French Bread
4 cups unbleached bread flour
2 to 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 packages dry yeast, rapid-rise (or regular dry yeast with doubled rising times)
2 1/2 cups hot water (120 to 130 degrees)
2 teaspoons salt dissolved in 2 teaspoons of water
Teaspoon oil or spray oil
Add bread flour to work bowl of a food processor with dough blade. Add yeast. Pour hot water through feed tube with motor running to make a thick batter. Process batter for 60 seconds. Add salted water and pulse. Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, separately, pulsing several times to blend thoroughly. If dough is sticky, add up to 1 cup additional all-purpose flour. When the dough forms a mass and whirls around the bowl, process for 45 seconds. (If your food processor has a capacity of less than 14 cups, you may want to halve the recipe. The process can also be accomplished with a heavy duty mixer, using a paddle attachment, and dough hook in the two mixing stages, respectively, and mixing for 10 minutes at each stage).
Transfer the dough to a bowl coated lightly with oil, turning the dough to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for approximately 1 hour (until dough doubles in size). Remove dough and knead on a floured surface for 3 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl, cover again with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour (until double in size.)
Punch down the dough and cut into four pieces. Roll each into a baguette and place in baguette pans (or on baking sheets lightly greased and sprinkled with corn meal). Cover the bread with a towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450 degrees.
With a sharp knife or razor blade, make several slashes in each of the risen bread loaves. Throw four or five ice cubes in the oven to produce steam for crisping the bread. Place the loves in the oven and bake for approximately 18 minutes, until loaves are golden brown and produce a hollow sound when you tap them. (If using baking sheets on separate oven racks, switch the sheets mid-way through baking to evenly brown the bread.)
Note: If you only have bread or all-purpose flour on hand, it can be used throughout the recipe. Freeze bread if not serving that day. This bread is even crisper if frozen and reheated, uncovered, in 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes.
