The French Bread

Recipe View 1 hrs 30 mins In the bread machine pan, combine the sourdough starter, lukewarm water, olive oil, salt, sugar, yeast, and flour in the order listed. Set the machine to the dough cycle and start (about 1.5 hours).

Recipe View 10 mins Once the dough cycle is complete, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently a few times, incorporating additional flour if the dough is too sticky. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a rectangle approximately 8x12 inches and ½ inch thick (about 10 minutes).

Recipe View 45 mins Tightly roll each rectangle lengthwise into a loaf shape, pinching the seams to seal. Taper the ends and pinch to secure. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle each with cornmeal. Gently place the loaves on the prepared baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 30 minutes to 1 hour).

Recipe View 5 mins Place a large baking stone on the center rack of the oven and a baking dish on a lower rack. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Carefully pour the boiling water into the baking dish (about 5 minutes).

Recipe View 10 mins Remove the plastic wrap from the loaves. Using a sharp knife or lame, slash several ½-inch deep cuts diagonally across the top of each loaf. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and milk until smooth. Brush the mixture evenly over the loaves (about 10 minutes).

Recipe View 5 mins Carefully place the loaves onto the preheated baking stone in the oven. Immediately spray the inside of the oven 4-5 times with water from a spray bottle. Shut the oven door. Wait 1 minute and spray again; repeat this process twice more, spraying the oven 4 times with water at 1-minute intervals (about 5 minutes).

Recipe View 30 mins Bake for 15 minutes. Then, carefully remove the water-filled baking dish from the oven. Continue baking until the bread is golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom (about 15 more minutes). Transfer the loaves to wire racks to cool completely before slicing and serving.