Homemade French Bread Abm Recipes

Steps:

• The suggested Tsp of vinegar is an old bakers trick to help the loaf keep for longer and is used in place of the same amount of water. I use cider vinegar but white wine or clear rice vinegar would be fine. The loaf does taste better without it so if you can get through the bread within 24 hours or so then I recommend leaving it out.
• Remove pan from bread machine and place on scales (electronic ones are strongly recommended), and zero the scales.
• Add the vinegar to the pan if using it and the warm water to total 300g (essentially 300ml water weighs 300g).
• Weigh in the rest of the ingredients, ideally using the flour to cover the water if you can. (The times when I use oil, I usually cut it back to around 2/3 tablespoon, but most people would probably prefer the full tablespoon as listed).
• Transfer the pan back into the bread machine, select French bread cycle if available (or whole wheat cycle if not). My preference is for a dark/firm crust for this loaf. Start machine.
• Remove when done and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar and warm water and mix for 2 minutes to dissolve the yeast. Add the salt and flour. With the mixer on low, mix until the dough starts to come together. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and crawls up to dough hook.
• Grease a mixing bowl with the oil. Place the dough in the greased bowl and turn once. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft free place until the dough doubles in size about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and invert it onto a heavily floured surface. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Pat each portion into a large rectangle, about 3/4-inch thick. Roll up the dough, beginning with the short side and stopping after each full turn to press the edge of the roll firmly into the flat sheet of dough to seal. Press with your fingertips. Tuck and roll so that any seams disappear into the dough.
• Sprinkle a baking sheet evenly with 2 tablespoons of the cornmeal. Place the loaves on the baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cornmeal. Cover the loaves with a cloth and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• With a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes, about 1-inch apart, on the top of each loaf. With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash evenly over each loaf. Place a cup of hot water in an oven-proof container on the baking sheet with the loaves.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. Slice to serve.

Steps:

• Remove pan from Bread machine and place on a electronic kitchen scale, and zero scale.
• Weigh 210ml (210ml water weighs 210g) and rest of ingredients carefully into the pan, in the order listed (if you have the time, do have a read through of the notes :).
• Select French Loaf cycle (or Wholewheat/Wholemeal cycle if no French Loaf cycle available) and select crust/firmness if necessary required for your machine. (I feel that this loaf benefits from a fairly firm crust - as long as it's not burnt!).
• Start Machine.
• Notes:.
• Time listed is for the actual baking part of my machine's French Bread cycle. They vary by manufacturer.
• I took this recipe originally from a machine which had a 6-hour French loaf cycle but my machine makes a French loaf in 4 hours. My mum's does it in 2 3/4 hours. I've found that the results are pretty consistent regardless of machine, although you occasionally need to increase/decrease amount of yeast to marry the recipe to the 'rise' component of your machine's cycle.
• My machine has an un-overrideable 20 minute pre-heat before it does anything whatsoever whenever I use this cycle, so I need to take the following precautions so that the yeast doesn't make contact with any liquid before kneading starts which I recommend to you:.
• When pouring the water do try to pour gently trying to avoid slashing up sides.
• When adding the flour, do try to cover the water completely if possible.
• When adding the yeast, if necessary/inclined try making a dip (or 'well') in the top of the flour and carefully pouring the yeast into the dip/well.
• If using yeast in sachet form it's worth measuring it onto a teaspoon first and holding some of the sachet (depending on sachet size).
• Here in Europe most of our cooking is weight-based rather than volume based.
• A set of electronic kitchen scales with 1 gram graduations can be quite cheap if you hunt around and more than any other cooking and baking they really come into their own when it comes to bread-making, although I usually still use spoon measures for salt and yeast, and for liquid oil when I use it. Gives bomb-proof results, every single time!

