Danish French Bread Franskbrod Food

CLASSIC FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Do ahead
• Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for 1 minute, until well blended and smooth. If the spoon gets too doughy, dip it in a bowl of warm water. The dough should form a coarse shaggy ball. Let it rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
• Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed for 2 minutes or knead by hand for about 2 minutes, adjusting with flour or water as needed. The dough should be smooth, supple, and tacky but not sticky.
• Whichever mixing method you use, knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured work surface for about 1 minute more, then transfer it to a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then immediately refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days. If the dough feels too wet and sticky, do not add more flour; instead, stretch and fold it one or more times at 10-minute intervals, as shown on page 18, before putting it in the refrigerator. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.)
• On baking day
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you plan to bake. Gently transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, taking care to degas it as little as possible. For baguettes and bâtards, divide the cold dough into 10-ounce (283 g) pieces; for 1 pound boules, divide the dough into 19-ounce (53 g) pieces; and for freestanding loaves, use whatever size you prefer.
• Form the dough into bâtards and/or baguettes (see pages 21 and 22) or boules (see page 20). Mist the top of the dough with spray oil, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and proof at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours, until increased to 1 1/2 times its original size.
• About 45 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 550°F (288°C) or as high as it will go, and prepare the oven for hearth baking (see page 30).
• Remove the plastic wrap from the dough 15 minutes prior to baking; if using proofing molds, transfer the dough onto a floured peel.
• Just prior to baking, score the dough 1/2 inch deep with a serrated knife or razor. Transfer the dough to the oven, pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C).
• Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the crust is a rich golden brown, the loaves sound hollow when thumped, and the internal temperature is about 200°F (93°C) in the center. For a crisper crust, turn off the oven and leave the bread in for another 5 minutes before removing.
• Cool the bread on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving.
• Variation
• By simply varying the method so that the shaped loaves undergo cold fermentation, rather than the freshly mixed bulk dough, you can create a spectacular loaf with a distinctive blistered crust. After the dough is mixed and placed in a clean, oiled bowl, let it rise at room temperature for about 90 minutes, until doubled in size. Divide and shape as described above, mist with spray oil, then cover the shaped dough loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight, away from anything that might fall on it or restrict it from growing.
• The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking. It should have grown to at least 1 1/2 times its original size. Prepare the oven for hearth baking, as described on page 30. While the oven is heating, remove the plastic wrap and let the dough sit uncovered for 10 minutes. Score the dough while it's still cold, then bake as described above.

DANISH-FRENCH BREAD (FRANSKBROD)

Steps:

• In large mixer bowl combine 3 cups of the flour and the yeast.
• Heat 2 1/2 cups water, sugar, salt and shortening just till warm 115-120 degrees F.
• Stirring constantly to melt shortening.
• Add to dry mixture.
• Beat at low speed with mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl.
• Beat 3 minutes at high speed.
• By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• Knead on floured surface till smooth (10 to 12 minutes.) Shape into a ball.
• Place in greased bowl and turn once.
• Cover, let rise till double 1-1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down, divide in half.
• Cover let rest 10 minutes.
• Roll each half to 15 x 12" rectangle.
• Roll up tightly from long side, seal well.
• Taper ends.
• Place each diagonally seam side down, on greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Gash tops diagonally every 2 1/2 inches 1/8 inch deep.
• Beat egg white just till foamy add 1 tbsp. water
• Brush tops and sides of loaves, and sprinkle with poppyseeds.
• Cover, let rise till double (about 1 hr.) Bake at 375 degrees F.
• till light brown for 20 minutes, brush again with egg white mixture.
• Bake another 20 minutes longer.
• Remove from sheets and cool.

BREAD MACHINE CRUSTY FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Add the room temperature water, oil, dry milk, all-purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, salt, and yeast to the bread machine according to your manufacturer's preferred order.
• Use the French bread setting on your machine but remove the dough after the last kneading cycle before the baking cycle begins. Or use the dough cycle, punch down the dough to let air escape, let it rise again (45 minutes to 1 hour), knead lightly, and let it rise again (another 45 minutes to 1 hour) before forming into loaves.
• Spray or lightly oil a large cookie sheet and sprinkle with the cornmeal.
• To form the loaves, transfer the dough (it will be soft) to a lightly floured board. Sprinkle with a little all-purpose flour.
• Cut the dough into 2 portions and roll each portion into a rectangle about 12 to 15 inches wide (add more flour as needed).
• Starting at the long end, roll up the dough, pinching the seams well. Repeat with the next roll.
• Place the loaves on the prepared cookie sheet; cover with a clean dishtowel and let rise another hour.
• While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 400 F. Place a pie plate on the lower rack of the oven and add about 1 inch of boiling water. Place the pan with the dough on the middle rack and bake the bread for 15 minutes.
• Lower the heat to 350 F and bake for another 25 minutes until golden brown.
• About 5 minutes before the loaves are done, mix the egg white with the cold water in a small bowl and brush the loaves with the egg wash .
• Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool.
• Serve and enjoy.

DANISH BONFIRE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, add the water and dissolve the fresh yeast in it. If using dry yeast, add this together with the flour in step 2.
• Add the all-purpose flour, salt and sugar. Knead everything into a smooth dough. Add more flour if needed.
• Let the dough rise for minimum 30-45 minutes.
• Now roll large and thin bread 'sausages' and twist them around long wood sticks you have cut from trees.
• Finally bake the bread over a bonfire. You get the best twisted bread by baking them over hot embers.

DANISH RYE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 cup rye flour. Cover batter with a damp cloth, and place in a warm, draft-free spot.
• In the evening, mix in 1 teaspoon yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 cup rye flour. Cover again, and set aside overnight.
• In the morning, mix in 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1 cup warm water. Gradually mix in 2 cups rye flour and 1 cup of all-purpose flour (if using). When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Form into a loaf, and place on a baking sheet. Allow to rise for about 40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.