French Style
How high should white French-style bread dough rise?
To make a good, light, foamy bread? I’m using the best unbleached white flour available, and the right amount of good quality yeast. I did, however, cheat a little and add some sugar, violating the “French” rule.
Should it rise 100% (double original volume)? 200% ?
More? Less? How much is a successful rise?
.
- The first rise can be done in an oiled or floured bowl, protected from drafts in your warmest room. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic clingfilm (saran wrap).
The dough will double in volume (in 2 to 4 hours depending on the yeast and the temperature)
Put the dough on the table carefully so you don’t tear it, push the air out of it and let it rest for ½ hour. Roll it out and fold it several times to get air into it, put it in a floured basket, or eventually on floured oven plate you are going to cook it on.
Let it rise (one to two hours, the second rise is a bit quicker). Before it has doubled in volume, put it on your floured oven tray, or even better, on baking parchment end make slits in the bread with a knife, or a rasor blade diagonally 1-2 cm. deep. Put it into a very humid oven (you can pour a good bowl of water in the bottom of the oven for example on the drip tray, just before you cook the bread. The oven should be preheated to 240°C (464°F).
Bake it for ½ hour, ¼h at 240°C (464°F) then 1/4 h à 200°C (392°F).
Take the bread out, put it on a rack to cool so that it doesn’t soften. The bread is perfect if you tap the bottom of the bread and get a hollow sound, when it is not hot any more….
French Style [HD]