Bake a Loaf of French Bread

Baking bread is a wonderful way to spend a cold afternoon – and a lovely addition to any family meal! Your child can make a loaf of French bread honing his baking skills while learning more about the art of baking bread!

What You Need:

• 1 package yeast
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 c. water
• ½ tsp sugar
• Approximately 3 c. flour
• Mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Clean dishtowel
• Knife
• Pastry brush
• 1 tbsp. milk
• Baking tray

What you do:

1. preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Before cooking, make sure everyone has washed their hands and that your work surface is freshly cleaned.
3. Invite your child to measure out 1 cup of warm water and place it a mixing bowl. Have him add the yeast and sugar to the water, and then let the mixture sit for about five minutes.
4. Discuss with your child what has happened to the water mixture! Yeast is alive, and blooms when it interacts with warm water and sugar. This reaction is what creates all those great holes and fluffiness in French bread.
5. Now your child can measure the salt and add it to the mixture, along with half the flour, and begin stirring. Once half the flour is incorporated, he can go ahead and add the rest of the flour.
6. It’s time to use those arm muscles! Invite your child to scoop the dough out of the bowl and onto the work surface. To keep the dough from sticking, he can sprinkle some flour over the work surface.
7. Show your child how to knead the dough by pressing down on the dough and rolling it forward using the palms and heels of his hands. Then he can pull the dough back and continue pressing and rolling for about three minutes. He can always add more flour if things get sticky!
8. After kneading, tell your child to place the dough back in the mixing bowl. Invite your child to cover the mixing bowl with a clean dish towel and allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour.
9. Once the dough has risen, invite your child to remove it from the bowl and use his hands to press it flat into a long rectangle on his work surface. Starting at the longest edge closest to him, he can begin rolling the dough into a long loaf.
10. Now he can pinch all the edges so the dough seals while baking. He can place the bread loaf on the baking tray and let it rise for 20 minutes.
11. When 20 minutes are up, your child can cut several diagonal cuts about ¼ inch deep along the top of the loaf.
12. Invite your child to gently brush the top of the bread with the milk using a pastry brush, and then carefully place in the hot oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Did you know: French bread is the most eaten food item in France? Its long shape allows for more heat to touch the dough creating its chewy and crunchy outer crust.