Lesson #15 - French Bread with a Twist
Every week Jameson bounces with excitement whenever we ask him if he is ready for his cooking lesson. This week’s lesson is one he requested awhile back but we didn’t have the yeast. He was beyond excited when I let him know that the yeast was back in stock. His personality was shining through today as he danced and sang while dousing the bread with the egg wash.
He has always been at home in the kitchen!
Share your thoughts, memories and pictures below in the comments.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 80 mins
Ingredients:
1 packet active dry yeast
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon salt
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg (egg wash)
2 tablespoons milk or water (egg wash)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
STEP ONE:
First step is proofing the yeast. Add the yeast and sugar to warm water and whisk until dissolved. Let it sit for approximately 5 minutes, or until tiny bubbles appear on the surface.
STEP TWO:
Whisk in the salt, and then add the flour, 1 cup at a time. Make sure to mix each time you add a cup.
STEP THREE:
Start mixing the dough with your hands. Dive in and get sticky! You should be able to make a sticky ball.
STEP FOUR:
Sprinkle the counter with flour and place down the dough. Knead it until it is smooth with some elasticity. This can take a couple of minutes.
STEP FIVE:
Grease down a bowl with olive oil and place your dough ball inside, turning it to coat in oil. Let the dough rise to room temperature for about 1 to 2 hours.
STEP SIX:
Punch the big puffy dough! This is where the giggles begin. Take it out of the bowl and knead it for a couple of minutes to remove any air bubbles.
STEP SEVEN:
Cut the dough in half to make two loaves of bread. Then cut one loaf into three equal pieces. This is not an exact science so let them learn and try to make the three parts.
STEP EIGHT:
Roll each piece into approximately 12 inches or close to each other in length.
STEP NINE:
On a greased baking sheet lay the three ropes next to each other. Start braiding from one end to the other. Then tuck and pinch both ends of the braid. Repeat Steps 7-9 for the second loaf.
STEP TEN:
Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for approximately 30 minutes. While the bread is rising make the egg wash. Whisk together the egg and milk then set aside.
STEP ELEVEN:
Brush both loaves with the egg wash right before you put them in the oven. This will give them a nice shiny, golden brown finish.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until browned. Before you know it the kitchen will be filled with the sweet aroma of homemade bread.
The bread was an amazing compliment to our family dinner. We sliced it in half, and covered it with butter and garlic salt. Everyone was happy!