Crispy French Bread Recipe

A few posts ago, I shared a quick recipe for really delicious Bruschetta Pizza Slices. In case you forgot about that post, go ahead and drool a little over this picture. Even writing about it makes me want to make that for dinner!

Today, I'm sharing the French Bread recipe I used for those bruschetta slices. I've been on a bread kick recently-- quick breads, sandwich breads, artisan breads-- and I've had a blast doing it.

You'll Need:

• 2 Fleishman's packets of yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• at least 5 cups of flour

Directions:

1.  In a mixing bowl, combine and let foam:  2 packets of yeast, 2 cups of warm water, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 tablespoon of flour. The mixture, when foaming properly will look off-white and thick. 
2. Add to the yeast mixture, 4 1/2 cups of flour and mix. (I used the bread hook on my Kitchen Aid.) Add 1/2 cups of flour at a time until the dough comes together.
3. Knead by hand and place dough back into mixing bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let the dough rise until it doubles.
4. After the bread has doubled, punch down and shape into loaves. Place on a cookie sheet. If you like, dust the sheets with cornmeal. Let rise again (about 30 minutes). 
5. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 
6. Brush the tops of the loaves with water and salt and bake for 20 minutes or until the loaves begin browning. 

Et voila! Mange avec la beurre!  (And that's as far as my three semesters of French can get me.)