french bread

How To Make french bread

• 1

  In a large bowl, combine the yeast with 1/2 cup of the water and stir until the yeast is dissolved.
• 2

  Add the sugar, salt, butter, and remaining 1 cup water. Stir until all the ingredients are well blended and the powdered ingredients are dissolved. Add the flour and stir until the dough is smooth; do not knead. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until it is doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• 3

  Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough in half; let the dough halves rest for 10 minutes. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll one dough half into a 10x8-inch rectangle. Beginning on a long side, roll up the dough, jelly-roll-fashion; pinch the edges to seal the loaf. Repeat with the remaining dough half.
• 4

  Lightly grease a baking sheet and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Place the loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet; sprinkle the tops of the loaves with additional cornmeal. Cover the loaves and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• 5

  Preheat the oven to 400F. Using a sharp knife, make five diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf. Bake the loaves until they are lightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the loaves to wire racks to cool.
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