Don’t get me wrong I love the fact that I have countless channels at my finger tips and I can watch pretty much anything I want at any time that being said there was something to being able to watch Julia child some 50 years ago I love the music. I love her voice. I love her enthusiasm Times certainly simpler back then.
Julia taught me so much more than just cooking. She made hardly no money from PBS and had to buy her own ingredients, even though she earned lots of money for the station. She loved to cook delicious food, and her joy was in sharing her hard won knowledge with Americans. The first cookbook took 7 yrs to complete because she had to test and convert French ingredients to what was available in American grocery stores. Most of the recipes are French country cooking. She went to school and cooked in her tiny Paris kitchen. She was the only woman in her class, but her passion and funny personality won over her professor and the other students. Thank you, Julia. I know Heaven is a sweeter place because you’re there. Patricia
@@shaddonon actually, California. Her father was in real estate, I think. They purchased their fancy car in Europe from Julia's trust, which also paid the bills when they were short. They brought their car back on the ship they returned to the US on. What a life.
This reminds me of when I was in Paris. I was talking to a local and I said, "I'd love to learn how to make French bread." The woman laughed and said, "Why would you want to do that? Have you SEEN how many boulangeries there are in Paris?"
@@jody024you think it is easy to make French baguette I’m a chef and pastry chef it took me 1 year just to prefect a French bread it’s hard than you think
BEAUTIFUL! Amazing episode. my favorite of all breads. similar to the Mexican bolillo bread introduced by the French! i could eat French bread all day every day! Les écoles de meunerie is still around.
@@BruteForce. since it's summer, if you can get your hands on homegrown tomatoes, OMG, this is delicious. The pain is waiting for the tomatoes to be ripe and juicy. This is what I have made for the last 30 years with the first tomato of the season, slice the tomato thinly, add extra virgin olive oil .. oh, duh, cut your french bread into about 3/4ths inch slices or .5, because the bread is the vessel, coat the bread with the EVOO, not a lot. I put my thumb on the bottle top and drizzle, or if you have an oil bottle, then take a garlic glove and kind of smash the end and rub the bread. If you don't have a garlic glove, just use garlic powder, or you can eliminate the garlic ... now, your choice, I make several varieties ... then add cheese of your choice ... we use fresh mozzarella and parmesean if I have it .. not out of the can ... also Swiss because it's my favorite ... then thinly sliced tomato, ... now, again your choice, you can put the tomato and any herb of your choice, you can use dried, first, then the cheese, but i prefer tomato on top of cheese ... put it under the broiler .. leave the oven door cracked and watch it like a hawk, when cheese is melted, remove immediately... it's literally a second between perfect and burnt ... garnish with fresh torn fresh basil or parsley, or just plain ... after the first bite I always say, kings do not eat better than this. Then later I make a grilled tomato and Swiss cheese grilled sandwich, with a glass of fresh brewed iced tea with lemon and say the same thing. But honestly, please give it a try, especially if you bake your own bread .. I'm going to give it a try ... I've tried several breads over the years, especially thinking Italian or a French country bread or sour dough would work well. While it was still good, the baguette works best with the crunchy exterior and the soft middle ... Heaven. I live in Richmond, Virginia and we have had awful weather since May, highs in the upper 90s and 100s almost daily. The poor tomatoes are literally cooking on the vine. I replanted in early July hoping to get some by September. Sorry for the long response, but please give this a try. It's absolutely delicious. Simple delicious food, which should be enjoyed with relish, was what Julia was all about. Somewhere there's a video where she was saying she used to really like mcdonalds French fries, but the mothers complained about the oil, so they changed and now they're not as good. Totally agree. Cheers, Patricia
How timely! I just got a pan expressly designed for baking the perfect French baguette! I shall.tap into the ether and attempt to channel her helpful spirit for its inaugural implementation. Beau courage, indeed!
Grabbed my post it note pad thinking this should be quick, Thankfully I have this video I can refer to if I can't read my writing, LOL... Definitely going to try this one. Even ordered French flour. I'll try not to chuck my scrapper.
Right? I actually never heard the word “ain’t” until I went to the southern states years ago and was shocked they thought it was a word? Yes, so to hear the well educated and elegant Julia utter “ain’t” was WHOA!!!!! I had to rewind. 🫢
in an amusing coincidence, I had just put my french breads baking (having learned the method 30 years ago from Julia) when I got recommended this video, lol. The bread is delicious!
