This month’s Daring Baker’s challenge is French bread hosted by Breadchick Mary and Sara. When I first read about the recipe, I got very excited because bread is something which I always wanted to learn to bake. It is one of the extremely well explained – with attention to even the smallest details – recipes I have come across. So I left a comment to Breadchick and Sara that I love this challenge.
After about a week, I thought I should have a look at the recipe and decide when I will be baking it. So I started reading it. To give a complete picture – I have never tasted any French bread in my life. So I had no idea how it is supposed to turn out. V is someone who never touches a hard bread. As many of you know, 90% of breads used by us in India are the soft bread. We have not gotten used to liking the hard crusted bread. Atleast I have tried at Panera bread few times but he just can’t take it. No, there is nothing wrong with the bread, its just that our taste buds are not yet adjusted to it.
With that background, I started reading the post. Well, thats when I started getting shivers. This challenge was in no way a simple one. One read through the post and I realized, I had doubts in my mind. Well, I can’t follow long instructions. Then I saw breadchick had given a link to a video to help in understanding the basics. I went through the video twice and got a pretty good understanding about the bread.
The only thing I was really worried about was, “steam contraption”. If you watch the video, the chef is throwing water in an oven to create steam. Since we have an electric oven, I thought it might create some short circuit if I did that. I was even scared to keep a tray with water in the oven as breadchick and Sara mentioned :(. But anyway, I went ahead and followed each and every step mentioned. I got a bit confused at the shaping part, so I followed the video.
Finally I made 1 batard, 2 ficelle and 4 small round rolls. It took about 6-7hrs. I might not have watched the time exactly, but I went with the volume mentioned by the hosts. The bread was super tasty. I simply loved it. I can say, now I am not that scared of baking anymore. Thanks Breadchick and Sara for selecting this challenge, it was just awesome. The bread does not look as good as it should be, but I am satisfied with the result considering this is my first time at baking any such complicated bread (Well, I think the stuffed buns were very easy compared to this).
I tried taking as many pictures as possible. But after sometime, I just lost patience. So I will post here whatever pictures I took. Since this recipe is too long, I am not going to reproduce it here. You can find the recipe at breadchick’s blog or here.
Pictorial
After initial mixing
After kneading
After first rise
Deflating and second rising
Cutting and resting the dough
Here I didn’t take pictures of few steps. Final outcome
I could not finish off all the bread in one day. So I froze the remaining lot.
I baked the pieces topped with little olive oil till it became crispy and enjoyed with soup on the next day.
On the third day, I sprinkled some garlic chutney powder on it and baked it for sometime to make a crunchy toast.
Good one Shilpa. French bread are everywhere this week. Great job, I love the garlic chutney on it!:))
Have a great weekend.
Shilpa- your results are incredible! The bread looks fabulous. As usual, your breads are inspiring me to give this a try too.
Excellent looking bread! I loved that you showed us what you did with it later! The soup also looks divine.
well done shilpa. bread looks fab!!!
You did a wonderful job
I love your bread! It turned out really good. Well done!
tis is so cool! I like the way you recordeach steps with pictures. it is so well described! fantastic!
That bread looks so awesome.It is one of the favourites in my house.I buy it almost every week from the store. I definitely do not have courage to bake it 🙂 I really appreciate your effort.
Everything looks excellent – mmm. Are you converted to the crusty side yet? 🙂
love your every-step-of-the-way pictures! congrats on completing the challenge 🙂
As Usha said, i do not have the courage to bake it, but i appreciate your efforts and patience to bake it. Looks Lovely !!!!
I think your bread turned out lovely! I’m glad you liked it!
Gorgeous, Shilpa! Amazing results!! You’re making me want to try this! 🙂
I love to bake breads too, and baking breads has always been a challenge to me. I tried Focassia once, and it was lovely and very tasty. I’m gonna try these breads too. Thankls for sharing Shilpa 🙂
wow,,, u made these cuties.. great job.. i could never make in thousand years!!!
Wow!yummy bread and nice steps
Looks great Shilpa, loved your pictures for each step 🙂
GOOD one!! I love breads but just NO daringto meet Mr. Yeast!! So I ogle at ur creations!!
Beautiful job Shilpa., They look fab! I alos love the fact that you ate them in different ways for the next couple of days!
i love the ‘holes’ in the crumb. a successful attempt at making bread. congrats.
What lovely pictures! I just love those perfectly round little loaves of yours!
Well done – your breads all look amazing!
you made it simple by showing step by step procedure . thanks a lot for sharing Shilpa 🙂 .
