Quick & Easy French Bread
BREAD, BREAD, WHO LOVES BREAD?? I do. That's who. I'm the one who has to buy a loaf of french bread every time I go to the grocery store because, MAN that stuff smells good! Luckily, I've got some bread loving kids too so I don't get have to eat it all by myself.
I wanted to make some french bread for part of dinner but time was not on my side today. We were headed out for the day right after I picked up my son from preschool and wouldn't be back until it was dinner time so I had exactly 3 hours in the morning to pick up the house, feed my other two kiddos, get us all ready for the day AND make french bread.
Challenge accepted. From start to finish, can you guess how long it took me to make (and document) two beautiful loaves of french bread??
ONE AND A HALF HOURS. Yes, you read that right. 90 minutes start to finish! Wham bam thank you ma'am! How, you ask? I used my handy dandy Instant Pot! Love the thing, if you haven't gotten yourself one, now is the time. This is just one more reason you NEED one. :)
First you will combine warm water, yeast & a little bit of sugar and let it do its thing for about 10 minutes.
While the yeast is proofing you will add flour, sugar, salt, oil & water into your mixer.
When 10 minutes is up the yeast should have grown a bit. If it hasn't, your yeast is dead and you need to try again.
Add the yeast to the mixer then mix until just combined.
Add in a bit more flour and then set a timer for 5 minutes and walk away.
While the dough is kneading, add about a TBSP of oil to your instant pot and turn it on. Push the yogurt button and then adjust until the normal light is on.
When the dough is done kneading you should be able to pull off some dough and roll it into a ball. The dough will stick to the sides of the bowl but it shouldn't stick to your hands when you try to roll it.
Dump the dough into the instant pot and coat the dough in oil so it will not stick. The dough will now rise for 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes you will want to come back and 'knead' the dough a few times. I found it easiest to use a spoon to push it down and move it around. The 'kneading' process should take about 30 seconds is all. Just push it down to release the built in air. In between the 'kneading' you will want to cover the pot. I used a glass lid. If you use the Instant Pot's lid, I would suggest taking the ring out so you don't have taco flavored bread. :)
So at 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes you will 'knead' the dough. At 40 minutes you will dump the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead in the flour a few times to soak up the excess oil.
Divide the dough into the amount of loaves you'd like to make. Today I was taking dinner to a friend so I made 2 loaves. I've made one large loaf before as well as 4 small loaves.
The best way to shape the loaves is to first roll the dough out into a rectangle.
Then starting on the long end of the rectangle, roll & pinch the dough until you've rolled it into the desired shape. Then take a knife and score the top of the dough.
You can put an egg white wash on now if you'd like. It doesn't change the taste, it just makes the crust shiny when finished.
Set the oven to 450*. Place the loaves of bread on top of the oven to raise while the oven preheats. Raise until double, about 30 minutes.
Once doubled, bake at 450* for 10 minutes and then lower the temp to 375* (without taking the bread out) and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
There you have it! Super yummy & quick french bread!
Quick & Easy French Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tbsp quick rise yeast (regular yeast will work, it may take a little longer to rise though)
1/2 C very warm water
1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp oil
2 C water
2 1/4 tsp salt
6 C flour, divided
1. Combine first three ingredients (yeast, water sugar) and let proof for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes it should be frothy and bubbly.
2. Add the remaining sugar, oil, water, salt and 3 cups of the flour to a stand mixer along with the yeast mixture. Mix until just combined.
3. Add remaining 3 cups of flour. Knead for 5 minutes. The dough will stick to the sides of the bowl but you should be able to roll the dough into a small ball in your hands easily without it sticking.
4. Pour 1 Tbsp of oil into the instant pot. Place the dough into the instant pot and push the yogurt button, adjust it to the normal setting. Roll the dough in oil so it will not stick. The dough will now rise for 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes you will want to come back and 'knead' the dough a few times. Cover with a lid while you are not 'kneading'. So at 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes you will 'knead' the dough. At 40 minutes you will dump the dough out onto a floured surface.
5. Divide the dough into the amount of loaves you'd like. Use a rolling pin and roll the dough into a large rectangle. Shape the dough by starting at the long rolling and pinching the dough until you have achieved the desired shape. Score the top of the dough with a knife. You may do an egg white wash at this point if desired.
6. Set the oven to 425*. Let the dough rise until double while the oven is preheating.
7. Bake at 425* for 10 minutes, then at 375* for 20 minutes.
ENJOY!!
I wanted to make some french bread for part of dinner but time was not on my side today. We were headed out for the day right after I picked up my son from preschool and wouldn't be back until it was dinner time so I had exactly 3 hours in the morning to pick up the house, feed my other two kiddos, get us all ready for the day AND make french bread.