I believe she stated that this was the recipe that she was the most proud of as she did a lot of research and trial and error....but it's the recipe that the fewest people attempt. I am a huge Julia fan and routinely cook from her books....and I have never tried to do this one.
Julia Child’s Plain French Bread Ingredients: 3 and a half cups of flour 1 and a half cups of water A pack of dry yeast (instant will do) 2 and a half teaspoons of salt 1 tablespoon of water Cooking Instructions: Get your mixer, and pour in warm water. Dry it. Pour in the flour and salt. Start your mixer in medium speed. You might need to scrape the mixture from the sides, to keep everything in the center. Make sure you have your spatula beside you. In a separate bowl, get your 1 and a half cups of water, and pour in your yeast. Mix it well, until the yeast is fully activated. Pour in the yeast mixture into the mixer. After adding the yeast, the dough should already be forming a ball, and none of the mixture is sticking on the sides of the mixing bowl. Start adding your flour gradually. Do it in small portions. Take out the dough from the mixer, and allow it to rest for a couple of minutes. Start kneading your dough. You can do this by hand, but I prefer to use a mixer for convenience. If you are going to use a mixer, make sure that your hook is clean and dry again, before using. Check the consistency of your dough. I do this by pressing my finger on the dough. If the dough springs back, then this tells me that I do not need to knead anymore. Get a bowl and pour in warm water again. Dry it, and make sure to grease it with butter or oil, to prevent the dough from sticking. I use Pam, by the way. Place your kneaded dough inside the bowl, and cover it with a cling wrap. Let it rest for at least 2 to three hours. Get your dough and make a square form. Fold one end to the other, until it forms a triangle. Do this step several times on every side. Turn your dough into a circular form, and slightly flatten it. Put the dough inside a bowl again, and cover with cling wrap. Let it sit there for about an hour, or until it already tripled its size. Get a parchment paper and a flat wooden tray. Place your dough on top of the tray with parchment, and cover the dough with a bowl, and let it rise again. It should triple the size once more. Preheat oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Place a pan with water and a baking stone in the oven Make a few deep slits on top of your dough, and brush it with water Place your dough on top of the parchment paper, and place it on top of the baking stone inside the preheated oven. Start baking. Refill the warm water in your pan after six minutes, and make sure to brush your dough with water at least every 3 minutes (do this 3X - 3rd min, 6th, and 9th). After 6 minutes of baking, remove the parchment, and allow the bread to bake on top of the baking stone directly. Bake for at least 25 minutes, or until you see a golden brown color on top.
@@behringerm Sorry to correct, but the ingredients and measurements are: one packet of active dry yeast dissolved (per the package), 3-1/2 cups ap flour, 2-1/4 tsp salt, 1-1/4 cup tepid water. Best to watch and take notes, Veronica. Behringerm's measurements are incorrect.
🤣🤭🤔#Team french onion soup!& sweet Jesus💖 can we top it with cheese & crispy & (fresh not stale.😬😖😟)toasted french bread? 🥴☝️is it too much to ask?is it? 🤷♀️👩🍳💪💖😊👍😎😋🙂
Copied directly from the video; ingredients and instructions. Hope this helps. NOTES from Julia Child: Since the standard oven is not large enough to create full-size French baguettes, these are technically called a 'bâtard.' Make sure all ingredients are measured very carefully. Salt affects the color and taste of the bread. If possible, use French flour. If not possible, substitute Unbeached All-Purpose Flour. Do not use bread flour; it is much higher in protein content. French flour and Unbleached All-Purpose Flour are lower in protein. This is a very soft dough. Equipment Large mixing bowl Measuring Cups Measuring spoons Mixing Spatula Bakers' couche or pastry canvas Spray bottle with fine mist setting filled with water Bench scraper or other large scraper Bakers lamé or single-edge safety razor blade Baguette transter peel or thin long board or stiff cardboard Ingredients 3 1/2 cups unbleached All-Purpose or French Flour 1 1/4 cups tepid water 2 1/4 tsp (7g) or one packet active dry yeast 1/3 c warm water (for dissolving yeast) 2 1/4 tsp salt Cornmeal for baking prep Instructions Dissolve yeast into 1/3 cup warm water in small measuring cup. Set aside. Yeast will dissolve in about 4-5 minutes. In this order: Combine salt with flour in a separate mixing bowl. Make sure yeast is thoroughly dissolved. Add yeast mixture to flour and salt in mixing bowl. Do not stir. Add the 1 1/4 cups tepid water to the same mixing bowl. Stir ingredients in mixing bowl with a spatula gently to mix thoroughly. Empty the combined ingredients onto a