What you actually made was an enriched dough, because technically there is no dairy or sweetener in French Bread. The good news, you'll find it will keep a little better than a traditional French baguette (or pain ordinaire), which are generally at their "best" for 2-hours after they are completely cool, and then stale quickly because they lack the ingredients you added, and will have a softer crumb than a traditional French Bread recipe, which you really loved, so I'd consider your recipe with the additions a keeper.

A common Master Formula for French Bread includes: Unbleached all-purpose flour, unbleached bread flour, salt, malt powder, yeast and water. Or one using the same ingredients and a pre-fermented dough instead of yeast. Sugar is not even used to proof the yeast in a traditional French Bread. There are more than enough carbohydrates (sugars) in flour to feed yeast.

Nearly any well-hydrated dough (wetter is better to develop that open texture in the crumb) can be formed into a baguette, but that doesn't make it French Bread, that makes it a baguette. Because of the enriching ingredients, you probably won't have the same open texture as a traditional French Bread.

A characteristic crumb of French Bread has irregular holes, some very large and barely connected by strands of gluten and others tighter and smaller. If this webbing is composed of uniform-sized holes, it means the loaves have been shaped too roughly or by mechanical equipment (think grocery store "French Bread").

The French Bread baguette is only about 150-years old when you look at breads in history, and is characterized by a thin, crackly crust, diagonal cuts across the top that "bloom" open into crusty flaps called ears, a length of 18-36 inches (or longer!), and color varying from light gold to deep gold with tones of reddish brown. Your crust will probably be a little thicker, browner, and softer after it begins to stale because of the additions of milk and honey.

So much for French Bread 101...

-Grainlady

I often play with my bread....try adding a little whole wheat flour for a little of the white next time....And a squirt of molasses....then the next time add some raisins...or chopped dried apricots....then you might try using a bit of 7 grain cereal....and perhaps dried cherries?
it's all good but "French bread" it's not!
Linda C

Thank you Grainlady for the lesson... I love it !! Although I have been making bread for what seems like forever, I usually make whole grain sandwich style breads or Boule's... and "French Bread" was just a whim for me yesterday... But since I started out making french bread and ended up making something entirely different... I don't know what to call it.. Hubby said..."hillbilly bread" cuz we live in the Tennessee hills.. lol We have eaten nearly one loaf already.. hubby kept going back for slice after slice... and he can do that since he is such a bony butt guy, and never will gain an ounce form eating lots and lots of carbs... (Lucky Dawg)

Thank you again Grainlady... I believe nobody is ever to old or experienced to learn something new or old...

BTW ~ I love reading your posts...and posts from everyone here, as I learn something from just about every one of them..

Carolyn

Grainlady,

Your posts are wonderful. That one was one of your best. It explained so many things I either was vague about or didn't know at all in a few well organized paragraphs.

You should write a book. If you don't, I will have to print out all your posts and make a book of them myself.

Jim

Carolyn I am blown away by your "southern-isms"...I can almost hear a drawl in your posts! LOL!!
But when you post on the Kitchen Table....I don't "hear" the Tennessee accent?
Is it the thoughts of grits and corn bread that brings it out?
and while we are on the bread topic....sort of! LOL!
What's your biscuit recipe?
I have many friends who retired to the Tennessee hills, they email and sound just like normal....but when they visit...I know they have been eating southern food!! LOL! And they shiver and can't wait to go back!
Linda C

Jim, I have already done a C&P of Grainlady's post.. what wonderful chunk of useful information...

Linda ~ I love tossing in different grains and mixes and stuff in my bread.... and even add stuff like cheese, or cooked onion and peppers or olives, and even granola and wheatgerm.. not everything mentioned in the same loaf of course... Maybe I am more relaxed in here... with the foodies.. I do know a few at KT that would love to chop my head off, but have to settle for leg chewing instead.. LOL But I won't go into that... why spoil a good thread eh?

My recipe for making "Cat Head" biscuits is quite simple.. and yummy too.

Here ya go.

CAT HEAD BISCUITS

About 2 Cups of All purpose flour
about 3/4 tsp of salt
about 1/2 tsp. of baking soda
about 1 tsp. of baking powder
about 1 Cup of Buttermilk
about 4 1/2 Tablesoons of Lard or shortening.. (I prefer lard)..

Mix it all together to form a kind of sticky dough.. dip your hands into some flour and grab a hunk of dough, enough to make a nice ball of dough a little smaller than my fist. (Or your fist, depending on the size of your hands) You should get 7 or 8 biscuits.

Place each ball of dough in a well greased (I like butter) iron skillet and place your balls of dough into the skillet with one right smack dab in the center of the pan..and the others circling the middle one. Preheat oven to about 400� and bake until golden brown... about 20 minutes or so...

I apologize for my measurements and description not being exact.... but that's the way I cook... often don't even look at a recipe or cookbook..

You can add cheddar cheese or / and garlic or / and herbs to the biscuits too.. The sky is the limit... Have fun.. Food is to enjoy...

Bon Apetit

Carolyn

Wait, wait, stop, stop! You all are moving way too fast for me!

