [ I know I  know - trust me it works just fine and will NOT destroy your oven. ] This is how you get the crispy crusty bread by creating steam. If you have a gas oven you should put a pan in while preheating to create the same effect. I've done this more than a dozen times and it works just fine. I start out cooking for 20 min. But check your bread. Temps vary depending on where you are and the type of oven you have. If it is a nice dark golden brown it is done.

If you try this recipe take pictures and let me know how it turns out!!! I know your guest will be gushing over the awesomey goodness of this fab recipe!