Baking Vlog: Salted French

The first episode in a web series of bread baking and talk about the craft of journalism, this time with Salted French.I hope you like it, and please check out my book Kneading Journalism, subscribe on YouTube, and to my e-mail list.

***This is another video in a series of vlogs meant to help me work on video editing, and my amateur bread baking. It’s not perfect, but I hope I show some improvement over time. Thanks for being with me as I try to improve myself, and hopefully add some interesting content to the world***

Salted French Bread Recipe

You need:
6 cups flour (unbleached is better, bread flour is best, but use what you have!)
.75 oz (2.5 packets) active dry yeast
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp sugar
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp cornmeal

1) Mix yeast, salt, sugar, and warm water in a bowl. Let sit for a couple minutes until the yeast begins to foam. Stir lightly.

2) Mix in flour until the dough isn’t so sticky and starts to firm up.

3) Begin to knead the dough, turning it and shaping it, while bringing in flour as necessary. You don’t want the dough too sticky, or too dry. The more you bake, the easier it gets!

4) Place the dough into a greased/oiled bowl, and let rest 30 mins or until doubled.

5) Punch down the dough on your lightly floured workspace, and divide into two. Shape the loaf into a round. Lightly dust a Banneton with rice flour (or similar) for the loaves to rise for another 20-30 minutes or so. Alternatively, set the loaf/loaves on a greased/oiled pan. (You can also form baguettes, and let them rise in a lightly floured couche, or on wax paper.) Preheat oven at 375F (for softer crust) or 450F for crispier crust.

6) Sprinkle with sea salt to your taste. You could also use a light brushing of oil, or spritz of water.

7) Score (cut lines into the top of the dough) to style. 

8) Bake 25-35 minutes until brown and tapping the loaves produces a hollow sound.

9) Let cool, and dig in!

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