French Bread

We love Kroger's take-and-bake french bread... but, I wanted to try and make some of our own. A while ago I stumbled upon Sonshine's Bread Machine French Bread, and we tried it this weekend. I think it beat out the Kroger bread... now, we'll have to use it to make our "Kroger" baked sandwiches :)

French Bread in the Bread Machine - Sonshine
makes a 1 1/2 lb loaf 

1 C + 1 T warm water (about 80 degrees F)
3 cups bread flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 T. butter (I used less... about a half)
2 tsp. active dry yeast OR 1 1/2 tsp. bread machine/fast rise yeast

Depending on the order ingredients go into your bread machine... place ingredients in the machine. I combined mine in the following way:

1) Place water in the bread maker
2) Butter, cut into chunks

3) Salt
4) 3 C bread flour (I LOVE King Arthur)


5) Sugar
6) Yeast

Then, set the bread machine on the dough setting and allow dough to knead. My setting takes 1.5 hours.

After dough cycle ends, remove dough and place on a floured surface. Cover and allow dough to sit for 15 minutes.

Knead dough just a bit, and shape into a loaf.


(Disclaimer: I'm not very good yet at shaping dough... but, the bread still tastes good!)

Cover, and let dough rise for 30 minutes. I let mine rise a bit longer... closer to 45 minutes, so that it would be ready with dinner, and I don't think it hurt anything.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a cookie sheet (or, you can use a baking stone as Sonshine did and do not need to spray your stone), and bake for 15-25 minutes, or until slightly browned on the top.