French Bread!

Lately, I've been making loaves of French Bread for our dinner starch.  And it has been wonderful.  The secret? It's butter topped.  And hooray for me!  I figured out how to make just enough for 3 of us, with a little left for toast in the morning, or for Ryan to have a sandwich.

FRENCH BREAD

2/3 cup warm water (about 110F)
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp gluten powder
2 cups flour, plus extra if necessary
1-1/5 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp butter, melted

Put the water in your bowl or bread maker bucket; sprinkle the yeast over it.  Add the gluten powder and flour, then the salt, olive oil and honey.  Mix according to my directions over there------>
After kneading, let rise for 15 minutes, then punch down on a floured counter, roll out into a flat sheet about 1/2" thick or so, the length of your baking sheet, and roll it up into a cylinder.  Place it on a greased baking sheet (optional: sprinkle corn meal on the sheet before you put the loaf on it), and slice diagonally across the loaf about 1/4" deep, maybe a dozen times.  Then brush your melted butter on top of the bread, making sure to get plenty into the cuts!  Let it rise another 15 to 20 minutes, and then bake at 375F or 350F for a convection oven, for 18 minutes.

Ryan and my dearly beloved only want this bread these days, so that's got to tell you something, right?

Happy Friday, everyone!