French Country Bread

Recipe View In a medium-sized nonmetal mixing bowl, dissolve ½ teaspoon active dry yeast in 1 cup warm water. Add 1 ½ cups bread flour and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let the starter sit at room temperature for 8 hours to overnight.

Recipe View In a large bowl, dissolve the remaining 2 teaspoons active dry yeast in the remaining 2 cups warm water. Add the starter mixture, 3 cups bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt; stir until well combined. Gradually add the remaining 1 ½ cups bread flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, approximately 8 minutes.

Recipe View Place the dough in a large, lightly-oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Recipe View Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans.

Recipe View Punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and shape them into loaves; place them into the prepared pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, approximately 45 minutes.

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are golden brown and the bottoms of the loaves sound hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes.