Favorite French Bread

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From the kitchen of Livi M.

This recipe has been on northpole.com from the beginning… since 1996! We hope you enjoy this classic North Pole recipe. Let us know your opinion by submitting a review!

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Recipe Details

Bake Time:

35-40 minutes

Yields:
Tags:

1 loaf
Good for parties/potlucks, Kid friendly, Travels well

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 pack active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (120-130 degrees F)
some cornmeal to dust pan
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon water

Directions

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, the yeast, and 3/4 teaspoons of salt.
Add warm water. Beat with a mixer at high speed for 3-4 minutes.
Stir in as much remaining flour as possible.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead in enough reaming flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and stretchy.
This will take about 10 minutes. Shape into a ball.
Put it in a greased bowl; turn to grease surface.
Cover and let rise in a warm place till nearly double (1 hour).
Punch down the dough.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough into a 15x10-inch rectangle.
Roll up from long sides into a rope; seal well.
Pinch and pull the ends to taper.
Place, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal (if you don't have any cornmeal, you can just use some grits- they work just as well).
Combine egg white and water; brush over the loaf.
Cover and let rise till nearly double (another 35-45 minutes).
With a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across the top of the bread.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Brush again with egg white and water solution.
Continue baking for 15-20 minutes more or till bread tests done.
Remove from baking sheet and cool.