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Monday, January 28, 2013

Easy French Bread, the food processor way

Crusty French baguettes
Baking homemade French bread for a weeknight dinner might sound like a challenge, but if you follow this recipe, it's quick and easy. I have baked these crusty baguettes since the recipe first appeared in a 1979 Bon Appetit feature article about the Cookery at the Cove cooking school in Orinda, California. Like a modern-day visit from the Food Network, when your name appeared on the BA cover, success was pretty much guaranteed.

The Cove offered California-style cooking classes, along with weekend dining getaways. After the article appeared, the owner, Jack Schneider, convinced Julia Child and her husband Paul to visit. She returned to teach several cooking classes. I'd like to think that she and Paul might have enjoyed this bread, slathered with Jack's creamy Liver Pâté, while sipping a crisp California Chardonnay.
One look at the menu and you're transported back to fine dining in the 1970s.
The secret to baking this quick bread is a very hot, steamy oven (450°F), a little extra yeast, and kneading the dough in a food processor. Once you have assembled your ingredients, in a matter of minutes, and a few pulses in the food processor, the dough is ready to rise for 45-60 minutes. A few traditional slits are cut, the dough is brushed with egg wash, and the baguettes are ready to bake. Yes, it is that simple.
Dough is ready to bake in just over an hour.
Let me know what you think of this quick bread. Perhaps I should post the recipe for the liver pâté just for fun. Doubt anyone would eat it...key ingredients are cream cheese and liver sausage!

Enjoy!

Food Processor French Bread
from The Cookery at the Cove
Makes 2 loaves
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup warm water (105°F)
1 1/2 packages active (or quick acting) dry yeast packets
1 teaspoon sugar

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water (105°F)

Flour for board
Egg wash (one egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)

Generously grease baguette pans or use Silpat on baking sheet.

Combine 1/2 cup warm water (the recipe says 105°F, but I usually just make sure it is very warm to the touch and not hot) with yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in small bowl and let stand until yeast is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 5-10 minutes.

Combine flour, salt, remaining sugar, and yeast mixture in work bowl of food processor. With machine running, slowly begin adding 1 cup warm water. A soft ball should form in several seconds; if not, add a little more warm water a few drops at a time. Let machine run 15 to 20 seconds, adding more flour if dough seems too soft. Continue to let machine knead dough, for 1-2 minutes. Dough will be silky and elastic when ready.

Transfer dough to lightly floured board and knead with a little additional flour for several turns. Divide dough in half and shape into two cylinders 8 to 10 inches long. (I make my cylinders 12-14 inches long. I prefer a thinner baguette.) Transfer to prepared pan and cut 3 or 4 diagonal slashes in top of each loaf with tip of knife or single edged razor blade. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

After about 30 minutes, place racks in middle and lower quarters of oven and begin preheating to 450°F.  Center shallow pan full of water on lowest rack. (I cook with gas, so I put the pan on the bottom floor of the oven where it is really hot.) When dough has doubled, place on middle rack directly above water and bake 10 minutes. (Be careful when you open the oven, there should be steam.) Reduce heat to 400°F and continue baking an additional 15 minutes, or until loaves are golden brown and have a hollow sound when tapped with finger.  Place on wire rack to cool slightly. Slice and serve warm. Baguettes can also be frozen.

Below are step-by-step photos to guide you.

Yeast and sugar are combined with warm water.
The sugar and warm water activate or proof the yeast to make sure it is alive.
After about 5 minutes the yeast has doubled in the bowl. If you kitchen is cold it may take longer.
Flour, salt and sugar are placed in food processor and given a whirl to mix.
Add yeast to work bowl.
Start machine running.
Slowly begin adding 1 cup warm water through feed tube.
A soft ball should form in several seconds. If not, add a little more water, a few drops at a time.
Let the machine run 15 to 20 seconds longer, adding a little flour if it seems too soft.
Let machine dough knead until it just comes together.
Continue to run machine and knead the dough for an additional 1 or 2 minutes,
or until it is silky and elastic.
Done!
You should be able to do this without it pulling apart.
Place dough on a lightly floured board and knead a few times until you have a ball.
Divide dough in half.
Roll out to desired length.

Score with tip of sharp knife.
Cover with light cotton dishtowel and let rise in warm place.
After 45-60 minutes, dough will double in size and is ready to bake.
Brush with egg wash.
Top with sesame seeds if you like.
Make sure your oven is ready at 450°F.
See the steam! That's the secret to a crusty baguette.
Place baking sheet on middle rack directly over pan of water and bake for for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, reduce heat to 400°F and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes,
or until loaves are golden brown and have a hollow sound when tapped with finger.
Homemade French Bread ready to slice and serve in under 2 hours.
I may need to make Jack's Liver Pâté after all.

As Julia always said, and quite apropos, bon appétit!

 

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