Retro French Bread Recipe (2024)

Retro French Bread Recipe

Back when I was first married, I baked a lot of bread from scratch. I have returned to the joy of baking bread at home a few times over the years. I went through my bread machine phase, and a quick bread spree. I am not really sure why I ever leave. Maybe its the perception that it takes a lot of time, or that it makes a big mess, or maybe because it takes hours to reach the finished product. I think it could be that I can’t resist eating the fresh from the oven bread! In any event, I am back once again, baking our bread. So far I have been baking on Mondays. It seems to work. I can get a couple of batches of dough going before doing other chores. Then, throughout the day, return to the dough for the next steps. All this bread baking started me thinking about the recipes I used to use for our homemade bread. This was back before I owned a stand mixer. Now, there are so many recipes that recommend using the mixer to start the dough. I always had to mix everything by hand and blend and knead in the remaining flour. Now, the mixer can do it all the way to a ball of dough ready to rest and rise in a warm place. This not only saves time and energy, it saves the mess of kneading the flour into the dough. I don’t remember when recipes first started mentioning using a stand mixer for bread dough. I was taught to knead bread dough by hand. And of course that is still a way to make bread. But if you prefer to not work up a sweat, you can use a stand mixer, too.

Let’s see how the old fashioned recipe works when using the stand mixer. After that, read a bit further to see the results of a few more recipes I have tried recently. I think they will all leave you saying, “Please Pass the Butter!”

Retro French Bread Recipe

ingredients list – 5 – 6 cups of all purpose flour, 2 packages of active dry yeast or instant yeast, 2 teaspoons salt,
2 cups warm water- divided (115 – 120 degrees F)
optional- 1 egg white and 1 Tbsp water for brushing on the loaves before baking.

This is modified from the original printed recipe in Better Homes and Garden Cookbook 1981 edition. While the date of publication doesn’t qualify it for antique status, it certainly does make it “retro”.

The recipe calls for the yeast to be added to the dry ingredients in a dry form. Adding yeast directly to the dry ingredients is fine if you are using instant yeast. Regular Active Dry Yeast should be proofed. Even though I was using Instant Yeast, I decided to try and proof the yeast first, using this method. Using 1/2 cup of the recipe’s warm water, in a small bowl mix the yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Sprinkle a pinch of white sugar on top and let it sit and proof for about 10 minutes. The mixture should bubble and become frothy looking.

In the mixer bowl add two cups flour, the salt and the remaining one and one half cups warm water. Begin mixing slightly Stop the mixer and add the proofed yeast mixture.

Using one cup at a time, add the additional flour until the dough ball forms. Continue to let the mixer knead the dough for about 5- 8 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and springy and pull away cleanly from the bowl.

Grease or oil a large bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and turn to lightly coat the ball with oil. Cover with a clean dish towel and place in a warm draft free place to rise for about one hour.

Punch down the dough and remove from the bowl. Place on a cutting board. Cut the dough into two pieces. ( Or if you choose to make rolls, cut into 8 pieces.) Let rest for 10 minutes. Taking one piece at a time, roll the dough into a 10 X 15 rectangle. On the long side, begin rolling the dough up tightly. Pinch the seam to seal and turn the ends under the loaf slightly. Place the loaves on a baking sheet that is greased and sprinkled with corn meal if desired. I like to use parchment paper to bake on as it reduces my chance of burning the bottom of the loaves.

Cover the loaves on the baking sheet with a towel and allow them to rise a second time for about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Make 3 diagonal cuts into the top of each loaf.

Prepare the egg white glaze and brush on the loaves. This gives them a lovely shiny appearance when baked.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before slicing and enjoying. I hope you will love my Retro French Bread Recipe as much as we do. It is the perfect accompaniment to pasta dishes, soups, and salads. If you decide to make the French Rolls instead, they are wonderful for homemade steak and cheese sandwiches, meatball subs or hot turkey sandwiches with gravy.

The printable recipe is provided for your convenience. Below that are links to three other bread recipes that I highly recommend. Please continue after the recipe card.

More Wonderful Bread Recipes

I have found two delicious sandwich bread recipes thanks to my bread baking friends Jo and Kat.

Kat’s recipe posted on her blog , Simply Living Simply, is called Heavenly Homemade Bread. This is so much better than any white bread that you can find in the store and slices easily to make a true sandwich bread. The versatile dough can also be used to make rolls. It yields one loaf. Check out the recipe by clicking here>.

Jo, made a big mistake while trying a recipe but ended up discovering her Happy Accident Sandwich Bread ,so it was worth the effort! Save those little bits of mashed potatoes leftover from dinner to make this an authentic potato bread recipe. Of course you can use the potato flakes called for in the recipe too, in place of mashed potatoes. Again, your family will not want to go back to store bought bread after eating sandwiches on this bread. The recipe makes two generous sized loaves so it would be great for a large family, too.

And one last one I need to share is for a Peasant style loaf that bakes in a Pyrex bowl. So very easy to throw together and enjoy with a hearty meal or keep some around for a yummy slice of toast with your coffee. Check out Alexandra Cooks for this recipe.

Print out all four of these recipes and you will have the makings of a great foundation for your bread baking and family bread needs.

I was happy to hear I inspired a friend to make her own version of the recipe! Want to make just one loaf at a time? Check out this post from The Misadventures of a Born Again Farm Girl

my edition of the 1981 version