bread board. Allow the dough to rest on the board, uncovered, for two minutes to allow it to absorb the water more thoroughly. Knead rested dough for 5-10 minutes on board, resisting the temptation to add more flour. Use bench scraper to help turn the soft dough, to initially chop it up a bit to absorb flour and to gather bits of flour that adhere to board. (Julia Child's kneading technique for this soft dough includes slapping the soft dough onto the board and using the bench knife to help flip it during kneading.) Let dough rest again uncovered on the board for 1 minute. Once dough is fully kneaded, it should appear soft and smooth, and draw back when pulled with fingers. (Test the kneaded dough for done-ness by pinching quickly and pulling with fingers; it should draw back and not stick to fingers. If pinched slowly, it will still stick to fingers.) It should still be very elastic. Place kneaded dough inside a clean bowl or rising bin and cover it with cling wrap. Let it rise for a minimum of 3 hours in a no higher than 75° area until it is 3 1/2 times its original bulk. Remove dough onto bread board and flour hands and board lightly. Pat the dough gently but firmly to deflate. Flip one side over, then the other side, then fold completely over. Put in a clean bowl for a second rise. Let it rise almost fully again. Deflate in the same manner as the first rise, but do not do the three folds; just pat gently to deflate on the board. Use bench scraper to divide into three equal pieces. Fold each in half after cutting. Rest dough uncovered for 3-4 minutes. While preparing the baguettes/bâtards, pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. (Allow longer than usual pre-heating time to ensure oven is properly heated.) Prepare each of the three pieces one at a time in this manner: Form dough into an approximate 12" long x 4" wide rectangle. Dough should always stay in its long shape, i.e. do not fold from the short ends. Fold one long end 1/3 of the way (to center) onto the dough, pressing with palm of hand until flat again. Bring the other outer third over the 2/3 piece of dough completely and flatten again, stretching to lengthen a bit. Make a 'trench" down the middle of length with the palm of hand, and fold in half lengthwise. Flatten the seam with palm of hand to seal. Place seal underneath. Roll the dough lengthwise, working from the center to the ends, with palms of hands, to form an even log. (The ends of each log should be thinner than the rest of the loaf.) Place log onto floured pastry canvas or couche, top side up, and bring the couche up to the level of the dough to form a 'cradle.' Do the same with the remaining two pieces of dough. The canvas that cradles each piece of dough should keep all three pieces separate. (At this point they should be thin but like an individual baguette/bâtard in length.) Allow the dough to proof again, uncovered, until the pieces resemble unbaked baguettes, and are almost triple in size. Sprinkle a long board or baguette peel lightly with cornmeal. Sprinkle cornmeal onto the baking sheet. The dough will be extremely delicate at this point. Using the canvas to assist, pick up and flip each piece of dough over one at a time carefully onto the peel, bottom side up. Slide each piece carefully onto baking sheet, bottom side up, making sure they do not touch. Sprinkle the visible part of each piece lightly with cornmeal. With razor blade or lamé, slash the bread 3 times. The top slash should be on the right almost parallel to the table, the middle/at almost a 40° angle along the length, and the bottom left side again almost parallel to the table. Mist the bread thoroughly, but not so it is dripping, with the spritz bottle. Place on lowest shelf of oven. Total baking time will be 25 minutes including the following: After two minutes, quickly open the oven door and mist the bread again, then close oven door. Do the same at minute four. At minute six, open oven door and move pan to middle rack. Quickly mist the bread again and close the oven door. At minute 20, turn the oven off snd let bread stay in oven an additional five minutes. At minute 25, remove the tray from the oven.
and you are a professional baker born, raised, and educated in france, who was making french bread when this was recorded in the 1970s, and know how to teach americans how to make it using the ingredients they could get during that time period, correct?
Julia fascinates me, On the one hand, she can't really cook...On the other she's one of the most ham fisted cooks I've ever seen, she was handling that dough like she was beating washing on a rock. However, you can't help but watch her 💗💗
Don’t get me wrong I love the fact that I have countless channels at my finger tips and I can watch pretty much anything I want at any time that being said there was something to being able to watch Julia child some 50 years ago I love the music. I love her voice. I love her enthusiasm Times certainly simpler back then.