I want to try making French bread. I have never made bread. I have never watched anyone make bread. I don't even know anyone who makes bread (well, one person).

So, if I may ask humbly - and I'm not above begging - can Carolyn, grainlady, or whoever is willing to spend time talking to a bread idiot, post a simple ''French bread 101'' recipe, with quantities, and ideally with the groovy enhancement that was mentioned in the first post?

Iron skillet eh? Hmmm...
I wondered if you used buttermilk.
And what are "beaten biscuits?" Does it really work to just pound the dough?

I have seen a picture of Carolyn's Cat heads..and WOWee are they somethin!

Jim, Bread is really easy...May I recommend a book that I rather enjoy and copied quite a few recipes out of(I need to just purchase it.)..the beauty of it too..it comes with 3 different measurements/sizes so that you can "sample" the recipe too.
It's called Whole Grain Breads by Machine or Hand.

I make the Country White all the time.

Sampler Loaf:

2/3 c warm water
3/4 t salt
2 t sugar(usually use honey)
1/4 c barley or oat flour
1 3/4 c bread flour (I use organic "white" flour.)
1 t yeast

Regular Loaf:
1 c water
1 t salt
1 T sugar
1/2 c barley or oat flour
2 2/3 c bread flour
1 1/2 t yeast

Large Loaf: (This is the size I make and split the dough into 2 15 oz loaves. Shape into oval~sometimes slashing the top.)

1 1/3 c water
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 T sugar
1/2 c barley or oat flour
3 1/2 c bread flour
2 t yeast

Here's my "how I do its". LOL

In the bottom of my KA bowl fitted with paddle.
Put in water, honey, yeast. Mix a few turns on low until yeast "is buried" in the water. Walk away for 5-15 minutes.
Add in salt, oat flour, and 1 c flour. Mix with paddle until well blended. Take paddle out and cover bowl with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes. Put in dough hook and add remaining flour. Some times you need a bit more than called for. I let the machine clean the sides and knead the dough until no longer sticky. Put in a "proofing bucket" or cove the bowl with wrap again and let rise until doubled.

Shape into "oval" loaf and let rise covered with a dish towel on a baking stone. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes or so.

This is the large loaf recipe 1/2 the dough baked up in a gallon ziploc..fits nicely into the "width" of the bag.

{{gwi:2089933}}

The texture of this bread is great. French bread like..However..I seem to like "salt" in my bread. I find it very bland.

The recipe states that salt controls the action of yeast and in this bread the author reduced the yeast to a minimum to "control" the breads rise.

Tuscan Bread

Sampler, regular, large:
2/3 c water, 1 c, 1 1/3c
1/4 c whole wheat, 1/2 c, 1 c
1 3/4 c bread flour, 2 1/2 c, 3 c
1/4 yeast, 1/2 t, 3/4 t

Same instructions as the Country White Bread above. (The author uses the "proofing yeast, proofing most of the rest of the ingredients and then finishing the dough.)

However when it comes to baking. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes and spritz the loaf(ves) with water before closing the oven.

Thanks for the recipes and the photo, Terri. Your bread looks really nice.

Jim

Here is the "French Bread" Recipe that I "played" with yesterday..from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
Directions
1.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.
2.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.
3.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.
4.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.
5.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.

I used half milk and half warm water, and since my honey jar was just sitting there on the counter, I picked it up and squirt some into the dough I was mixing.. probably about a tablespoon but surely not any more.. just a good squirt.. lol

I am sure Grainlady can supply you with tons of wonderful recipes that put this one to shame... but it does taste awfully good.. We are calling it "Hillybilly Bread".. lol

Carolyn

johnliu -

Come to one of my all-day classes (although I don't have any scheduled just now) - a few minutes of typing just won't cover the subject. I spend an hour just talking about flour and other ingredients. Another hour goes into types of yeast and natural leavening (i.e. sourdough starters). Bread has a whole language that would be useful to understand. Just what would you think if I told you to "retard" the dough?

I made bread by reading a recipe, without knowing a whole lot about bread making, and sometimes I baked bread, and sometimes I baked "bricks". I made more kinds of breads, and made it better, the more bread science I understood, so I studied the subject. Once I took intensive training on the subject, I got a LOT better.

I'll give you a couple ways to get-your-feet-wet. At your local grocery store look for a box of Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix (check the baking section - near the flour - probably on the top shelf). These boxed mixes are a great way to make rolls, cinnamon rolls, a loaf of bread and even pizza dough - without a lot of investment, commitment, or instructions.

The next method (see link below) is one I use with children, but this class is also popular with adults. If you can master "Bread-in-a-Bag", you will be ready to put some study into the subject of bread making in order to get you from simple "Bread-in-a-Bag" to more detailed techniques used to make French Bread.

Check your local library for books on bread making, as well as DVD's and videos. Sometimes seeing IS believing. Find a bread making class going on in your area, or someone who would be willing to mentor you.

BTW - "retarding" the dough means you refrigerate it.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Easy Yeast Breads In a Bag

An all day class sounds wonderful to me... wow...but right now, I am off to check out your link..

Thank you...

