Old Reliable French Bread for Kitchen Aid Mixers

I've been making French bread for years, and I've tried all sorts of different recipes. But I always come back to this one. It's my go-to recipe for a classic, crusty loaf of French bread.

This recipe is called "Old Reliable" because it's a tried-and-true method that always produces great results. It's also very easy to follow, even if you're not a seasoned baker.

The key to this recipe is using a KitchenAid mixer. The mixer does all the hard work, so you can just relax and enjoy the process.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups warm water (105°F to 115°F)

• 2 packages active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 7 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 2 tablespoons cornmeal, for sprinkling on the baking sheets

Instructions

1. In the bowl of your KitchenAid mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes, until the yeast is foamy.

2. Add the salt and 3 cups of the flour to the bowl. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes, until the ingredients are combined.

3. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

4. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute, until the dough is smooth.

6. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

7. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

8. Punch down the dough and divide it in half.

9. Shape each half of the dough into a long loaf.

10. Place the loaves on two lightly greased baking sheets. Sprinkle the loaves with cornmeal.

11. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

12. Let the loaves cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Tips and Tricks

• For a more flavorful loaf, use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour.

• If you don't have a KitchenAid mixer, you can knead the dough by hand. Just be sure to knead for at least 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

• To test if the dough is ready to rise, poke it with your finger. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready.

• To prevent the loaves from sticking to the baking sheets, line the sheets with parchment paper.

• Let the loaves cool completely before slicing. This will help prevent the bread from becoming crumbly.

Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Old Reliable French Bread. It's a classic recipe that's perfect for any occasion.