I know, the music is what I would call is so bucolic!
Julia taught me so much more than just cooking. She made hardly no money from PBS and had to buy her own ingredients, even though she earned lots of money for the station. She loved to cook delicious food, and her joy was in sharing her hard won knowledge with Americans. The first cookbook took 7 yrs to complete because she had to test and convert French ingredients to what was available in American grocery stores. Most of the recipes are French country cooking. She went to school and cooked in her tiny Paris kitchen. She was the only woman in her class, but her passion and funny personality won over her professor and the other students. Thank you, Julia. I know Heaven is a sweeter place because you’re there. Patricia
She ended up making Millions 💸 💰 🤑 off of P. B.S. Later on. Her cooking shows went word wide
She was also the heiress to one of the wealthiest families in New England
@@3rscrafting Heaven is another man made 🧚♂️ 🧚♀️ fairy Tale
@@shaddonon actually, California. Her father was in real estate, I think. They purchased their fancy car in Europe from Julia's trust, which also paid the bills when they were short. They brought their car back on the ship they returned to the US on. What a life.
So the Polaroid Corporations sponsorship was useless then?
She was quite the character! Love these old episodes.
These are great. I want a piece with fresh butter.
Love watching Julia. It never gets old!
This reminds me of when I was in Paris. I was talking to a local and I said, "I'd love to learn how to make French bread." The woman laughed and said, "Why would you want to do that? Have you SEEN how many boulangeries there are in Paris?"
Posh city folk, lol.
@@jody024you think it is easy to make French baguette I’m a chef and pastry chef it took me 1 year just to prefect a French bread it’s hard than you think
Hehehe Yup, it's actually rare for a French person to make bread at home, even back then. They relied on the local bakery.
Preach! 👍😎
Sure there lots of them in Paris…..but not here in the USA.
I love cooking shows. I always get hungry watching them
I love watching these! Thank you. ❤
I love her confidence as well as her little quirks and you gotta love her laugh and sense of humor. 😊 what a wonderful person she was! 👏🥲
That electric plastic wrap dispenser at 8:30 is WILD
She was gangster to have it back in 1971!
I love how the knife goes flying away and she ignores it! ❤
Watching the late & great Professor Raymond Calvel make baguettes is almost a lost art. Thank you Julia.
Such a remarkable woman.👏👏👍👍👍
BEAUTIFUL! Amazing episode. my favorite of all breads. similar to the Mexican bolillo bread introduced by the French! i could eat French bread all day every day! Les écoles de meunerie is still around.
@@BruteForce. since it's summer, if you can get your hands on homegrown tomatoes, OMG, this is delicious. The pain is waiting for the tomatoes to be ripe and juicy. This is what I have made for the last 30 years with the first tomato of the season, slice the tomato thinly, add extra virgin olive oil .. oh, duh, cut your french bread into about 3/4ths inch slices or .5, because the bread is the vessel, coat the bread with the EVOO, not a lot. I put my thumb on the bottle top and drizzle, or if you have an oil bottle, then take a garlic glove and kind of smash the end and rub the bread. If you don't have a garlic glove, just use garlic powder, or you can eliminate the garlic ... now, your choice, I make several varieties ... then add cheese of your choice ... we use fresh mozzarella and parmesean if I have it .. not out of the can ... also Swiss because it's my favorite ... then thinly sliced tomato, ... now, again your choice, you can put the tomato and any herb of your choice, you can use dried, first, then the cheese, but i prefer tomato on top of cheese ... put it under the broiler .. leave the oven door cracked and watch it like a hawk, when cheese is melted, remove immediately... it's literally a second between perfect and burnt ... garnish with fresh torn fresh basil or parsley, or just plain ... after the first bite I always say, kings do not eat better than this. Then later I make a grilled tomato and Swiss cheese grilled sandwich, with a glass of fresh brewed iced tea with lemon and say the same thing. But honestly, please give it a try, especially if you bake your own bread .. I'm going to give it a try ... I've tried several breads over the years, especially thinking Italian or a French country bread or sour dough would work well. While it was still good, the baguette works best with the crunchy exterior and the soft middle ... Heaven. I live in Richmond, Virginia and we have had awful weather since May, highs in the upper 90s and 100s almost daily. The poor tomatoes are literally cooking on the vine. I replanted in early July hoping to get some by September. Sorry for the long response, but please give this a try. It's absolutely delicious. Simple delicious food, which should be enjoyed with relish, was what Julia was all about. Somewhere there's a video where she was saying she used to really like mcdonalds French fries, but the mothers complained about the oil, so they changed and now they're not as good. Totally agree. Cheers, Patricia
How timely! I just got a pan expressly designed for baking the perfect French baguette! I shall.tap into the ether and attempt to channel her helpful spirit for its inaugural implementation. Beau courage, indeed!
