A lot of people think that baking their own bread is not something they are capable of doing, but the truth is that baking bread is not really that hard. I made a batch yesterday and took some extra pictures and notes while making it. The recipe I used is based on the French-Style Bread recipe in James Beard's Beard on Bread.

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (~100-110°F)
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1½ packages active dry yeast (11g)
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 5-6 cups (725-870g) all-purpose flour
• 1 egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

Equipment

• Perforated French bread pan or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprinkled with 2-3 tablespoons cornmeal
• Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
• Instant read thermometer (optional)
• Pastry brush
  

Steps

1. Add the warm water and sugar to bowl of mixer or, if not using a stand mixer, a large mixing bowl.
   
   Use the thermometer to measure the temperature of the water. Using water that is too hot could kill the yeast. I found that I could hold my hand in a stream of water that was 110° without any pain at all.
   


2. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir to combine. Allow the yeast to proof.
   
   Proof the yeast by allowing the yeast/water/sugar mixture to sit for about 5 minutes. If bubbles form and the mixture looks a little frothy, the yeast has proven itself. I've never seen non-expired commercial yeast fail to proof, but it makes sense to wait 5 minutes instead of finishing the mixing and then finding out that your yeast is bad when the dough doesn't rise.
   


3. Add 3 cups of flour and the salt and mix until combined (use speed 1 or 2 on a stand mixer). If not using a stand mixer, use a sturdy wooden spoon to mix.


4. Continue adding flour until the dough is stiff. If you are using a stand mixer, you can go ahead and add an additional 2 cups of flour. If you are mixing by hand, mix in the bowl until the dough is too stiff to mix with a spoon and then move the dough to a lightly floured counter top or cutting board.


5. If using a stand mixer, knead on low (speed 1 or 2) for 7-10 minutes, adding flour if necessary. If kneading by hand, knead for about 10-12 minutes, adding flour if necessary.
   
   As you knead, the dough will go from being sticky and somewhat lumpy to smooth and elastic. One test to help you decide if the dough has been kneaded enough is to try to make what is called a baker's windowpane. Pinch off a small amount of dough (about half an inch in diameter) and work it into a ball. Then try to pull the dough to thin the center as much as possible (thin enough so that you can see light through it). If the dough stays mostly intact, it is ready. If you can't even get close to a windowpane, keep kneading.
   


6. Coat a large bowl or food container with nonstick spray, oil, or butter. Collect the dough and form into a ball. Put the ball into the container and turn it once or twice so that the surface of the dough gets a thin coating of the oil on it. This will keep it from drying out.
   
   I like to use a translucent graduated food container because it is easier to see how the volume of dough changes as it rises.


7. Cover the bowl or container with a moist kitchen towel or paper towel and let it sit in a warm place until it has roughly doubled in bulk. This typically takes 1-2 hours.
   
   Warm means about 85°F. I have found that putting the bowl of dough on top of (but not in) a running clothes dryer works well. You can also turn on your oven for about 1 minute and then turn the oven off. Leave the door partially open for a few minutes to let it cool a little, and then put the dough in with the door closed. An instant read thermometer comes in handy in determining the temperature of the environment where you are letting the dough rise.
   


8. When the dough has risen, punch it down in the container and then grab/pour the dough ball into your hands. Knead for about 2 minutes and then let the dough rest on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes.
   
   Punching down the dough and then briefly kneading it helps to redistribute the yeast and burst any large air bubbles that have formed in the bread while rising. If you skip this step you could end up with bread containing very large holes. Large holes mean less support for tasty things like butter and jelly.
   


9. Cut the dough ball in half using a knife or dough scraper. Gently shape each half into a roughly cylindrical loaf about 16 inches long. Place the two loaves on the pan.


10. Using a sharp knife, cut 3 or 4 shallow diagonal slices in the top of each loaf. Coat the top surface with egg white mixture using a pastry brush.
    
    Slicing the bread helps to direct escaping steam and prevent the loaf from ending up distorted. The egg white mixture gives the bread good color. If you don't have a pastry brush you can use your fingers.
    


11. Place the pan into a cold oven. After you put in the dough, set the oven to 400°F and bake for 30-35 minutes. The bread is done when it sounds hollow when you knock on the top with your knuckles. A more accurate way to test is to use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center. The bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 205-210°F.
    
    Starting with a cold oven helps to develop the crust of the bread and makes it more satisfying.
    


12. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

This bread is great to eat pretty much right out of the oven. It won't last for more than about a day if stored at room temperature, so if you don't plan on eating it that day I recommend that you wrap it tightly in foil and freeze.