With this simple recipe and some practice, you can become a great baker! Baking bread takes skill, and the more you practice, the better you’ll get! This easy recipe on how to bake French bread is the perfect place to start!

This staple food is an important source of nutrition. The healthier the ingredients, the healthier the bread.

FRENCH BREAD RECIPE for BEGINNERS:

Cooking and baking from scratch is very satisfying. Learning how to use healthy ingredients increases the nutritional value of your foods, especially when learning how to bake bread.

Basic French Bread Recipe

There are six simple ingredients: water, flour, salt, yeast, honey, avocado oil and optional diastatic malt.

First, combine the following and let it sit for 10 minutes:

• 1 Tablespoon Dry Yeast
• 2 Cups Warm Water
• 1 Tablespoon honey

This first step is called proofing yeast If using instant yeast, please note that it does not need to be proofed prior to using.

Making the Dough:

Once the yeast has dissolved and started to foam, add:

• 4 1/2 cups & if needed 1/2+/= of extra cup (s) unbleached flour (I prefer Einkorn Flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon diastatic malt (optional)

#1. After the yeast dissolves and foams, add 4 1/2 cups of flour, salt, oil, and diastatic malt (if you’re using it) and mix everything together.

#2. The dough will start to come together. But, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more of flour, if necessary, to make the dough less sticky and easy to knead.

#3. Mix as much as you can by hand, then place the dough on a floured surface to knead it.

#4. Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until it springs back when you lightly touch it.

#5. When the dough is springy, put it in an oiled bowl to rise. Keep the bowl in a warm spot in your kitchen or in the oven with the light on.

#6. It just needs a warm, draft-free spot. Let it rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

When the dough feels springy, carefully put the dough in an oiled bowl to rise. Place the bowl in a warm area of your kitchen or in the oven with the light on.

A warm place without drafts is the best. Let it rise for about one hour or until it doubles in size.

Forming Loaves:

This French Bread recipe can be shaped into long baguette style loaves or round loaves. It works well either way!

• Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for one minute. Cut the dough in half.
• Shape each half into long French style loaves. Place the loaves on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Or, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• I usually put both loaves on one large sheet.
• Use a sharp serrated knife to make 4 to 5 diagonal silts on top of each loaf.
• Let the bread rest and rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until they double in size.

Baking Your Bread:

First, preheat your oven to 375degrees. Then, put the risen loaves in the oven and bake them for 30 minutes.

Check the bread at 25 minutes to see if the bottoms are browning too much. If they are, reduce the heat to 350 degrees.

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Yield: 20 Slices of Bread

Easy French Bread Recipe

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Perfect French Bread Recipe.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Dry Yeast
• 2 Cups Warm Water
• 5 Cups of Unbleached Flour 
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Diastatic Malt (optional)

Instructions

Making the Dough:

First, combine the 1 Tablespoon Dry Yeast and 2 Cups Warm Water and let it sit for 10 minutes

Making the Dough:

#1. After the yeast dissolves and foams, add 4 1/2 cups of flour, salt, oil, and diastatic malt (if you’re using it) and mix everything together.

#2. The dough will start to come together. But, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more of flour, if necessary, to make the dough less sticky and easy to knead.

#3. Mix as much as you can by hand, then place the dough on a floured surface to knead it.

#4. Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until it springs back when you lightly touch it.

#5. When the dough is springy, put it in an oiled bowl to rise. Keep the bowl in a warm spot in your kitchen or in the oven with the light on.

#6. It just needs a warm, draft-free spot. Let it rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

Forming Loaves:

• Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for one minute. Cut the dough in half.
• Shape each half into long French style loaves. Place the loaves on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Or, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• I usually put both loaves on one large sheet.
• Use a sharp serrated knife to make 4 to 5 diagonal silts on top of each loaf.
• Let the bread rest and rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until they double in size.

Baking Your Bread:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the risen loaves in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
3. Double check on the bread at 30 minutes to make sure the bottom of the loaves are not getting too brown. Rotate loaves if necessary.
4. Once your bread has finished baking, remove loaves from oven and set on cutting board or wire racks to cool. Now, slice and spread with your Creamy Healthy Butter Spread!

Notes

Cool the loaves and store in bags or freeze.

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 162Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 135mgCarbohydrates 31gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 4g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate due to variations of ingredients used in recipe.

Once  your bread has finished baking, remove loaves from oven and set on cutting board or wire racks to cool. Now, slice and spread with Homemade Creamy Healthy Butter Spread!

Remember: you can shape your loaves in long baguette style, French Bread style loaves or round loaves. This is the basic recipe for all of these.

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• Maple Syrup Butter Recipe: Rich & Creamy

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