Making French Bread!

[Smowball]

I’m making it for the first time. It’s meant to be a foolproof easy recipe which only takes 90 mins from start to finished product. Am just letting dough prove then will shape and put in oven. Not sure what the end result will be lol - will keep you posted!

[Buenchico]

Baking's easy though, isn't it?
https://i.insider.com/5e9daf8b0b3c9b49fa4014c8?width=700&format=jpeg&auto=webp
;-)

[gingejbee]

Doesn't the genuine article require blasts of steam to give it the authentic crust/taste? Perhaps put a bowl of hot water in the bottom of the oven? (I'm no expert, btw!)

[Neveracrossword]

French toast is easier....

[Captain2]

It's all a bit of a 'pain' dough, isn't it?

[Buenchico]

I think bread kneads a little loving
https://www.uselessthingstobuy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screen-Shot-2019-04-16-at-4.41.52-PM.png

[Smowball]

No idea Ginge. This recipe says to rub olive oil into dough before proving.

Lol, interesting photo !

[jno]

just the thing in this weather

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ba/05/19/ba05196623b2351128d7d3590a920c20.png

[Smowball]

Lol!

[Mamyalynne]

Toasty Jno ;-)

[New Judge]

I always answer such questions in this vein, but I really do not understand why people insist on trying to bake bread (or cakes, for that matter) at home. The professional bakeries have done all the experiments with recipes, oven temperatures, timings, etc. to get optimum results. They have specialist equipment to produce the stuff (some recipes require a change in over temperature during cooking and they achieve that with conveyor belt ovens). In 90 minutes you could have popped down to Tesco's. :-)

[haras2]

New Judge
I think you said it all :)

[Mamyalynne]

I'm not much of a home baker these days but there's something very satisfying about producing your own products and even better when the family enjoy them.

[webbo3]

\\Doesn't the genuine article require blasts of steam to give it the authentic crust/taste? Perhaps put a bowl of hot water in the bottom of the oven? (I'm no expert, btw!)//

Spot on, my parents lived in france for 20 years and the local baker showed them and explained how it was done.

[Smowball]

New Judge , I agree but - I can’t drive at the moment, I forgot to ask Mr Smow to get some when he was out earlier and he’s now working, and I’m waiting in for a parcel, so seeing as I found some yeast etc in cupboard and I can’t go anywhere i thought I’d try making it.

[barry1010]

Home baking is far superior to any shop bought unless it is from hugely expensive fancy bakers. Cakes and bread from Tesco and any other supermarket just doesn't come up to scratch.

[jno]

The professional bakeries have done all the experiments with recipes, oven temperatures, timings, etc. to get optimum results.

... and that's how Kingsmill was born.

[Barsel]

I bought some French Toast last week for the first time as I'm trying to cut down on bread and butter. Quite like it really, nice and crunchy.
Instead of having toast, butter and marmalade, I've been having these with just a spot of marmalade.
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/266291362?selectedUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fdigitalcontent.api.tesco.com%2Fv2%2Fmedia%2Fghs%2F5d215704-dbb0-48a8-b154-20232c81b8ff%2Fsnapshotimagehandler_2103858371.jpeg%3Fh%3D540%26w%3D540

[Atheist]

NJ, trouble is, you can't get French bread at Tesco's. The bread we eat in France would be sold in UK as 'artisanal authentic.......' and would cost a packet. Over there it's just daily bread.

[pastafreak]

Homemade is much better...better flour for one, and none of the modern industrial practices that make modern bread such rubbish.
I used to bake it fresh all the time, and it really didn't require much effort. Unfortunately bread and I parted company a good few years ago. My belly doesn't like it.

[Smowball]

Came out really well!