As part of our preschool curriculum, we bake bread most Wednesdays with the children. We aren’t great bread bakers, and it was a wonderful surprise to finally find a recipe last year that can’t fail–despite the hands of two adults and some twelve children! At the end of the day, we send each child home with a round loaf or baguette in a brown paper bag. Most of the time, we understand the bread doesn’t make it home!
Our recipe is a modified version of the original recipe called “Friend Annie’s No-Knead French Bread” and is courtesy of The Gooseberry Patch book entitled For Bees & Me. www.gooseberrypatch.com Thanks to Pioneer Woman (http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/) for inspiring our picture directions!
Ingredients
1 package dry rapid rise yeast
1 T sugar
2 cups warm water
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in water.
Add the salt, then the flour, and mix well with hands.
Dough will be soft and sticky. Cover with a clean kitchen towel.
Allow dough to rise in mixing bowl until it doubles in bulk.
Punch the dough down and let rise a second time until double. Grease two cookie sheets with olive oil–you may find that you can use just one sheet.
Divide dough in two, knead lightly, but only if you wish, on a flour-dusted surface.
Shape into two rounds or two baguettes. Place each loaf on a pan.
Turn oven on to 350 degrees. Place trays of bread in the cold oven. Allow to bake until browned on top and bottom, and until the loaves sound hollow when tapped with your fist–approximately 30 minutes. Cool. Store in plastic bag or brown paper bag. Note that your loaves will be much larger–these loaves are the result of dividing the bread into six parts.
This bread is best used the same day for sandwiches, garlic bread, or sliced and topped with butter or peanut butter and jelly. If the bread is a day or two old, it is great:
-
processed in a food processor to make fresh bread crumbs
- cut into cubes and tossed with a cinnamony French toast custard, poured into a buttered baking pan, and baked off–French toast casserole! Serve with warm syrup and berries.
- cut into cubes and tossed with fresh basil and tomatoes, sliced red onions, julienne salami, diced fresh mozzarella cheese, and a homemade vinaigrette (panzanella)
