Crusty French Bagette

Yesterday I made seafood chowder. I was pretty tired from having been sedated earlier in the day, but the results prove that a little tipsy can work in the kitchen. The nurse asked me, are you feeling tipsy? Thinking back now I get why she asked.



I love bread, and I love french crusty bread the most. I made two loaves and had two slices of the bread with my seafood chowder, link below. Once my family finished their dinner meal, which they included the bread into, there was nothing left for my meal the next day. I was aghast that two loaves could be consumed before they even got cold. That, however, proves how delicious the bread was. So today I am making it again. I also realize I need a bread lance. Next on the list.

Here is the seafood chowder link: http://cookinmumsculinaryadventures.blogspot.ca/2018/01/creamy-seafood-chowder-seafood-lovers.html


I adapted this recipe from all the bread I have ever made over this lifetime of mine. I am close friends with dough, and we communicate symbiotically. I say that so you know you may need to be adaptable when you make this. The weather and even the room temperature can change the amounts you'll need to make the dough cooperate, make friends with your dough. So here we go.

3 1/2 cups flour - you may need more today I used more like 4 cups
1 tablespoon yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water 110*
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Oil in the bowl, and to lovingly cover and moisturize the ball of dough when it goes to rise.
One egg white, beaten

In a bowl or the bowl, you use on your mixer add the water and the sugar. The water should be 110*. Proof the yeast. Now add the flour a little at the time--in addition to the salt--until you have a nice moist dough ball that separated from the bowl sides, it should be so that you can pinch and feel it is not to wet yet it is pliable and lets go of your fingers. Now remove from the bowl let sit a minute and kneed with your hands a few times.

Add the dough to a greased bowl, after greasing your hands and adding a little to the dough ball. Let rise for 2 hours.

Once doubled, take the dough out and weight it and divide it into two balls. Knead it and make two long french loaves. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray and let rise again for one hour.

Beat your egg white so you can brush the loaves with it before baking. Heat your oven to 450*. Now lance your loaves and baste with the egg white.

Bake for 20 minutes. I turn the tray 10 minutes into the baking because I have uneven heat in the oven. If you want to be a little chef-y about it, mist the oven once or twice while baking. Remove, let cool, and enjoy.





~ Hugs from Mum

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