Grabbed my post it note pad thinking this should be quick, Thankfully I have this video I can refer to if I can't read my writing, LOL... Definitely going to try this one. Even ordered French flour. I'll try not to chuck my scrapper.
where did you order your french flour?
Know what *I'M* making Tomorrow Morning, then. 👏👏👏
Caaaaan't WAIT!!!
The Bob Ross of food, Julia Child was a happy artist. God love her.
Her blue shirt! Bob shares it..
@@priyadarshanigalhena1164 OMG you’re right! 😂 That’s funny
@@priyadarshanigalhena1164 Gotta love them both 😊 they gave so much joy to people with their passions 🤍
Wonderful program thank you for posting
oh, thank you, so much.
dishes are so lovely.
happy new week.
Julia saying, “…ain’t…” is hilarious!🤣 You
😂i died when I heard her say THAT!!🙋🏼♀️ 😂☠️
Right? I actually never heard the word “ain’t” until I went to the southern states years ago and was shocked they thought it was a word? Yes, so to hear the well educated and elegant Julia utter “ain’t” was WHOA!!!!! I had to rewind. 🫢
The penultimate episode of Season 7. Broadcast March of 1971.
Thank you Julia Child ❤
19:40 Her French was very good!!! Bravo Madame Child! 😉👍🏼
in an amusing coincidence, I had just put my french breads baking (having learned the method 30 years ago from Julia) when I got recommended this video, lol. The bread is delicious!
I knew I knew her voice from my childhood! Lets hear it for her role in one of my childhood favorite movies, "We're Back" ❤
I hope I get to come back and live whilst Julia lived.
Her family gets FLUSHED
Such a legend and icon. Wow baking is so time consuming and complicated with the resting, spray guns, and yeast
I believe she stated that this was the recipe that she was the most proud of as she did a lot of research and trial and error....but it's the recipe that the fewest people attempt. I am a huge Julia fan and routinely cook from her books....and I have never tried to do this one.
I use to know a stewardes that flew to paris and would bing me bread from there!!
It was always the best!!
I love this!❤
After three weeks I now have a loaf of bread
You give me hope yet😊😊😊🤣
5:24. One of Julia’s patented gaffes which she shrugs off with her usual humour and aplomb.
I love her chuckle/ giggle. She had a fun sense of humor😍I really hoping she has a trash can beside her, otherwise she’s throwing stuff on the floor😅
Julia childs. The french 👨🍳 🍳 chef
Was definitely not expecting Julia Child to quote Commentarii de Bello Gallico.
De bello gallico, not del.
@@danielandersson5750 You're right!
🎶 Una prenda de vestir, para cada mujer 🎵
I think you are making company to your big sis 🎒
🥀 💈
5:24 🤣🤣🤣
Fresh French Bread 🥖 and Irish Butter 🧈.
Too bad they didn't have these film segments in the earlier shows. As I heard once, the early ones had a very tight budget,
The Brahmin accent together with her wonderfulness is adorable❤
Classic 😊😅😮🎉😢😂❤
Omg she's so hammered. This is only the second video I've ever seen. She's hilarious.
No not hammered, just enthusiastic, not too tainted by the showiness of modern television and unscripted! So fresh!!!
Whats not to love with Julia!
Julia and Julia
The lady from Desperately Seeking Susan
Can someone post the exact ingredients and measurements
Hi! Google; Julia Childs recipe for french bread. Of those listed, I would go with Taste of Home. ❤ 🥖🤗
Julia Child’s Plain French Bread
Ingredients:
3 and a half cups of flour
1 and a half cups of water
A pack of dry yeast (instant will do)
2 and a half teaspoons of salt
1 tablespoon of water
Cooking Instructions:
Get your mixer, and pour in warm water. Dry it.
Pour in the flour and salt.
Start your mixer in medium speed. You might need to scrape the mixture from the sides, to keep everything in the center. Make sure you have your spatula beside you.
