French bread in a bread maker is incredibly simple and easy to make. It uses only six simple ingredients that can be found in almost all households. And using the bread maker means the process is super basic too. It will mix the dough ingredients, knead it, proof it, and give a beef when the dough is ready to shape and bake!
Purchasing this bread maker has completely transformed my bread making! Bread making used to intimidate me so much before—it felt like a lot of work where anything can go wrong —now feels easy peasy.
I love feeding my family fresh bread with simple ingredients rather than store bought bread full of additives that can be harmful for our health in the long run. Knowing my bread maker will do either all or most of the work for me (depending on what kind of bread I’m making) makes me feel more willing to make homemade bread!
The Dough
To make French bread in the bread maker simply pour in water, oil, salt, sugar, flour, and yeast. The order the ingredients are placed inside is important—the yeast should not touch the wet ingredients or it may not activate!
Always start with the wet ingredients on the bottom (water, milk, a combination of both, or oil). Then any other ingredients like butter and/or sugar. And then flour, and finally the yeast is always on top of the flour. The heat from inside the bread maker will activate the yeast before it touches the water so you don’t have to worry about water temperature!
When making bread the traditional ways it’s very important to use the perfect temperature water. If it’s too cold, the yeast wont activate once mixed in, and if it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast. Either way the bread will have no rise.
By using the bread maker, you cancel any possibility of the water temperature affecting the yeast.
Once the ingredients are placed inside, lock in the bread tin and choose the dough option on the bread maker. That’s all the work you have to do for making and proofing the dough!
First the bread maker will heat up to activate the yeast. Then it will gently start combining the ingredients. Then it starts the knead the dough till it is smooth. Then it gently proofs the dough for about 40 minutes. Each step is timed perfectly for the optimal dough.
When the dough is kneaded and proofed, it will let out a beep. Remove the dough and place on a floured tray.
Shaping the French Bread
Separate the dough into equal pieces—the size depends completely on you. Sometimes I make regular sized French bread and something I make tiny ones for fun! One time I just spread out the entire dough and rolled it up to make one giant loaf.
To make the bread shape, gently spread out your sectioned dough into a rectangular shape. Then roll it from one side to another to form a log shape with the dough. After that, gather the sides together and pinch on top to help it hold the log shape. Do this for each one. Then use a sharp knife, blade, or scissor to score the top of each loaf.
The Baking
Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Place the tray of French loaves into the oven. I like to throw in a few ice cubes right into the bottom of the oven to add a little steam to the baking process. It helps to make a bread that’s crispy on the outside and soft in the inside.
Another option is to spray the loaves with a spray bottle filled with pure water. This will also achieve a light crispy bread.
Bake until golden brown and cooked through. If you’re like me and like to be completely certain—a thermometer entered into the center of a loaf should read 195° to 210° Fahrenheit. Depending on the size of the loaf mine is usually done in 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye to make sure it’s not browning too much.
Remove the loaves from the oven and let cool before enjoying. Store any leftover bread in a zip lock bag or airtight container wrapped in tissue in case of any moisture. It will keep for a couple of days on the countertop or over a week in the fridge. Because it’s fresh homemade bread without any preservatives, it’s best to enjoy right away.
Some Ways to Enjoy Homemade Loaves
Fresh homemade bread is so delicious straight out of the oven as is, or even with a little knob of butter.
Use it to dip into soups or dips or spreads. Or to make homemade sandwiches from scratch.
You can also fill it wilts cheese like mozzarella, Parmesan, and cheddar before rolling for a homemade three cheese bread.
Another idea is to slice it and toast it in butter for butter bread that’s a great side to any breakfast plate.
There are truly so many ways to enjoy a delicious homemade loaf.
Ingredients
Time: 2 hours
Makes 6-7 medium loaves
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp yeast
Directions
1. Place all the ingredients into the bread maker tin in the order listed
2. Choose the dough setting on the bread maker and allow it to mix, knead, and proof the dough
3. Remove the dough once ready onto a flour baking tray. Shape into logs, gather the sides and pinch on top, then score with a knife, blade, or scissors
4. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through, adding ice cubes to the bottom of the oven if desired. Let cool and enjoy!
Conclusion
These days homemade will always be better than any readymade store brought item that’s full of preservatives and sitting on a shelf for ages.
This bread maker loaf cuts the prep time and work of making your own bread significantly and you still end up with an absolutely delicious homemade bread that you can enjoy in so many ways
If you give it a try, please come back and let me know what you think.
Happy cooking!
3 responses to “Bread Maker French Bread”
[…] Enjoy it on weekends with some delicious fresh French bread. Recipe for my easy French bread can be found here. […]
I have made several recipes for French bread in the past. This is by far the softest and best recipe yet!
So glad to hear it worked well for you! 🫶🏻