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Warm and crusty, with a soft crumb, this classic homemade French bread recipe has only 6 ingredients!

There’s nothing quite like a freshly baked loaf of bread. For many of us, it’s a memory of times gone by when Grandma would make fresh bread, and it would take all the willpower in the world to wait for it to cool enough to slice it and slather it with creamy butter.

Homemade bread speaks to us. The warmth from the oven baking it, to the satisfying texture, and the crispy, chewy sensation as you bite into a fresh slice. There’s really nothing quite like it, is there?

This easy French bread recipe also has the added bonus of SOUND.

A good bread crust will make a delicious, loud, crunchy sound when you break into it. It will tear into your hands like silk, but the crusty crumbs will fall with that glorious sound. Crrrrruuuunch. Warm, hearty and satisfying, it will pair well with any soup, salad, or as a pizza base.

Basic French bread ingredients are flour, salt, yeast, water, olive oil and a bit of cornmeal for dusting the pan.  With only 5 ingredients to make it, which most of us already have in our pantries, it’s an easy to put together loaf.

So, what gives this French bread that classic crunch on the crumb? Ice, ice, baby. Placing a couple cubes of ice on the bottom of the hot oven gives a moisture level that allows the crust to crisp right up without overbaking or making it soggy. You’ll want to quickly open the oven door and drop the cubes and close it again to keep all the heat and steam inside the oven where it belongs. 

How do you keep French bread fresh?

Keep your bread fresh by wrapping it in either a bread bag, or in parchment paper. Homemade bread needs to “breathe” a bit, and plastic bags can keep that from happening. If you happen to have a bread box, those are the best way to keep bread fresh. 

How do I make French bread at home?

Dissolve the yeast in warm water and allow it to bubble up. This is called “proofing” the yeast mixture. Combine the salt and flour in a mixing bowl, and add it a little at a time to the yeast water. You want to stir it all in before adding remaining flour. Then add in the oil. 

Warm and crusty, with a soft crumb, this classic homemade French bread recipe has only 5 ingredients! #frenchbread #bread #homemadebread Click to Tweet

You can use your hands to knead the dough, or use a dough hook on a stand mixer. Knead it until it is smooth, and elastic. Let the dough rise at room temperature for at least an hour, or until doubled in size. 

Form your dough, and place seam side down on a baking sheet, that has been sprinkled with a bit of cornmeal. Bake until golden brown. Allow baked bread to cool for 10-20 minutes before slicing. 

Sounds easy, right? It is so easy to make this homemade French bread!

Ingredients you need:

• Warm water
• Active dry yeast
• Salt 
• All purpose flour
• Olive oil
• Granulated sugar

Making your Classic French Bread

1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water.
2. Add the oil and sugar and stir. Allow to proof for 5 minutes.
3. Combine the salt to the flour, and add in 1/2 cup increments while mixing. Knead by hand or mixer for about 10 minutes.
4. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. Punch down, and shape into 2 long loaves, and using a sharp knife, slice carefully down the middle of the loaf, about 1/4″ down.
5. Allow to rise 30 more minutes and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. You will want to put the bread in a cold oven, set the temp, and then the timer. As the oven warms, it gives the yeast a bit of help rising and this is called “spring”.
6. As soon as the oven reaches the proper temp, quickly open the door and drop 4-5 ice cubes on the bottom. This is what gives it the crunchy texture on the outside.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

What to serve with this French bread:

• Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• BBT Pasta
• Penne pasta with Marinara
• Butternut Squash Pasta
• Strawberry Spinach Salad