French Bread

Easy French Bread

3 1/4 cups Warm Water
3 Tbl. Sugar
3 Tbl. Yeast
3 Tbl. Oil
1 1/2 Tbl Salt
9 cups Flour

Use wire whisk and stir until foamy the first 3 ingredients above.
Then add Salt and oil and 3 cups of flour . Beat in mixer or by hand for 2-3 minutes.
Then slowly add, cup by cup the remaining flour. Mix well.
Let rest for 10 minutes. Beat down with mixer or by hand every 10 minutes for 4 more times, after the first time.

Grease pans or cookie sheets. Sprinkle corn meal onto the bottom of the pans (optional)
Put loaf shapes onto french bread pans or cookie sheets. This recipe make 2 Large loaves, or 3 medium loaves.
Let loaves rise for 30 minutes. With a serated knife cutting diagonally , gently put 3 slices on top of the loaves.
Take one egg (yolk only) , with a couple drops of water and stir with a fork or small whisk. With a pastry brush gently egg wash the entire top and sides of loaves. (This gives the crispy texture and shine) Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until loaves are dark golden brown in color. Let cool slightly before cutting....Enjoy

Options:
* After egg washing the bread dough you can sprinkle sesame seeds on top

*You can also brush bread with a garlic butter mixture after baking.

* Mix soft butter, garlic and parmesean cheese over cut slices, and broil in the oven on the second or third day.

*This bread makes incredible toast.

*If you slice some of the bread and let the slices sit out in the air all night, it makes amazing french toast the next morning.