French Bread

Whole Wheat French Bread Ingredients:

2 c. warm water

2 T. wheat gluten

3 T. sugar

4 t. yeast

2 c. wheat flour

2 t. salt

1 1/2 c. wheat flour

 Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients up to the first cup of flour.  Let sit for 5 minutes to sponge.

2. Mix in salt, then knead in remaining flour for 5-7 minutes.
(French bread is a slightly stiffer dough in order to hold it's shape)

3. Let dough rest/rise for 10 minutes, loosely covered.

4. Form into 2 long breadsticks and place on a cornmealed 9x13 pan.

(I tried cooking them on a cookie sheet, but they went flat.  

Wheat dough needs to touch each other and the sides of the pan

as it rises in order to hold its form since it is low in gluten.)

5. Brush with egg white and cut slices for decoration.

6. Rise for 45 minutes.

7. Bake at 400* for 20-22 minutes (or until golden brown)

8. Serve with butter on each slice since there is no oil in the recipe
(This recipe has a bit more sugar than normal french bread recipes
so that it doesn't taste too salty when butter is spread on it)

For, Baggetts, form into 3 skinny loaves on a 9x13 pan

White French Bread Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. warm water

5 t. sugar

2 1/2 t. yeast

1 c. white or wheat flour

1 1/4 t. salt

2 c. white flour

Directions:

Same as for wheat bread, but if you double the recipe,
white bread can hold it's shape and be placed 2 per jelly roll pan