Authentic French Bread

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups bread flour
3 teaspoons Instant Active r! "east
#ornmeal (optional for dusting pan)
$lace all ingredients e%cept cornmeal in bread pan of !our bread mac&ine. 'elect doug&
setting and press start. #&ec( t&e doug& (don)t be afraid to open t&e lid). It s&ould form a
nice elastic ball. If !ou t&in( t&e doug& is too moist* add additional flour (a tablespoon at a
time). +&e same is true if t&e doug& is loo(ing dr! and gnarl!. Add warm water (a
tablespoon at a time). ,&en doug& c!cle &as finis&ed* remove doug& from pan and turn out
onto a lig&tl! oiled surface. (I use a nonstic( coo(ing spra!). Form doug& into an oval* cover
wit& a plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
After resting* turn doug& bottom side up and press to flatten. Fold doug& into an envelope
b! folding t&e top 1/3 of t&e wa! to t&e bottom. +&en fold t&e bottom a 1/3 of t&e wa! over
t&e top. +&en press doug& wit& t&e palm of !our &and to ma(e an indentation down t&e
center of t&e doug& and fold t&e top completel! to t&e bottom* sealing t&e seam wit& t&e
palm of !our &and. $lace on a ba(ing s&eet dusted wit& cornmeal or covered wit& a silpad.
#over wit& plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise* appro%imatel! 20 minutes.
-.+/0 I use m! oven for t&e rising. +urn t&e oven on for a minute or so* t&en turn it off
again. +&is will warm t&e oven and ma(e it a great environment for rising bread. If !ou
can)t comfortabl! press !our &and against t&e inside of t&e oven door* t&e oven is too &ot.
1et it stand open to cool a bit.
$re&eat oven to 200 degrees. After rising* slas& t&e bread wit& a ver! s&arp (nife ma(ing
t&ree 1/23inc& deep diagonal slas&es. 4rus& or spra! t&e top of t&e bread wit& cold water
and ba(e for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicel! browned. (A good c&ec( is to use an
instant digital t&ermometer to test !our bread. +&e temperature s&ould be between 200 and
210 degrees.)
CORNSTARCH GLAZE:
-.+/0 +&is is a t!pical mi%ture t&at professional ba(ers use to get t&at c&aracteristic s&een
on breads. I (eep t&is mi%ture in m! refrigerator to use on all t&e breads I ba(e.
1/2 cup cold water
1 teaspoon cornstarc&.
In a small saucepan* wit& a small w&is(* stir toget&er water and cornstarc&. 6eat mi%ture to
a gentle boil. 'tir* reduce &eat* until mi%ture t&ic(ens and is translucent. #ool. 4rus& on loaf
about 10 minutes before ba(ing is finis&ed and again 3 minutes before bread is completel!
done.
Alternate gla7e0 1 egg w&ite* w&is(ed wit& 1 tablespoon cold water (to be brus&ed near end of
ba(ing)