Simple French Bread

Pour warm water into bowl of stand mixer; add sugar and stir to dissolve.

Add yeast and let sit for 3 – 5 minutes and watch for yeast to foam. This assures you that yeast is active.

Attach dough hook to mixer, then add in about 6 cups of flour.

Add salt to flour mixture and turn mixer on LOWEST speed and let stir until dough forms a ball.

If dough seems too sticky, add a small amount of flour, careful not to add too much at one time.

Once dough ball forms, remove dough hook and pour a light drizzle of olive oil over dough. Turn dough with your hands to coate.

Lay a clean kitchen towel over mixing bowl and let dough rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Next, place dough on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle just a small amount of flour over top; this will keep dough from sticking to your hands.

Knead dough by hand for about 5 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal portions and roll by hand to shape into french bread-style loaves. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet, or use silpat sheet on baking pan. Make diagonal slashes across tops of loaves about every 2 inches; this will help dough to bake evenly.

Take a clean kitchen towel and run under hot tap water; wring out the towel and lay gently over the loaves. Allow loaves to rise for 30-45 minutes, in a warm area free of drafts.

While dough is rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Just before placing loaves in oven, coate tops of loaves with the egg wash to give a nice golden, brown crust. Also, you may add a baking pan of hot water (about 1-inch deep) to bottom shelf of oven to keep bread moist while baking.

Bake bread for 15-20 minutes (ovens will vary). Keep watch as to not let bread overcook.

TIP: remove bread when golden brown, turn over and flip/tap the bottom. If bread sounds "hollow" it is done. If not, bake a few more minutes and check again.

Remove bread from oven and let rest on wire cooling rack until cool enough to handle.