Easiest Homemade French Bread Recipe (Perfect Every Time)
This Homemade French Bread is the easiest one you'll ever try for perfect results every time! It's crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside!
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Keyword French Bread, French Bread Recipe, Homemade French Bread
Prep Time 1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Total Time 2 hourshours55 minutesminutes
Servings 2loaves
Author Valya's Taste of Home
Ingredients
Homemade French Bread Ingredie
6cups– organic all-purpose flour
1tbsp.- dry active yeast
¾tbsp.– sea salt (or to taste)
2¼cup– water (room temperature)
4tbsp.– unsalted butter
⅓cup– organic whole milk
1½tsp.– organic sugar
1Egg to brush the loaves (optional)
Instructions
How to Make French Bread Dough
Into the bread maker pan add all the ingredients: flour, yeast, sea salt, softened butter, and room temperature water and milk.
Next, lock the pan in its bread maker and press the dough cycle for the dough to form. It usually takes 30 minutes of kneading and one hour of rising.
After the dough cycle is done, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface, I use a large cutting board here.
How to Shape French Bread
Split the dough into two pieces that’ll look like a rectangle each and then roll up both chunks into two spheres.
Shape them into long French bread loaves, while pressing out any air bubbles or seams with the heels of your hand. Pinch the edge to seal properly.
You can, alternatively, make one large French bread loaf (like shown in the picture below) out of it instead of two smaller ones. The baking and rising time will remain the same.
Place them on a baking sheet that’s greased or lined with parchment paper. Make sure to place it with the seam side down. Next, brush the loaves with an egg wash.
Use a sharp knife or razor blade to make diagonal slashes on it top of each loaf and then allow it to proof for 30 minutes,
How to Bake French bread
After about 15 minutes of proofing, preheat the oven to 350F (180 C). Then bake the loaves for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Once done, remove them from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet onto a wire rack. Let them cool completely before serving.
Notes
Brushing bread loaves with egg wash is optional as well. Another alternative is to spray loaves with water before placing them into the oven.