Bakery-Style French Bread at Home (in Less Than an Hour!)

It's been a challenging couple of weeks since my last post.  Not only the election and the COVID surge, but THAT KNEE...!  Still no cooperation!  So it's back to the surgeon and the hospital, and instead of the hoped-for new knee replacement, it will be yet another antimicrobial spacer and another six weeks of IV antibiotics administered by yours truly, which will finish up RIGHT before Christmas.  Ugh.

Anyway, I'm kind of on a specialty bread kick.  Just like I said about hamburger buns in the previous post, it somehow seems like kind of an ordeal to run to the store to buy french bread, and even though it's not expensive, it still feels like you pay a lot for what you get, and making bread at home is time-consuming.

I've been on the lookout for a french bread recipe that doesn't take half the day, and I finally found one that takes less than an hour!!!  Yippee!!!  You don't have to knead it, and it only has to rise once, so it's super easy and fast, plus it has a lovely texture.

The recipe makes three big french loaves.  You can halve the recipe, make two smaller loaves, and still have loads of bread.

Bakery-Style French Bread

2 T yeast

1/2 c warm water (about 110 - 115 degrees)

2 c hot water (hot from the faucet)

3 T sugar

1 T salt

1/3 c vegetable oil (I use canola)

6 1/2 c bread flour

1 beaten egg

In a small bowl mix together the yeast and warm water and let it sit 5 - 10 minutes.  It should get foamy.  In a large bowl, combine the hot water, sugar, salt, oil, and 3 cups of the flour.  Mix well.  Add the yeast mixture and the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition.  I use a stand mixer, but that's not necessary.  Let the dough rest in the bowl 10 minutes.

Separate the dough into 3 pieces.  With a rolling pin, on a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 9" x 12" rectangle (this takes the place of kneading).  Roll each up like a jelly roll, tuck the ends under, shape into a french bread loaf and smooth out the edges.

Place shaped loaves seam-side-down on a sprayed baking sheet, well spaced apart.  Using a sharp chef's knife make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf.  Brush with the beaten egg.  Let rise uncovered in a warm place for 30 or 40 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees 20 - 24 minutes.  Loaves should be light brown.

Remove from the oven and transfer from the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.