Confessions of a French Baker (5 page)

This recipe makes two traditional French
boules
, or balls, each about 8 inches in diameter, or
batards
, the popular torpedo-shaped loaves, each anywhere from 6 to 10 inches long. Gerard uses a basic ingredient combination—1 pound of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of instant yeast, and 10 ounces of liquid— to make the basic breads his family has been baking for generations. By varying the combination of liquids (water, wine, and olive oil, for example) and adding dried fruits, nuts, olives, herbs, onions, garlic, or sweet pumpkin, you can make delicious variations, both savory and sweet. The dough may also be shaped into ladders
(fougasse)
and braids
(dpi).
All of the breads here are based on this basic recipe, but I've grouped them according to the liquid additions that distinguish them: water, water and wine, water and olive oil, and, in the case of the sweet breads, butter, and given a basic recipe for each. All of
Gerard's breads are best eaten the day they are made.

Makes about 2 pounds of dough, enough to
make 2
boules
, 8 inches in diameter, or 2 10- to
12-inches-long
batards

1 3/4 cups (8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups (8 ounces) unbleached bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons (1/4 ounce) salt

4 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 ounce) instant yeast

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) water (90-100°F)

1. Sift the flour and salt together into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and mix on medium to low speed, gradually adding the water, until the dough comes away from the bowl, in 5—10 minutes.
   

2. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, and set it on the counter to rest for 10 minutes. Return it to the mixing bowl and set on the mixer so that the dough hook plunges into the middle of
   the dough. Mix on medium speed until the dough is soft and pliable, about 15—20 minutes, or until the dough passes the “windowpane” windowpane. (See page 45.)
   

3. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl onto the counter and gather it up in your hands in a rough ball. The dough should feel soft. Bring the full length of your thumbs into the center of the ball so that they meet, and stretch the dough from the center out, as if opening a book, into an oblong shape. Turn the dough a quarter turn and stretch it again the same way, creating a smooth ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and set aside in a draft-free place at room temper- ature until the dough doubles in size, about 45 minutes.
   

   

   A Simple Test for the First Rise
   

   If you can't tell if the dough has doubled in size, poke your thumb into it. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready. If it springs back, the dough hasn't risen sufficiently.
   

4. Gently remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a clean surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces (about 1 pound each) and shape them into 2 smooth balls again, as you did before the first rise. Find a surface in your kitchen free from drafts and lay a kitchen towel dusted with flour on it. Place the balls on the towel and cover them with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent a crust from forming on the surface. Leave the loaves to proof at room temperature until they double in size, in about 20—25 minutes.
   

5. Shape the loaves by first patting down the balls to allow the carbonic gasses that have developed to disperse. To make
   boules
   , gather up the dough in a rough ball and shape as in Step 3. To make
   batards
   , pat down the dough and shape it into a rough 4-by-10-inch rectangle. (See illustration on page 50.) With a long side facing you, fold the bottom third of the dough to the center and press to seal it. Fold the top over it and seal along the edge.
   

   

6. Place the loaves, seam side down, on the kitchen towel dusted with flour and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the loaves rise at room temperature for the final time, until they have doubled in size, about 35—45 minutes.
   

7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F. Carefully place the loaves on a baking sheet. Brush them with water using a pastry brush. With a sharp razor blade, make a lozenge-shaped cut on the surface of each loaf by scoring it from
   end to end in 2 swift motions. To do this successfully, use just the tip of the blade.
   

   

8. Just before you are ready to slide the baking sheet into the oven, spray the inside of the oven with water using a spray bottle or plant mister and close the door immediately. This will create steam, which promotes a good crust. Put the bread in the oven and bake for 20—25 minutes or until the bread makes a hollow sound when you knock on the bottom of it with your knuckles. Transfer the bread to a rack and allow it to cool before slicing.
   

Variations You Can Make with a
Simple Addition

These loaves, dotted throughout with fresh thyme leaves, fill the kitchen with the unmistakable fragrance of Provence, where this bread is a standard selection at Auzet's bakery. Enjoy it with goat cheese or for sopping up the juices of a main course meat dish prepared in a sauce.

Additional step:
Add 3/4 cup of fresh thyme leaves to the dough once it has come away from the sides of the mixing bowl in Step 1. Continue to mix the dough until the thyme leaves are incorporated.

Tiny cubes of sweet pumpkin seasoned with black pepper make these savory peasant loaves excellent for dunking into soup. In fact, in the countryside, dried slices of pumpkin bread are
preferred for soaking up every last bit of soup broth.

Additional step:
Season 1 1/4 cups (1/2 pound) of diced sweet pumpkin or butternut squash with freshly ground black pepper. Add the pumpkin to the dough after it passes the windowpane test in Step 3. Put the pumpkin into the mixing bowl and mix just until incorporated.

Just after brushing the loaf with water, turn it so one of the pointed or short sides is facing you. Cut into the center of the loaf on the diagonal— without cutting through the center—along the length of the loaf (about three cuts on either side should do it). You will essentially be making a series of upside-down Vs. Bake the bread as directed.

A pat of butter or a spoonful of jam, honey, or hazelnut spread is all you need to turn a thick slice of this slightly sweet bread into breakfast or an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. Or, spoil your friends (and yourself) by lightly frying or grilling some slices and serving them with foie gras.

Additional step: Add 1 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts and 3/4 cup dried apricots diced into 1/4-inch pieces to the dough after it passes the windowpane test in Step 3. Scatter the nuts and apricots evenly over the dough and mix just until incorporated.

This is one of Gerard's more sophisticated—and addictive—loaves, the kind you find yourself slicing from (or just pulling off a piece) all day long. It is a delicious accompaniment to green salads and grilled meats. Let the Roquefort soften completely before you add it to the dough. Note: Because the cheese imparts moisture to the dough, add only 5/8 cup of water (90-100°F) to the dry ingredients in Step 1.