You bread turned out gorgeous! The crums is nice and airy…yummm! Great paring for soup! Your step by step pictures are a very nice addition too!
Great french breads Shilpa! They look perfect & great for a first time baker.. I have never ventured into bread baking yet…..will try it soon hopefully 🙂 Just scared!!
very well done, Shilpa!
I think u hv pretty much covered everything in cooking 🙂
Its nice to see such lovely looking French bread.
great job! i’m very impressed, esp since this was your first french bread!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this month’s challenge! All your step by step pictures are wonderful and your bread looks exactly as it should!!
Thanks for baking with Sara and I!
Shilpa: Mary, Thank you very much for picking this recipe. As I said, I haven’t baked many breads and it is something I always wanted to learn. Now I know which blog to refer to for my next bread experiments. I loved your and Sara’s tips along with Julia Child’s recipe. Your tips helped me a lot. Thanks once again.
Great job Shilpa! Even I have yet to attempt the addition of steam while baking…some say a piece of iron or a brick can be heated on the range and then carefully dropped into the pan of water resting at the bottom of the oven, or I’ve heard of spraying the bread directly with water, but I have never attempted any of this before. So, my hat is off to you and I also touch your feet.
Lovely Bread Shilpa..Like ur idea of having them with soup and one with chutney..Crispy ones..Good job..
Shilpa,
The breads are jaw-dropping good! Love the way you’ve presented the step-by-step pictures! Thanks a ton for these, feels like a world of yummy goodness on my computer :).
Thanks also for your detailed description about kokum. i am looking forward to your tutorial on making kokum.
Good efforts, Shilpa! Love the idea of garlic chutney on the bread!
your bread looks absolutely delicious. Well done
You did a wonderful job on your bread. I love your french bread drifting in your soup. It looks so yummy.
Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go
Shilpa, i m verrrrrrrryyy late here! Lovely is the finished product, like out frm a bakery!! The stepwise pics too r wonderful! What hours of efforts! The garlic-chut roast looks del too! Loooooved every aspect of it!!! U ROCK!
Shilpa, you’ve achieved fabulous results…congrats!
Lovely photos–especially the garlic-chutney toast.
j
Kudos! So you finally overcame your fear of bread making and that too with a whole basket of breads. 🙂
Looks great! Such a smooth dough after all that kneading!
Wow, your bread is gorgeous! Way to go!
Excellent job as usual Shilpa! Your posts always have beautiful and mouthwatering pictures. The soup too looks yummy.
What a gorgeous and explicit explanation of making the bread. I was enthralled – your explanation and the photos are great.
Gorgeous bread!! Good job on a difficult challenge!
Your dough looks PERFECT – smooth and silky. Great job with that.
I ended up freezing most of mine too, but look forward to using it in creative ways.
I am fiercely proud of you! congratulations on making fantastic french bread.
Nice one shilpa. I am a first time visitor to the blog …hmmm..yummy…want to have my soup with that french baguette…and nice idea..with a gralic touch..
hi shilpa,,,,,
good job!!!!! i also love baking…..& wanted to bake a bread since long but was hesitant how it will turn out..now that u have tried..i’ll try it…wish me luck!
Daring indeed. Congratulations!
Good job! Great breads….I used mine as garlic toasts
Great Bread! I love all the pictures, simply wonderful!
wow Shilpa the bread looks very nice…you have huge patience i must say
Lovely!
wow,
amazing
thank u
Shilpa
I always bake my own bread! Never buy them…and like yours, my hubby does not like the hard crusted variety either. The most common one I make is a whole wheat honey bread, it turns out soft and tasty and is perfect for toasts and sandwiches. My inspiration for breads is Whole Grain Baking by Laurel Robertson. The recipes are simple and easy to make and she uses only whole grain. I could post a couple of recipes if you’d like.
Nirmala
hi, i like new recepies if u can pl sent more recipies in my account thank u
wonderful and easy to follow recipe. the pictures help to judge how to monitor the raising. the response by Nirmala is interesting. we would love it if she could post the honey bread recipe of her bread making. thank you for your contribution to the art of bread making for others to learn. 🙂
I LIKE IT!!!!!!
SEND ME MORE DISHES ON MY ID
THANKS IN ADVANCE……
hey Shilpa…
Really in a mood of baking bread and came accross ur recipes for bread…that way i am a regular visitor for ur site…and love experimenting ur recipes as well..
thnx a ton for bread recipe…sure would go for one in couple of days :))…