Combine in a small bowl, or a 1 cup measuring cup:
1/4 warm water (I try for about 115° F to 120° F, but 110° F-115° F should do it)
1 pkg dry yeast (I use Hodgson Mill, which has 25% more yeast and is sold in single pkg)
pinch sugar
Let stand about 15 minutes. This will foam up to almost fill the cup, so don't use anything smaller.
While you're proofing the yeast, put in food processor bowl (with steel knife):
3-1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (bread flour didn't perform as well for me)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt (I always use kosher. I don't like the iodine in regular salt)
Process this for about 10 seconds to blend it up. When the yeast is ready, get another 1 cup of very warm water ready (same temp as you started yeast in) and with the processor running, pour the yeast mixture and this additional cup of water into the feed tube. The dough should form a ball and pull away from the sides. If it doesn't, add a little flour or water (VERY little amounts, like a tsp water, or a tbsp of flour) until it does. Then process for 15 to 20 seconds. When you take the lid off, the dough will be soft, warm and "sticky" but you can easily pull it off your hands and the bottom of the bowl if you need to. This is perfect. Don't add any more flour.
Grease a bowl (or spray it with Pam) and dump the dough in. Roll it over to get all sides greased. Then, kinda gather it into a ball at the bottom of the bowl, turning it so that the side facing up is smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place to rise (about 85° F, if possible). (I have an oven with a pilot light). Let it rise 1 hour.
Punch the dough down, turn it out of the bowl on a VERY lightly floured board, and divide into two equal halves. Kinda shape it out into a rectangle, and roll it up jelly-roll fashion. When I do this, I pinch the starting side down thinner, and then roll it, pinching it tight to make it adhere to itself so there won't be any holes in it. Once it is rolled, roll it back and forth like a rope (remember your clay training?) to make it about 15"-long. Do the same with the other piece. Then, put it in a double baguette pan . (I have never tried placing it on a baking sheet, but I imagine it would work fine. I have always used baguette pans. With a razor blade, or a very sharp knife, slash diagonally 2" apart. Let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled.
Brush top with 1 egg white and 1 tbsp. water (I actually omit this step, not wanting to waste an egg yolk, plus I hate the mess). Bake at 425° F for 15 minutes, and then lower heat to 374° F and bake an additional 10 minutes. (I'm picky about this. I use an oven thermometer to make sure it's the 425° F to start... just lower oven to what it says is 375° F... not as picky about this step).
Voila.... French bread.
Broomhilda
(1/21/00)
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