French Bread
This homemade French bread features a golden, crusty exterior and a pillowy interior using simple pantry staples. It delivers traditional artisan baguette flavor with minimal hands-on time and no starter required.
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour or King Arthur all-purpose flour (500 g) for a lighter crumb, swap half with whole wheat
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (360 ml) about 110°F—use a digital thermometer
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast; see Notes
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt Kosher salt works too
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional—feeds the yeast for a more vigorous rise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil optional—yields a slightly softer crust
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, salt, and sugar briskly so the salt and yeast stay apart.
- Pour warm water and olive oil into the flour mix and combine with a wooden spoon or your hand until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and it springs back when poked.
- Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rest in a warm spot for about 1 hour to double.
- Gently deflate the dough, divide into two equal pieces, and roll each into an 18-inch baguette shape with tapered ends.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat, place loaves on the sheet, cover lightly, and let puff for 30–40 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450°F with a baking stone or upside-down sheet; make 3–4 diagonal cuts on each loaf, slide onto the hot surface, toss a cup of hot water into a rimmed pan on the lower rack for steam, and bake 20–25 minutes until deeply golden.
- Transfer loaves to a wire rack and let rest at least 30 minutes to set the crumb.
Notes
Store at room temperature in a paper bag for 1–2 days—avoid plastic to keep the crust crisp. Freeze cooled loaves in airtight bags for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours.