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This recipe has a crisp crunchy crust and slightly chewy centre that makes this bread as traditional as the bread served in France.
French Bread with Garlic Herb Spread ( Boursen Cheese Spread )
This recipe has a crisp crunchy crust and slightly chewy centre that makes this bread as traditional as the bread served in France.
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Ingredients
Bread:
- 1 ½ tablespoons instant yeast, or 4 1/2 teaspoons
- ½ cup warm water
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ tablespoons oil
- 2 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
Garlic Herb Spread (Boursen Cheese Spread):
- 113 g butter
- 226 g cream cheese
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon Oregano, dried leaves
- ½ teaspoon Basil, dried leaves
- ½ teaspoon Chicken seasoning
- In a mixing bowl, combine yeast, warm water and sugar. Let it proof for 10 minutes.
- Add 2 cups water, oil, salt and 3 cups of flour first. Mix until flour is incorporated.
- Then gradually add the remaining 3 cups of flour. Knead about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the dough onto a generously floured surface. Use a plastic scraper to help remove dough from mixing bowl.
- Knead the dough and shape into a ball. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Repeat this process of kneading and resting dough for 3 more times. Just punch the dough down and fold it over a few times, then gather it back into a ball. (I turn the dough out from mixer at 4.20pm, your last quick knead will be at 5.10pm and the dough will be ready to be shaped at 5.20pm).
- Next, shape dough into 4 equal loaves. Shape into rough rectangle shapes. Then roll it up and pinch it so it stays together. Place the pinched side down on a greased or lined cookie pan.
- Beat 1 egg white with a dash of water and brush the egg mixture over the loaf. Make sure it’s all covered as any unbrushed part will turn up pale. (Alternative: if you want a softer yet still deep golden crust, mix together 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk. Brush over entire loaf before baking.)
- Make 3 diagonal lines into the top of bread.
- Let it rise until double in size (about 30 minutes).
- Bake in preheated oven at 190 degree C for 30 minutes.
- Serve warm with Garlic Herb Spread.
- Let butter and cream cheese come to room temperature. Then stir all to combine.
Instructions
Bread:
Garlic Herb Spread ( Boursen Cheese Spread ):
Enjoy!
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Notes
Step 5 is critical to the making of French bread as this step will give the crust a nice, characteristically french bread chewiness. It’s not crucial that the kneading takes place at exact 10 minutes intervals, and it’s not crucial that you do it for exactly 1 hour. Just ensure that you knead at least 4 times in the next hour.
The house just smell………heavenly at this point .
Coo…..ling the fresh french bread on the rack after baking.
Crusty and chewy loaf that are so good and so much better than those bought from the bakery store.
It will be ideal if you also mixed your garlic herb spread while the bread is baking and rising in the oven………
……. so savoring the delectable garlic herbs with freshly baked french bread can begin immediately!
Also the leftover french bread makes GREAT garlic bread. Just slather some garlic spread on the bread slices and toast them in the oven.
It has the perfect amount of crispiness with garlic infusing in every bite.
Store in airtight container to retain its crispiness and freshness longer.
So enjoy!
