I bake this easy french bread recipe when the day feels short and my people want warm bread. The dough comes together fast and the loaf rises with a little help from a warm oven. You get a crisp shell and a soft middle that asks for butter and a swipe of jam. Friends tease me about my so called 10 minute bread recipe since the mix part takes about that long. I whisper a promise to the yeast and it perks right up. If you like a 1 hour bread recipe that tastes like a weekend project, this one fits. I learned to make bread from scratch with a patient aunt who let me knead until the dough felt like my cheek. You shape with calm hands and the loaf answers. Use this as your base bread dough recipe and play with shapes. I serve it with soup on Mondays and it disappears before the bowls cool. Beer lovers ask me for a beer bread recipe and I laugh and point to this loaf since it carries the same cozy spirit. For folks who collect baking bread recipes this one earns a spot on the fridge.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Easy French Bread Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Easy French Bread
- 4) How to Make Easy French Bread
- 5) Tips for Making Easy French Bread
- 6) Making Easy French Bread Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Easy French Bread
- 8) Try these Bread next!
- 9) Easy French Bread
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
Warm loaf on the table brings calm to a busy night. Crust shatters. Crumb stays soft. The mix stays simple. The steps stay short. We keep the plan clear and friendly.
This easy french bread recipe uses pantry items and a steady oven. The dough lifts fast with gentle heat. The shape looks rustic and home baked. The flavor lands clean and mild and works with soup or pasta.
We bake with confidence since the method reads light and direct. You knead by feel and you watch the rise. You score and steam for a crisp shell. You slice and share while the loaf still sings.
2) Easy Easy French Bread Recipe
I reach for this easy french bread recipe when dinner runs close and bellies wait. I say it twice since it guides my hands and my head. This easy french bread recipe saves the night and makes the room smell like a little bakery.
The mix reads short and kind. Water wakes the yeast. Flour gathers the liquid. Salt steadies the taste. Oil helps a tender bite. The dough feels soft and springy and it leans into a neat baton.
Friends ask for a simple french bread recipe for weeknights and I send them here with a grin. Fans of quick bread love the pace. Folks who enjoy Italian bread like the chew and the scent. The loaf sits pretty beside a salad or a warm stew.
3) Ingredients for Easy French Bread
Warm water Helps the yeast wake and stretch. Aim for bath warm so it feels cozy to the touch. Too hot and the yeast tires. Too cool and the rise slows.
Active dry yeast Brings lift and that bakery aroma. Proof it in the warm water with a little sugar so you see foam that looks like cream on cocoa.
Sugar or honey Feeds the yeast and rounds the flavor. The sweetness stays light and it fades in the bake while the crust browns.
Olive oil Adds tenderness and a gentle glow. A drizzle in the dough and a whisper on top makes the crust take on color.
Fine salt Sharpens taste and reins in the yeast. The crumb tastes clean when the balance feels right in your hand.
Bread flour or all purpose flour Builds structure with protein that traps gas. Start with the lower cup count then add by spoon until the dough turns smooth and lively.
Egg with water for wash Gives a gentle shine. Brush with a soft hand if you like a glossy top. Skip it if you want a rustic look.
4) How to Make Easy French Bread
Step 1 Warm the water until it feels like a hot bath. Sprinkle in yeast and a spoon of sugar. Wait for foam that looks creamy and soft.
Step 2 Stir in oil and salt. Add flour by cup and mix with a sturdy spoon until a shaggy mass forms and pulls from the sides of the bowl.
Step 3 Turn the dough onto a light dust of flour. Knead with calm pushes until smooth and springy under your palms. The dough should bounce back when poked.
Step 4 Set the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Place near gentle warmth so it puffs. Shape into a long baton once it rises.
Step 5 Heat the oven and place a metal pan on a lower rack for steam. Slash the top with three quick cuts. Brush with egg wash if you want shine.
Step 6 Bake until deep golden. Thump the bottom. It should sound hollow. Cool on a rack. Slice and serve with butter that melts on contact.
5) Tips for Making Easy French Bread
Keep the water warm and kind. Yeast loves comfort. If the bowl feels chilly set it near the preheating oven. A small lift from heat speeds the rise and supports a light crumb.
Score with a sharp blade and a swift hand. The cuts guide the bloom and stop random tears. A tray of hot water on a lower rack sends steam that boosts a crisp shell.
For a quick french bread recipe feel use butter on top right after baking for a softer crust. For a simple french bread finish bake the last minutes with the door cracked so extra moisture escapes.
6) Making Easy French Bread Ahead of Time
Mix the dough in the morning and let it rise in the fridge. Cold slows the yeast and builds flavor that feels round and clean. Shape when you get home and let it warm before the bake.
Freeze a shaped loaf on a sheet until firm then wrap well. Thaw in the fridge and finish the rise on the counter. Bake as written and enjoy a fresh loaf on a busy night.
This plan reads like a homemade easy french bread recipe kit. It gives you time and calm. It also fits days when the 1 hour bread recipe pace helps your schedule.
7) Storing Leftover Easy French Bread
Cool the loaf to room temp. Slip the cut side against the board and cover with a clean towel. The crust stays crisp and the crumb stays tender through the evening meal.
For next day bites place slices in a bag and press out the air. Toast to bring back the snap. A light spritz of water on the crust before reheating helps the shine return.
Bakers who like bread from scratch will smile at how well this keeps. It tastes close to new when warmed in a low oven. Serve with eggs or a salad for lunch.
8) Try these Bread next!
9) Easy French Bread
Easy French Bread Recipe One Hour Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups warm water about 110 F
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for the bowl
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
- 3 and 3/4 to 4 cups bread flour or all purpose flour
- 1 egg beaten for wash optional
- 1 tablespoon water for egg wash optional
Instructions
- Warm the water until it feels like a hot bath then pour it into a large bowl.
- Sprinkle in the yeast and the sugar and wait 5 to 7 minutes until foamy.
- Stir in the oil and the salt.
- Add 3 and 3/4 cups flour by cup and stir with a sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and springy, adding pinches of flour only if sticky.
- Oil the bowl, place the dough in, turn once to coat, and cover.
- Set the bowl in a warm spot for 20 minutes to puff.
- Heat the oven to 425 F with a rack in the center and place a metal pan on the lower rack for steam.
- Punch down the dough, shape into a long baton, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Slash the top three times with a sharp knife and brush with egg wash if using.
- Pour a cup of hot water into the hot pan to create steam.
- Bake 22 to 28 minutes until deep golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool on a rack 10 minutes before slicing.
10) Nutrition
Serving size one slice from a medium loaf. About twelve slices in one bake. Calories near one hundred forty per slice with fat near three grams and protein near four grams.
Sodium reads near two hundred twenty milligrams per slice when you measure salt as written. Carbs land near twenty five grams with a small gram of fiber.
Values shift with flour choice and size of cut. The numbers give a helpful map. Use them as a guide as you plate your meal.
Recipe by Nancy for Nancy Cooks at https://www.nancycooks.com. Fans of french bread and quick bread will enjoy this simple plan. It feels like a quick path to warm bread on any weekday.
Readers who search for 10 minute bread recipe or 1 hour bread recipe can use this post as a base. It also fits folders tagged easy french bread recipe and baking bread recipes. Try a simple french bread recipe twist by shaping two thin batons for a faster bake.
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