French Bread or Hoagies
First and foremost, this recipe is not mine. It is from Handmade Farmhouse and the link to the original recipe is here. She calls it her favorite french bread and I can totally see why….it comes out perfectly every single time I make it! We use it for all kinds of things, french bread pizza, french bread for italian night, Hoagies for french dips, philly cheesesteaks, meatballs subs, or just regular sub sandwiches. My kids will also devour a whole loaf in a day….so be sure to plan ahead for that!
Hoagies or French Bread
Original Recipe fro Handmade Farmhouse
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons instant dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water (look on yeast package for correct temperature)
- 2 cups hot water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
- 6 cups all purpose flour
- 1 beaten egg for glazing pre-baked bread
Instructions
Dissolve yeast and 1/2 cup warm water and set aside for 5-10 minutes
In a separate large bowl, mix 2 cups hot water, sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour.
Check to make sure your yeast has become foamy and activated. If so, add to hot-water flour mixture. Mix for 2 minutes to well incorporate everything. (the water is not hot any longer since we added in the other ingredients)
Switch to dough hook attachment and add the remaining 3 cups of flour, one at a time so the dough can absorb all the flour. Let dough hook mix for 5 minutes until flour is incorporated and dough is elastic.
Turn off the mixer and allow dough to sit for 10 minutes (just leave the dough hook attached, and I cover the mixer with a tea towel).
After 10 minutes the dough will look puffy. Stir dough by turning on your mixer to low and allow the dough hook to deflate the dough. (10 seconds or less).
Repeat this step 5 times so the dough has a total of 60 minutes to rise (and be deflated every 10 minutes). This will allow the gluten to develop and create a wonderful soft, chewy texture.
Dump dough onto a floured counter top. Cut in half (if you are doing french bread) OR and divide each half into 4 so should have 8 equal pieces of dough (for hoagies). These hoagies will be very large, if you want a regular sandwich hoagie you can make them into 16!
Quickly, with your fingers, lightly press each piece of dough into a rectangle shape. Roll up tightly lengthwise (like you're making cinnamon rolls) and tuck the ends under. DON'T WORRY, they don't have to be perfect! They will rise and puff right up again. Place loaves on a baking sheet with parchment or sprayed with cooking spray.
Allow your loaves to rise again for 20-30 minutes. About 10 minutes into this rise I like to score my loaves (use a bread lame or serrated knife). Brush a thin layer of egg wash on rolls to glaze for a shiny baked finish.
Bake loaves at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
