My homemade French Baguettes! Don’t they look delish?

I’ve always been intimidated by breadmaking. It’s long been a skill I’ve wanted to gain as an up-and-coming Homesteader. But could I really do it?

Heck yasss! Yaasss I CAN! Look at my french baguettes. Are you proud of me?

“But Josie, you claim you avoid most carbs to stay fit. Why the hell are you gnawing on large bread loaves?”

Thank you for asking.

Carbs are a treat, not a daily event. They go into the same category as the occasional cakes and pies and other delectable foodstuffs I love to stuff into my jawbone. I typically eat carbs only once per week, so figured, why not make the bread myself, using basic ingredients that contain no artificial crap, no preservatives and no other weird surprises. Makes sense, right?

HOMEMADE FRENCH BREAD

3 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon yeast1/2 tablespoon salt1/2 tablespoon sugar1.5 cups water1.5 teaspoons melted butter

Yields three loaves, approximately 11-inch by 4-inch in size. Double the recipe if you have more hungry mouths to feed.

DIRECTIONS

Combine all dry ingredients into large bowl and mix by hand.Add water.Knead dough by hand into ball — only long enough to form the ball.Do not add extra flour at this point. Let dough sit for 10 minutes to absorb the moisture.Knead dough by hand for 8 minutes.Put dough ball into very large bowl and let sit for 3-4 hours. The dough will double in size. You know the dough is done when you poke your finger in the dough and the hole remains. If the hole closes back up, the dough isn’t ready to bake yet.Lightly spray baking pan with oil.Lay dough on pan and cut into 3 equal sections.Flatten dough to form its shape, then fold dough over itself longways and pinch the side shut.Use a knife to cut the decorative slices into the top of dough. Slice a little less than half-way through.Baste top of dough loaf with about 1/2 teaspoon melted butter.Bake in hot, 450-degree oven approximately 15 minutes.

I kid you not when I tell you this is the best bread I’ve ever had. It was warm and moist with the just the perfect amount of chewy. I broke the bread open with my bare hands and smathered on the melted buttery goodness, of course.

I dare you to do something you never thought you could do. I bet you’d be good at it. Now get to it!

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