Description
I don’t bake with bread flour or rapid yeast, and I don’t have a bread machine. This is a pretty good loaf using things I already have. One might call it ‘French on a budget’ bread. This recipe can make 1 big loaf or 6 sandwich rolls. I find they’re best served warm with homemade butter.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 ½ cups hot water
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Dissolve sugar into the hot water in a 2-cup measure; add yeast and stir gently. Let dissolve until top is foamy
- about 5 minutes.
- Whisk flour and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Stir gently
- starting from the middle
- until mixture is sticky. Knead by hand
- adding more flour if needed
- until dough is elastic and no longer sticky
- about 10 minutes.
- Oil a large
- clean bowl and place dough inside
- turning to coat. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume
- about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Fill a roasting pan with water and set on the lower rack of the oven. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
- Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape dough into 1 large loaf or 6 sandwich loaves
- tapering the ends. Place loaves on the prepared baking sheet. Cut 3 or 4 diagonal slashes
- about 1/4 to 1/2-inch
- across the tops. Cover with a dry towel and let rise until doubled in volume
- about 40 minutes.
- Uncover and bake in the center of the preheated oven until top is light golden brown
- 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the loaves.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6