Homemade French bread

I don't lately I have been wanting french bread, of course I could just go to the store and buy one for a few dollars but what fun would that be. I have been on a major baking kick. So while searching for recipes I found this tutorial on YouTube that is completely awesome!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTY4WJRSzY8

He gives you step by step to this very simple technique. Love it!

Here is the recipe:

• 1 tablespoon of yeast
• warm water
• 4 cups of flour
• 1 tablespoon of salt

Yep that's it. The trick to getting a great bread is all in the technique.

First you need to proof your yeast in some warm water, meanwhile combine your flour and salt.

Then mix your yeast and flour mixture, water amount varies, you just add enough until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the ball. I used too much water so I all I had to do is add more flour.

Then you knead the dough into a ball for a few minutes ( the video is a must to watch)

then let your dough rest while you wash out your bowl

Continue to knead into a ball. Place your dough in the bowl and cover with a plastic bag. Very cool tip I must say!

After about two hours you pull your dough out and knead some more, forming them into loaves (again watch video) He has a great technique for forming them into loaves

Place on sprayed pan and let rise for another hour and half or there abouts.

And this is the coolest part......set oven to 400 and place bread in oven, and then throw in a about a 1/2 cup of water on the bottom of your oven to steam the bread. Make sure you turn down your oven to 350 and let bake for about 35 min. 

Ta Da! Home made awesome tasting french bread!

Mine didn't brown hardly and didn't rise quit right, but I think its because I added too much flour, but let me tell you looks are deceiving because it tasted so good! I am going to have to try this again for sure!