Crusty French Bread Recipe That’s Easy For Beginners (Only Takes An Hour!)

Looking for an artisan style bread that’s super quick to make? This crusty french bread recipe is so easy and perfect for beginners. It only takes about an hour from start to finish!

We love fresh bread, but I don’t always have the time to make my pretzel bread recipe (which is the family favorite!). Sometimes I need a bread that’s ready fast, like this amazingly quick and easy french bread baguette. Rustic looking, fragrant, and like an old farmhouse bread recipe, it’s always a hit when I’m short on time.

It’s nearly foolproof and only has five ingredients, so it’s perfect for beginning bread bakers. Slather it with butter and this crusty loaf pairs perfectly with a hearty soup! A couple soups you might try it with are my Carrot and Lentil Soup with Bacon or Peanut Butter Soup. So delish!

We also like it for breakfast with a bit of butter and jam. Or honey… honey’s perfect, too.

Can You Substitute Bread Flour For All Purpose Flour?

Ultimately, yes, you can. You might need to adjust the water/flour ratio a bit, since bread flour can take a bit more moisture due to it’s higher protein content. And your bread might lose a little of it’s shape. King Arthur Flour outlines the similarities and differences between the two flours here.

Super Quick & Easy Crusty French Bread Recipe

You’ll need five simple ingredients: warm water, bread flour, quick rise (instant) yeast, salt, and sugar.

The warm water, yeast, sugar, and salt mix together in a bowl and sit for a few minutes, just until a couple small bubbles form.

Then you’ll add the bread flour and knead for 6-7 minutes, adding additional flour if needed. You’ll want this dough a little on the wet side, not firm. It should feel tacky.

It’s like the adhesive backing on a sticky note – that’s the slightly tacky feeling you want. If you’re not sure, err on the side of more tacky. You don’t want this dough firm.

Set a hot towel over the dough while it rises on top of a pre-heating oven.

After thirty minutes, shape the loaf, then brush the top with just a little bit of ice water.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Your home will smell amazing and it will be challenging to let this crusty french bread sit and rest on the cooling rack! 

Yield: 10

Crusty French Bread Recipe That's So Easy For Beginners

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Looking for an artisan style bread that's super quick to make? This crusty french bread recipe is so easy and perfect for beginners. It only takes about an hour from start to finish!

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Ingredients

• 1.5 cups warm (not hot) water
• 1/2 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 3.75 cups bread flour

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, stir water, yeast, and sugar. Add salt and stir gently. Let mixture sit for about 5 minutes, until you start to see a 2-3 little bubbles form at the top.
2. Add the flour and knead the dough for 6-7 minutes. I knead mine in the same large bowl I used in step one. Add a little extra flour or water if needed; the dough should feel tacky, but not super sticky. Shape into a ball, keeping it in the bowl, and place on top of your oven (or in a somewhat warm place).
3. Run some hot water from your kitchen faucet, and dampen a clean dish towel with the hot water. Squeeze out any excess water and cover your dough bowl with it. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
4. Let the dough rest and rise for 30 minutes. Prepare a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet by using a bit of shortening or cooking spray on it to prevent sticking. Do not use a bread pan!
5. When the 30 minutes are done, place the dough onto the baking sheet, shape your dough into an oval about 10-12" long, and use a sharp knife to slightly score the top of the dough.
6. Using a small cup of ice water and a pastry brush (or other small brush / clean towel) gently brush ice water over the top of the dough. Don't soak it -- just do this lightly.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack or cutting board for at least 15 minutes, preferably an hour. Enjoy!

Notes

I use pastry brushes similar to these for a variety of baked goods.

This is the instant yeast I'm using.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 636mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g

Estimate only.

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