French Bread

I have the opposite problem that the Swedish chef does in this video. Our house is always so cold, the dough just does not want to rise.


I did figure out that if I preheat the oven to the lowest setting for 3 minutes, and keep the oven light on, it maintains a nice heat for the length of the dough rise.

This french bread from Gourmet Mom on the Go was a really simple fairly speedy bread recipe. Although, I would not have attempted this recipe before I had my stand mixer. Kneading the dough by hand for 8 minutes would not have worked for me. I would have gotten bored and tired and the dough would not have been kneaded enough.
My dough did spread out and get quite flat at the final rise. I think the next time I make this recipe I will create some sort of long French bread shaped containment thingie out of several layers of foil. Maybe then it will look more like a traditional French bread loaf. The bread did taste wonderful though.

I froze one loaf just to see how it would taste defrosted. It was pretty good. Obviously not as good as the fresh ones, but if you are going to slather it with butter and garlic and pop it under the broiler it doesn't really matter if it's soft and fresh or not.


No Fail Quick French Bread from Gourmet Mom on the Go
1 T shortening
1 T salt
2 T sugar
1 C boiling water
1 C cold water
1/3 C lukewarm water
1 T yeast (cut your yeast in half if you are at a high altitude)
4 1/2 C - 6 C flour
1 egg

1. Place the 1 C hot water in the microwave for 3 minutes to get it boiling.
2. Dissolve the yeast into the warm water. Stir it around until it is all mixed.
3. Combine the salt, shortening, and sugar in the bottom of your mixer with a fork.
4. Pour the boiling water over the shortening mixture.
5. Pour the cold water over the mixture.
6. Pour the warm water and yeast into the mixer.
7. Begin to add flour, 1c at a time, until dough pulls away from side of your mixer.
8. Let the dough mix on high for 8 minutes.
9. Let the dough rise in the mixer for about 20 minutes. (This step can be skipped)
10. Separate dough into 3parts and place on a large jelly roll pan sprayed with cooking spray. Let the dough sit for about 5 minutes.
11. Roll into long rectangle with the long side closest to you
12. Roll rectangle away from you so you have a long snake.
13. Then bring the ends over and layer them on top of each other.
14. Turn the loaf so the seam side is down. Repeat these steps with the other 2 parts of dough.
15. Spray a sharp knife with cooking spray.
16. Make your egg wash by whisking the egg until frothy.
17. Cut three diagonal slits in the top of each loaf. Cover with the egg wash being sure to get it into all of the slits.
18. Place the loaves in a warm 170 degree oven and let rise for about 15 minutes.
19. Turn the oven up to 375 degrees for a convection oven, and 400 degrees for a regular oven. Leave the loaves in while the oven increases in temperature.
20. Bake for 10 minutes convection or 15 regular oven, or until the loaves are golden brown and crusty.
21. Turn the oven down to 325 for convection, 350 for regular and turn the pan around in the oven. Bake for another 7 minutes convection or 10 minutes for regular.