In a separate bowl, get your 1 and a half cups of water, and pour in your yeast. Mix it well, until the yeast is fully activated.
Pour in the yeast mixture into the mixer.
After adding the yeast, the dough should already be forming a ball, and none of the mixture is sticking on the sides of the mixing bowl.
Start adding your flour gradually. Do it in small portions.
Take out the dough from the mixer, and allow it to rest for a couple of minutes.
Start kneading your dough. You can do this by hand, but I prefer to use a mixer for convenience. If you are going to use a mixer, make sure that your hook is clean and dry again, before using.
Check the consistency of your dough. I do this by pressing my finger on the dough. If the dough springs back, then this tells me that I do not need to knead anymore.
Get a bowl and pour in warm water again. Dry it, and make sure to grease it with butter or oil, to prevent the dough from sticking. I use Pam, by the way.
Place your kneaded dough inside the bowl, and cover it with a cling wrap. Let it rest for at least 2 to three hours.
Get your dough and make a square form. Fold one end to the other, until it forms a triangle. Do this step several times on every side.
Turn your dough into a circular form, and slightly flatten it.
Put the dough inside a bowl again, and cover with cling wrap. Let it sit there for about an hour, or until it already tripled its size.
Get a parchment paper and a flat wooden tray. Place your dough on top of the tray with parchment, and cover the dough with a bowl, and let it rise again. It should triple the size once more.
Preheat oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.
Place a pan with water and a baking stone in the oven
Make a few deep slits on top of your dough, and brush it with water
Place your dough on top of the parchment paper, and place it on top of the baking stone inside the preheated oven. Start baking.
Refill the warm water in your pan after six minutes, and make sure to brush your dough with water at least every 3 minutes (do this 3X - 3rd min, 6th, and 9th). After 6 minutes of baking, remove the parchment, and allow the bread to bake on top of the baking stone directly.
Bake for at least 25 minutes, or until you see a golden brown color on top.
@@behringerm Sorry to correct, but the ingredients and measurements are: one packet of active dry yeast dissolved (per the package), 3-1/2 cups ap flour, 2-1/4 tsp salt, 1-1/4 cup tepid water. Best to watch and take notes, Veronica. Behringerm's measurements are incorrect.
@@janeydoe1403
How very confusing 😅
3 +½ cups of flour.
Not 3 half cups.
1+¼ cups of tepid water.
Not one 1/4 cup...
😂
@@charliesmith_ yes. x
🤣🤭🤔#Team french onion soup!& sweet Jesus💖 can we top it with cheese & crispy & (fresh not stale.😬😖😟)toasted french bread? 🥴☝️is it too much to ask?is it? 🤷♀️👩🍳💪💖😊👍😎😋🙂
1971
I wish they would have given us the receipe!!
did you somehow miss the entire video? she gave you the entire recipe.
In France it’s just called “bread”. 😂
LOL @ 27:35 - Queer looking loaf would not go well today
I just found out Russ Morash died.
Copied directly from the video; ingredients and instructions. Hope this helps.
NOTES from Julia Child:
Since the standard oven is not large enough to create full-size French baguettes, these are technically called a 'bâtard.'
Make sure all ingredients are measured very carefully.
Salt affects the color and taste of the bread.
If possible, use French flour. If not possible, substitute Unbeached All-Purpose Flour.
Do not use bread flour; it is much higher in protein content. French flour and Unbleached All-Purpose Flour are lower in protein.
This is a very soft dough.
Equipment
Large mixing bowl
Measuring Cups
Measuring spoons
Mixing Spatula
Bakers' couche or pastry canvas
Spray bottle with fine mist setting filled with water
Bench scraper or other large scraper
Bakers lamé or single-edge safety razor blade
Baguette transter peel or thin long board or stiff cardboard
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups unbleached All-Purpose or French Flour
1 1/4 cups tepid water
2 1/4 tsp (7g) or one packet active dry yeast
1/3 c warm water (for dissolving yeast)
2 1/4 tsp salt
Cornmeal for baking prep
Instructions
Dissolve yeast into 1/3 cup warm water in small measuring cup. Set aside. Yeast will dissolve in about 4-5 minutes.
In this order:
Combine salt with flour in a separate mixing bowl.
Make sure yeast is thoroughly dissolved. Add yeast mixture to flour and salt in mixing bowl. Do not stir.