Carolyn

Wasn't there a sticky or someplace we could go and look at a step-by-step instruction for making bread?
Bread-making 101, or am I dreaming? (wishfully)

Johnliu,

Go to the FAQ just under where it says Cooking Forum and you will find Tricia�s bread baking 101. She has a books worth of information on the how and why�s of bread baking. Between Tricia and grainlady I can now bake a really good loaf of bread without even measuring much.

Claudia

Here is a link that might be useful: FAQ

Ask And Shall Ye Receive! Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to try baking my first loaf - after the holiday crush is over.

Johnliu, bread really is easy to make.

Try Julia Child's French Bread recipe. It is one of the best. And if you make the dough up a couple of days in advance and leave it in the fridge for a long cold fermentation it will develop even more flavour and texture.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

French Baguette
===============
Julia Child

1 package dry active yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
3-1/2 cups unbleached flour (bread flour) (NOTE: I use 4 cups)
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
1-1/3 cups cold water plus 1/3 or so additional water

Place the flour, yeast and salt in the bowl of the food process. Pulse to mix. Add 1 1/3 cups of water and process until the dough comes together. If the dough doesn't form a ball, add a little of the extra water. Process for about 60 seconds, turn off machine and let dough rest for 5 minutes.

Turn on the machine again and rotate the dough about 30 times under the cover, and then remove it to a lightly floured work surface. it should be fairly smooth and quite firm.

Let the dough rest for 2 minutes and then knead roughly and vigorously. The final dough should not stick to your hands as you knead (although it will stick if you pinch and hold a piece); it should be smooth and elastic and, when you hold it up between your hands and stretch it down, it should hold together smoothly.

Preliminary rise - 40 to 60 minutes at around 75°F. Place the dough into a clean dry bowl, (do not grease the bowl), cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place free from drafts. (note the French do not grease the bowl because they believe the dough needs a seat to push up from). This first rise is sufficient when the dough has definitely started to rise and is about 1 1/2 times its original volume.

Deflating:

Turn the dough onto your lightly floured work surface roughly and firmly pat and push it out into a 14 inch rectangle. Fold one of the long sides over toward the middle, and the other long side over to cover it, making a 3 layer cushion. Repeat the operation. This important step redistributes the yeast throughout the dough, for a strong second rise. Return the dough smooth side up the bowl; cover with plastic wrap and again set to rise.

Final rise in the bowl - about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer. The bread should be 2 1/2 to 3 times its original bulk. It is the amount of rise that is important here, not the timing.

To Shape,

Cut the dough in half. Set one piece aside and cover with a towel.

On a lightly floured work surface pat the dough into a 14 inch rectangle, squaring it up as evenly as you can.

Fold the rectangle of dough in half lengthwise and using the heel of your hand, firmly press the edges together whether they meet. Seat well. Pound the dough flat. Now repeat - patting the dough out again and folding it over and sealing the edges. Pinch the edges well and Rotate the dough so that the sealed edge in on the bottom.

Repeat with second piece of dough.

Cover with plastic wrap or loosely with a towel and let rise to more than double again at about 75°f.

Place stone in oven and Preheat oven to 450°F. Slash three long cuts into the loaves and place on the hot stone. Immediately toss a number of ice cubes on to the bottom on the oven to create steam. Bake until bread is golden and has an interior temp of 200°F. Takes about 30 minutes.

Making Dough in a Mixer or by Hand

When you are making dough in an electric mixer with a dough hook, proceed in the same general way with the rests indicated, and finish by hand. or mix the dough by hand in a bowl, turn out on a work surface, and start the kneading by lifing it up with a sraper and slapping it down roughly for several minutes until it has body. Let it rest several minutes and then proceed to knead.
. This is the recipe I use as a basic outline. I use it more as a
guideline.

I have a Magic Mill that I use to do most of the kneading. I still
like to finish kneading by hand.

Today's bread was a sour dough based. I fed my sour dough starter
before going to bed on Sunday night. I had four ounces of starter
leftover so I it was used to make a biga and then left it to develop
overnight.

The biga was added to about four cups of flour along with about 3/4
teaspoon of yeast. (I measure yeast in the palm of my hand) and
enough water added to make the dough. Once the water was added I left
the mixture to rest for about 20 minutes. This allows the flour to
absorb the water and makes kneading easier. This step is more
important when working with a wet dough. Like a Ciabatta. At the end
of 20 minutes I added the salt. Again measured in the palm of my hand.

A few years ago we had Paney (bread) Camp in NC; our Dough Mistress was Teresa_NC. We had bread making classes in the morning and day trips in the afternoon. I can't tell you how much fun that was.

Cathy

"I'm going to try baking my first loaf - after the holiday crush is over."

I think you will just love the experience... once you get a few good loaves made you may just become totally addicted to bread baking... I know that's what happened to me when I was in high school still... been playing with dough ever since... Not many dry spells in between.. just maybe summer time when I am wallowing in the dirt in my veggie and flower gardens... lol

Carolyn

John..if you bread doesn't "turn out" as lovely as you want...Ann T's bread and butter pudding is a very nice way to "use it up"...LOL