Who doesn’t love a warm, soft loaf of bread topped with lashings of butter? Whether you call it White Bread, French Bread, or Pain de Courgette (the French might even argue that there is no such thing as plain old white bread), there is no denying that a loaf of warm, crusty bread is one of the most satisfying foods out there. It doesn’t get better than that!
You might be asking yourself, “Haven’t we seen this recipe everywhere? Why is it popping up on my blog?”
Well, if you’re curious, you’re in the right place. This blog post will teach you how to make a delicious, artisan-style loaf of bread that’s perfect for sharing or for eating by yourself. So, put your feet up, turn on some jazz music, and get ready to cook.
Rake The Coarse Material From The Flour
First things first, you need to make sure that you have the proper ingredients before you start mixing. If you live in a large community, you might have access to fresh whole-wheat flour that hasn’t been processed, so don’t hesitate to use that. However, for the best results, it is advised that you use regular whole-wheat flour.
To prevent any problems with the baked goods, it is very important to get the ingredients as fresh as possible. For best results, use a combination of whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour in the proportions of 80% to 20%, respectively.
Add The Water
To begin, you need to add the water. Since you want the final product to have a soft, pillowy quality, you should use as little water as possible. If you want to achieve a rustic look, you should use ice water, as opposed to warm or hot water.
As you may recall from your high school French class, le grandir (to grow up) means both “to grow” and “to get bigger” in French. When you make bread, you are starting with a small amount of flour and gradually adding more until you form a ball. This process is called “fracture” in French, which basically means “to break apart” or “to piece.” In other words, you’re breaking down the large clumps of flour into smaller and smaller bits as you continue adding more water.
Mix The Dry Ingredients
Once the water has been added and mixed in, it’s time to add the dry ingredients. For best results, use a food processor. If you don’t have one, use a mixing bowl and whisk to combine the dry ingredients. As you may imagine, bread is a very tedious process, and the last thing you want to do is mix the ingredients by hand, which is incredibly time-consuming. To prevent any mishaps, it is advisable to use a digital kitchen scale, which will make sure that the proportions of the various ingredients are precise.
Set The Baked Goods Aside
Once everything is mixed together, it’s time to set the baked goods aside. To avoid any problems, you should not cut the dough until at least 30 minutes after you’ve put it aside. The yeast needs time to work its magic and ensure that the dough is fresh.
Once cut, the dough should be stored in a resealable freezer bag or wrapped in plastic film. If you’re going to be cutting the dough ahead of time, make sure that you cut it the same day you make it so that the flavors remain intact. The longer you wait, the more flavor will dissipate.
This recipe is fairly easy to follow. If you want a more detailed step-by-step recipe, you can find thousands of bread recipes online, so there’s no reason to make life difficult for yourself. Plus, with some simple kitchen tools and a bit of French, you’ll be able to cook any bread recipe confidently, which will make you both happy and proud to serve your guests.