Crusty French Bread

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   In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1 1/2 cups warm (105 to 115F) water.

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   Let stand until the yeast bubbles.

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   Stir in the salt and half the flour.

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   Let stand for 5 minutes, until bubbly.

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   Stir in the rest of the flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.

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   If necessary, you may need to add more flour, a tablespoon at a time (depending on the climate: in warm, moist conditions, youll need a bit more flour; in very dry, arid places, like Minnesota in the winter, you may need to add a bit more water).

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   Cover, and let the dough stand for 15 minutes until it begins to rise.

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   Turn out onto a very lightly floured board and knead until the dough is smooth and feels as if all the lumps of flour are gone.

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   Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

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    Divide the dough into three parts to make baguettes.

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    Shape each into a long, narrow loaf.

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    Place on a lightly greased, dark, rimless cookie sheet (not one that is insulated), with the smoothest side of the loaf up.

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    Cover and let rise again for 45 minutes, until puffy.

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    Position the oven racks on the very bottom, the center, and the upper center of the oven.

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    Place a rimmed cookie sheet filled with lake or river rocks on the very bottom level.

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    Preheat the oven at 465F (regular bake) for at least 20 minutes.

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    Center a baking stone or 6 unglazed tiles on the center rack (place the tiles 1 to 2 inches apart for air circulation).

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    When the dough has risen until puffy, slash the loaves with a sharp, serrated knife diagonally across the top in three or four places, about 1/4 inch deep.

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    Reduce the oven temperature to convection bake at 450F.

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    Using a spray bottle filled with plain water, spritz the loaves generously.

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    Pour 3/4 to 1 cup cool water into the pan of rocks beneath (a sport water bottle works well).

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    Bake on the center rack (on preheated tiles) for 15 minutes, until the loaves are browned and crusty.

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    Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

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    Bread machine: Measure all the ingredients into the container of a bread machine and program the machine for the dough setting.

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    When the dough is ready, continue with step 6.

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    Food Processor: Measure the yeast and dry ingredients into the container of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

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    Turn the processor on and slowly add the water through the feed tube; process until the dough is smooth and shiny and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

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    Cover, and let rise until the dough is doubled.

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    After rising (step 8), snip the loaves with scissors at a 45-degree angle, pulling each snipped piece outward on opposite sides so that the loaves resemble sheaves of wheat.

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    Soak 1/2 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 10 minutes.

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    Drain well and pat dry.

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    Knead into the dough in step 4.

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    Proceed as directed.

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    Pit and chop 1/2 cup well-drained Kalamata olives and add to the dough in step 4.

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    Shape the dough into a round loaf and place on a lightly greased, dark, rimless (noninsulated) cookie sheet.

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    Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, until puffy.

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    Preheat the oven as directed in step 7.

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    Before baking, slash the loaf diagonally with a serrated knife or razor blade across the top in three places.

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    Bake at the temperature given in step 8 for 20 to 25 minutes or until crusty and browned.

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    Cool on a wire rack.

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    Chop 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup dried figs.

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    Knead into the dough in step 4.

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    Shape the dough into a round loaf and place on a lightly greased, dark, rimless (noninsulated) cookie sheet.

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    Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, until puffy.

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    Preheat the oven as directed in step 7.

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    Before baking, slash the loaf diagonally with a serrated knife or razor blade across the top in three places.

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    Bake at the temperature given in step 8 for 20 to 25 minutes or until crusty and browned.

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    Cool on a wire rack.

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    There are a few important things involved in getting a crusty baguette or a rustic bread to turn out perfectly:

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    First, the doughits a simple mixture of flour, salt, yeast, and water.

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    It must be moist rather than dry and stiff.

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    Ive found that I can get beautiful results whether I mix the dough by hand, with a steel blade, in the food processor, or in the bread machine.

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    The trick is to create a dough that is moist enough to form big bubbles inside so that the baked loaf has an open texture.

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    Moistness also contributes to a crunchy, chewy crust.

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    The second important thing is to produce steam in the oven.

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    I do this by preheating a pan of 1-inch rocks on the bottom shelf of the oven.

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    I use a 12 1/2 x 17 1/2-inch rimmed pan filled with river rocks or landscape rocks.

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    To create the steam, I squirt about a cupful of water onto the hot rocks, creating a burst of steam after I place the loaves in the oven.

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    Third, hot air in the convection oven circulates the heat and steam around the baking loaves to create a crunchy crust.

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    Rustic loaves require stabilized high heat.

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    This can be accomplished by preheating tiles in the oven (on a rack in the center) to mimic a brick oven.

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    The tiles help to maintain a high heat.

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    Plain unglazed tiles from a flooring supply store work well.

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    You can also place a baking stone into the oven if you have one.

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    A kit called the Hearthstone kit works beautifully but is expensive.

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    Because it is sometimes difficult and messy to transfer loaves directly onto preheated tiles or stones, I simply place the shaped loaves on a dark, noninsulated, rimless cookie sheet to rise and then set the cookie sheet right on the preheated tiles to bake.

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    If you do not have the pan of rocks or tiles, at least be sure to use a dark, noninsulated, rimless cookie sheet for baking the bread and spray the oven and risen loaves with plain water before and during baking.

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    This does not produce as nice a crust as outlined in step 4 but is a good compromise.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.