Breads:

French Bread

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Ingredients

2-1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons cooking oil
6 cups flour, sifted, divided
2 packages (1/4 ounce) dry yeast
1/4 cup corn meal

Instructions

Pour warm water, 105-115 degrees, into a large bowl and stir in sugar, salt, oil, half the flour and the yeast. Beat vigorously 2-3 minutes. Add remaining flour and stir until all dry ingredients are thorougly mixed. Leave the spoon in the heavy batter and allow it to rest 10 minutes. Stir down and allow dough to rest 10 minutes and stir down again. Repeat this process until dough has been stirred down 5 times. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled. Divide in half and roll each part into a 9x12-inch rectangle and roll up each from the long side like a jelly roll. Pinch seam to seal dough and arrange loaves on greased baking sheets that have been sprinkled with corn meal. Using a sharp knife, make deep cuts at an angle on top of each loaf and sprinkle with corn meal. Let rise at room temperature until nearly double in bulk, about 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from baking sheets and cool on racks.

Melisa Turner
Prophetstown