French Country Bread

Name: French Country Bread
Prep time: 2 h 40 min
Cook time: 2 h 40 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Mediterranean, French, European
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons active dry yeast; 710 milliliters bread flour; 2 teaspoons salt; 473 milliliters warm water; 237 milliliters whole wheat flour

French Coun

Instructions

The night before baking the bread prepare this starter: In a medium sized non-metal mixing bowl dissolve 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast in 1 cup warm water.

Ingredients you will need

Active Dry Yeast

Bread

Water

Equipment you will use

Mixing Bowl

Add 1 1/2 cup bread flour and mix well. Cover and let sit overnight at room temperature.

Ingredients you will need

Bread Flour

The next day: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the 2 teaspoons yeast in the 2 cups warm water.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Yeast

Equipment you will use

Mixing Bowl

Add the starter mixture, the whole wheat flour, 3 cups bread flour and the salt; stir until well combined.

Ingredients you will need

Bread Flour

Salt

Add the remaining bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Ingredients you will need

Bread Flour

Dough

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Equipment you will use

Loaf Pan

Place the loaves into the prepared pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Equipment you will use

Oven

Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Equipment

Ingredients

Servings:

2teaspoons

active dry yeast 710milliliters

bread flour 2teaspoons

salt 473milliliters

warm water 237milliliters

whole wheat flour

Recommended wine: Bordeaux, Champagne, White Burgundy

Bordeaux, Champagne, and White Burgundy are great choices for French. French wine is just as diverse as French food, but you rarely go wrong with champagne. If your meal calls for a white wine, you might also try a white burgundy. For a red, try a red bordeaux blend. You could try Chateau Larroque Bordeaux Superieur. Reviewers quite like it with a 4 out of 5 star rating and a price of about 17 dollars per bottle.