Challenge accepted. From start to finish, can you guess how long it took me to make (and document) two beautiful loaves of french bread??
First you will combine warm water, yeast & a little bit of sugar and let it do its thing for about 10 minutes.
While the yeast is proofing you will add flour, sugar, salt, oil & water into your mixer.
When 10 minutes is up the yeast should have grown a bit. If it hasn't, your yeast is dead and you need to try again.
Add the yeast to the mixer then mix until just combined.
Add in a bit more flour and then set a timer for 5 minutes and walk away.
While the dough is kneading, add about a TBSP of oil to your instant pot and turn it on. Push the yogurt button and then adjust until the normal light is on.
When the dough is done kneading you should be able to pull off some dough and roll it into a ball. The dough will stick to the sides of the bowl but it shouldn't stick to your hands when you try to roll it.
Dump the dough into the instant pot and coat the dough in oil so it will not stick. The dough will now rise for 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes you will want to come back and 'knead' the dough a few times. I found it easiest to use a spoon to push it down and move it around. The 'kneading' process should take about 30 seconds is all. Just push it down to release the built in air. In between the 'kneading' you will want to cover the pot. I used a glass lid. If you use the Instant Pot's lid, I would suggest taking the ring out so you don't have taco flavored bread. :)
So at 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes you will 'knead' the dough. At 40 minutes you will dump the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead in the flour a few times to soak up the excess oil.
Divide the dough into the amount of loaves you'd like to make. Today I was taking dinner to a friend so I made 2 loaves. I've made one large loaf before as well as 4 small loaves.
The best way to shape the loaves is to first roll the dough out into a rectangle.
Then starting on the long end of the rectangle, roll & pinch the dough until you've rolled it into the desired shape. Then take a knife and score the top of the dough.
You can put an egg white wash on now if you'd like. It doesn't change the taste, it just makes the crust shiny when finished.
Once doubled, bake at 450* for 10 minutes and then lower the temp to 375* (without taking the bread out) and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Quick & Easy French Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tbsp quick rise yeast (regular yeast will work, it may take a little longer to rise though)
1/2 C very warm water
1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp oil
2 C water
2 1/4 tsp salt
6 C flour, divided
1. Combine first three ingredients (yeast, water sugar) and let proof for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes it should be frothy and bubbly.
2. Add the remaining sugar, oil, water, salt and 3 cups of the flour to a stand mixer along with the yeast mixture. Mix until just combined.
3. Add remaining 3 cups of flour. Knead for 5 minutes. The dough will stick to the sides of the bowl but you should be able to roll the dough into a small ball in your hands easily without it sticking.
4. Pour 1 Tbsp of oil into the instant pot. Place the dough into the instant pot and push the yogurt button, adjust it to the normal setting. Roll the dough in oil so it will not stick. The dough will now rise for 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes you will want to come back and 'knead' the dough a few times. Cover with a lid while you are not 'kneading'. So at 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes you will 'knead' the dough. At 40 minutes you will dump the dough out onto a floured surface.
5. Divide the dough into the amount of loaves you'd like. Use a rolling pin and roll the dough into a large rectangle. Shape the dough by starting at the long rolling and pinching the dough until you have achieved the desired shape. Score the top of the dough with a knife. You may do an egg white wash at this point if desired.
6. Set the oven to 425*. Let the dough rise until double while the oven is preheating.
7. Bake at 425* for 10 minutes, then at 375* for 20 minutes.
ENJOY!!
I have some questions about kneading. After adding the last of the flour, your pictorial directions say to set a timer for 6 minutes and walk away. But the next step says that the dough is kneading while I push the settings on the instant pot.
ReplyDeleteYour text recipe says to knead the dough after adding the flour and then "knead" every so often by pushing a spoon into the dough every so often. So I guess I'm really confused about kneading. And is there ever a time when the dough is rising? Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I’ll hop on and fix the time discrepancy in a bit- you should knead the dough in the mixer for 5 minutes. Once it goes into the Instant Pot it will raise for a total of 40 minutes. At the 10 minute mark you will push it down and smash it a few times, return the lid and then come back and do the same thing at the 20 minute mark, & 30 minute mark. At 40 minutes you will dump onto a floured surface and proceed with the instructions. Does that help?
DeleteI have some questions about kneading. After adding the last of the flour, your pictorial directions say to set a timer for 6 minutes and walk away. But the next step says that the dough is kneading while I push the settings on the instant pot.
ReplyDeleteYour text recipe says to knead the dough after adding the flour and then "knead" every so often by pushing a spoon into the dough every so often. So I guess I'm really confused about kneading. And is there ever a time when the dough is rising? Thanks in advance for your help.