Steps:

• Add all ingredients to your bread machine as your directions instruct.
• Mine go like this:.
• Add liquid ingredients to bread pan.
• Add all dry ingredients, except yeast, to bread pan.
• Make a well in the dry ingredients and carefully add the yeast into the well.
• Select the "French" setting on your machine.
• Select crust color, if applicable.
• Press start!
• OVEN METHOD:.
• To make loaves in the oven, use the "Dough" cycle on your machine.
• When cycle is complete, punch dough down and divide into 2 equal parts.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a rectangle, about 10 x 15.
• Starting at the long side, roll each rectangle, jelly roll style, into a tight, long loaf. Seal seams and ends by pinching dough together.
• Place loaves seam sides down on a large, ungreased baking sheet. You may sprinkle some cornmeal or flour on the pan under where you'll be placing the loaves.
• Cover loaves with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, until almost double in size.
• Preheat oven to 375*. Place a pan of hot water on the bottom rack of your oven. This will create steam inside the oven while the bread is baking to give you an authentic crust.
• Using a very sharp knife, carefully make 3 or 4 diagonal slashes in each loaf, cutting about 1/2 inch down into dough.
• If you choose, at this time you can carefully brush on an egg white glaze (one egg white beaten with 1 tbl. of water) and sprinkle with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion or garlic, etc., if desired.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes (or until loaves sound hollow when tapped) on middle oven rack.
• Cool on wire racks and serve warm.

Steps:

• Place all bread dough ingredients in bread machine and select dough cycle.
• When cycle is complete, remove dough and roll into a 12"x15" rectangle on a lightly floured board.
• Roll up from long side and pinch seam to seal.
• Fold ends under.
• Place seam side down on greased baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes.
• Make 4 diagonal cuts with a sharp knife across top of bread.
• Bake at 375° for 25 minutes.
• Beat egg white and water; remove bread from oven and brush with egg wash.
• Return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Steps:

• Add ingredients in the order listed to your bread machine, or follow the manufacturers directions for adding ingredients.
• Choose the basic cycle with regular or light crust. Rapid cycle will work, too.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.
• Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.
• With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Place in bread maker in the order suggested by your ABM manufacturer (mine is a "Corner Bakery" and it is supposed to go in as written above.
• Cook on French Bread Setting on Light crust for best results.

Steps:

• Place the sourdough starter, water, olive oil, salt, sugar, yeast, and flour in that order into the pan of a bread machine, set the machine on the dough cycle, and start the machine.
• After the machine has finished its cycle, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead several times; mix in more flour if the dough is very sticky. Cut the dough in half, and roll each piece of dough out into a rectangle about 8 by 12 inches and 1/2-inch thick. Roll the rectangles into loaves the long way, pinch the seams, and taper and pinch the ends of the loaves.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and sprinkle paper with cornmeal. Place the loaves gently onto the prepared baking sheets, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Place a large baking stone onto the center rack of oven, and place a baking dish onto a lower rack. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Carefully pour boiling water into the baking dish.
• Remove plastic wrap from loaves, and slash several 1/2-inch deep cuts into each loaf with a sharp knife. Whisk egg yolk and milk together in a small bowl until thoroughly mixed, and brush the loaves with the egg yolk mixture.
• Place the loaves into the preheated oven on top of the baking stone, and quickly spray the inside of the oven 4 or 5 times with a water-filled spray bottle. Shut oven door; wait 1 minute, and spray again; repeat twice more, spraying the oven 4 times with water at 1-minute intervals.
• Bake about 15 minutes, and remove the water-filled baking dish. Continue to bake until the bread is browned and the loaves make a hollow sound when thumped, about 15 more minutes. Remove bread to cool on racks.

Steps:

• The night before baking the bread prepare this starter: In a medium sized non-metal mixing bowl dissolve 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast in 1 cup warm water. Add 1 1/2 cup bread flour and mix well. Cover and let sit overnight at room temperature.
• The next day: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the 2 teaspoons yeast in the 2 cups warm water. Add the starter mixture, the whole wheat flour, 3 cups bread flour and the salt; stir until well combined. Add the remaining bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into the prepared pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Steps:

• Measure all ingredients into pan in order given.
• Use French setting and medium or dark crust (depending on your preference and your machine).