Recipe For Cooking Quick French Bread

Toast Oven Breads :: Sweet and Savory Yeast Breads

Quick French Bread

1 pkg. yeast
2 C. lukewarm water
1 1/4 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
5 or 6 C. flour

Add yeast to water, then add salt and sugar. Stir until the yeast dissolves. Beat the flour into the yeast water, a C. at a time, using a wooden spoon to stir. Add as much flour as you need to make a smooth dough. Knead until smooth. Brush top and sides with oil and cover the dough with a towel. Let stand in a warm place to rise until double in bulk.

Turn the dough onto a floured bread board and shape into long French loaves. Place the loaves on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal and let stand to rise for 5 min.

Slash the tops of the loaves in several places, brush them with water and place in a cold oven.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a pan of boiling water in the oven with the loaves and bake them for 45 min., or until crusty done.