Iz's Easy French Bread

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   All measurements are by weight.

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   If you don't have a scale, here are alternative measurements:

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   Bread flour - 3 cups

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   Salt - 2 1/2 teaspoons

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   Yeast - 1/4 oz package of Rapid Rise Yeast (If you use this type, you will NOT have to mix with warm water first.)

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   Water - 1 1/2 cups

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   Ok, now for the bread.

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   Put the flour in a bowl.

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   Add the salt and mix thoroughly.

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    Add yeast and mix thoroughly.

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    Add water and mix until incorporated.

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    (Your hands will work fine for this.)

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    Cover the bowl and let rise for for 20 minutes.

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    Fold the dough:

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    Scrape dough into floured surface.

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    Pick up top edge and stretch/pull/fold the dough down about 2/3 and pat down.

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    Pull the bottom edge up to the top of the fold and pat.

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    Pull one side over 2/3 and pat.

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    Pull other side to the edge of the fold and pat.

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    Place back in bowl and cover.

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    Allow to rise another 20 minutes.

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    Fold dough again.

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    Notice that the gluten is starting to develop nicely and the dough is smoothing out.

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    Allow to rise another 20 minutes.

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    Fold one last time.

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    Notice the gluten has developed further.

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    This is how we get away without a mixer or kneading the dough a lot.

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    (Actually, kneading/mixing french too much makes for poorer bread.)

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    Allow to rise for 2 hours.

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    This is a good time for that nap you've been wanting.

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    Divide the bread.

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    This will make 28 ounces of dough.

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    Which is about 10 rolls, 2 baguettes, 3 boules, or 1 sandwich loaf.

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    Today I will be making some rolls, a boule, and and will figure some other shape for the rest, maybe a peasant/batard sort of thing.

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    So that's three pieces of dough: 1/2, 2/3 of the other half, and the scrap.

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    Ball or boule the pieces of dough, place on a floured surface, cover and allow to rise for 40 minute.

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    Cut the rolls into 5 pieces, shape into balls, place on a cornmeal dusted cookie sheet.

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    (DO NOT use cornmeal mix, it has baking powder, flour, and salt added and will burn.

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    You can use rice flour if cornmeal is not available in your area.)

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    Ball up the boule now and place on a heavily cornmealed surface.

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    Shape the scrap too.

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    Cover and allow to rise until doubled.

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    This will depend on the temp in your kitchen, but will be around 1 hour for the boule, 40 minutes or so for the scrap, and 25 minutes for the rolls.

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    The temperature today here is 87F, so I won't be waiting that long.

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    Preheat oven to 450F.

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    Preheat a baker's stone or cookie sheet as well.

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    Just put it in and turn it on.

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    If you use a cookie sheet, you will need to watch for burning with the boule and scrap.

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    For those of you that didn't check out my profile, I live off grid.

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    For now, my oven consists of a Coleman camp stove with a Coleman camp oven.

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    I'm putting up pics so you can see that even with meager equipment, you can make good bread.

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    Slice the top of the rolls with a knife or razor blade and bake until brown, or an internal temp of 180F - 200F

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    Slice, or score, the tops of the boule and scrap, use a turner to transfer to the stone and bake until hollow sounding when thumped on the bottom, or 200F internal temp.

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    Cool on a wire rack.

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    If you can wait....

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

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