Easy French Bread (Extra Large)

Claudia Dawn's Note:

Easy French Bread using the breadmaker to mix and the oven to bake. The bread machine is a great invention, but I find the bread tastes better when it bakes in the oven. Prepare at least 3 hours before serving. To make a regular sized loaf, change the number of servings to 1/2 a loaf.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 20

Yield: 1.0 extra l ...

• 1 ½ cups water
• 4 cups flour , preferably white bread flour
• 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons yeast, fast rising or 2 ½ teaspoons yeast , active dry

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in bread machine as shown. Set for dough.
2. Form into loaf on floured board - do NOT punch down.
3. Placed on greased cookie sheet and allow to rise 1 hour.
4. Bake 30-35 minutes in PREHEATED oven at 350 degrees F.

Reviews

[invictus]

While we greatly enjoy this bread and have eaten almost all of it, we don't feel that it is a true french bread hence the rating. I made it Sunday night to go with our spaghetti dinner and was quite disappointed with the texture. It wasn't light and spongy like a french bread but still good. I have since served the bread with several other meals and it has been gobbled up.

[Chef Roly-Poly]

This is a delicious bread, and very easy to make. Thanks ! Chef Roly Poly

[Chef shapeweaver ©]

I'm always on the look out for a good French Bread recipe. And when I saw this one mentioned in a CC thread, I knew I had to try it. So, this was made on 11/12/09 to go with the pasta dinner I was making. Except for cutting the recipe in half, it was made as written. And as for the baking time, it was cut down to about 20 minutes.The smell as it was baking was just fantastic. And the taste was exactly what French Bread is supposed to be, slightly chewy on the inside and a nice crusty texture on the outside. This will so be made again. Thank you very much for posting and, " Keep Smiling :) "