Add the 1 1/4 cups tepid water to the same mixing bowl.
Stir ingredients in mixing bowl with a spatula gently to mix thoroughly.
Empty the combined ingredients onto a bread board. Allow the dough to rest on the board, uncovered, for two minutes to allow it to absorb the water more thoroughly.
Knead rested dough for 5-10 minutes on board, resisting the temptation to add more flour. Use bench scraper to help turn the soft dough, to initially chop it up a bit to absorb flour and to gather bits of flour that adhere to board.
(Julia Child's kneading technique for this soft dough includes slapping the soft dough onto the board and using the bench knife to help flip it during kneading.)
Let dough rest again uncovered on the board for 1 minute.
Once dough is fully kneaded, it should appear soft and smooth, and draw back when pulled with fingers.
(Test the kneaded dough for done-ness by pinching quickly and pulling with fingers; it should draw back and not stick to fingers. If pinched slowly, it will still stick to fingers.) It should still be very elastic.
Place kneaded dough inside a clean bowl or rising bin and cover it with cling wrap. Let it rise for a minimum of 3 hours in a no higher than 75° area until it is 3 1/2 times its original bulk.
Remove dough onto bread board and flour hands and board lightly. Pat the dough gently but firmly to deflate. Flip one side over, then the other side, then fold completely over. Put in a clean bowl for a second rise. Let it rise almost fully again.
Deflate in the same manner as the first rise, but do not do the three folds; just pat gently to deflate on the board.
Use bench scraper to divide into three equal pieces. Fold each in half after cutting. Rest dough uncovered for 3-4 minutes.
While preparing the baguettes/bâtards, pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. (Allow longer than usual pre-heating time to ensure oven is properly heated.)
Prepare each of the three pieces one at a time in this manner:
Form dough into an approximate 12" long x 4" wide rectangle. Dough should always stay in its long shape, i.e. do not fold from the short ends.
Fold one long end 1/3 of the way (to center) onto the dough, pressing with palm of hand until flat again. Bring the other outer third over the 2/3 piece of dough completely and flatten again, stretching to lengthen a bit.
Make a 'trench" down the middle of length with the palm of hand, and fold in half lengthwise. Flatten the seam with palm of hand to seal. Place seal underneath.
Roll the dough lengthwise, working from the center to the ends, with palms of hands, to form an even log. (The ends of each log should be thinner than the rest of the loaf.)
Place log onto floured pastry canvas or couche, top side up, and bring the couche up to the level of the dough to form a 'cradle.'
Do the same with the remaining two pieces of dough. The canvas that cradles each piece of dough should keep all three pieces separate. (At this point they should be thin but like an individual baguette/bâtard in length.)
Allow the dough to proof again, uncovered, until the pieces resemble unbaked baguettes, and are almost triple in size.
Sprinkle a long board or baguette peel lightly with cornmeal. Sprinkle cornmeal onto the baking sheet.
The dough will be extremely delicate at this point. Using the canvas to assist, pick up and flip each piece of dough over one at a time carefully onto the peel, bottom side up. Slide each piece carefully onto baking sheet, bottom side up, making sure they do not touch.
Sprinkle the visible part of each piece lightly with cornmeal.
With razor blade or lamé, slash the bread 3 times. The top slash should be on the right almost parallel to the table, the middle/at almost a 40° angle along the length, and the bottom left side again almost parallel to the table.
Mist the bread thoroughly, but not so it is dripping, with the spritz bottle.
Place on lowest shelf of oven.
Total baking time will be 25 minutes including the following:
After two minutes, quickly open the oven door and mist the bread again, then close oven door.
Do the same at minute four.
At minute six, open oven door and move pan to middle rack. Quickly mist the bread again and close the oven door.
At minute 20, turn the oven off snd let bread stay in oven an additional five minutes.
At minute 25, remove the tray from the oven.
That is one of the worst demos of making French bread I have ever seen .
and you are a professional baker born, raised, and educated in france, who was making french bread when this was recorded in the 1970s, and know how to teach americans how to make it using the ingredients they could get during that time period, correct?
Julia fascinates me, On the one hand, she can't really cook...On the other she's one of the most ham fisted cooks I've ever seen, she was handling that dough like she was beating washing on a rock. However, you can't help but watch her 💗💗
What do you mean she can't really cook? I guess you don't know much about her.....and clearly you don't know anything about cooking..