Nearly effortless and delicious, this easy French bread with fresh milled flour is sure to become your family’s favorite! Made with simple ingredients and packed full of nutrition! Bake up a loaf today!
No meal is complete without a loaf of bread. Especially when you’re serving up a bowl of soup or grilling chicken for dinner.
I always see meals in four parts. You need a protein. A healthy fat. Some kind of vegetable. And a carb. Carbohydrates are often served in the form of noodles, rice or bread in our home. But the bread must be homemade.
Making a loaf of bread in todays society is seen as an old fashioned task. Why bake bread at home when it’s so much more convenient to grab one from the store?
The answer is: better quality. More nutritious. Superior taste.
Making a purposeful choice of baking your own bread at home versus buying a loaf is one that will benefit your family in more ways than just filling their bellies at suppertime. And it doesn’t have to be complicated either.
Many are intimidated by the thought of making bread. Some think it’s tricky or feel that you have to have hours and hours of time to make perfect loaves. But that isn’t always the case.
This easy French bread with fresh milled flour is ideal for beginners or novice bread bakers alike. It’s quick, uncomplicated and uses simple ingredients. Simply mix the dough, let it rise, shape into logs, bake and enjoy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple – This recipe for easy French bread with fresh milled flour contains only a few pantry staples and takes very little effort or time to create. It is perfect for beginners just starting to learn how to use fresh milled flour.
Delicious – The classic French bread recipe is tasty and pairs well with soups, roast beef, baked chicken, sausage and so much more.
Nutritious – Made with just six ingredients and nothing artificial, this crusty bread with fresh milled flour is filled with vitamins, minerals and lots of fiber.
What Makes French Bread Different From Regular Bread?
A classic loaf of French bread is long and narrow with a crusty exterior and soft interior in comparison to a standard sandwich bread. The ingredients to make an easy French bread recipe are simpler, only containing the basics, flour, water, yeast and salt. While a sandwich bread uses emulsifiers and dough enriching ingredients such as eggs, milk, butter and a sweetener.
What Flour is Best for French Bread?
Hard wheat, that being hard red or hard white is best for making French bread with freshly milled flour. This type of flour is high in protein which is ideal for making yeasted baking recipes such as bread made with fresh milled flour.
Tips
- Do not overheat the water. Hot water kills yeast. 110°-115° is best.
- To create a warm place for your dough to rise in, turn on the light in your oven and place a small measuring cup of hot water next to your bowl of dough.
- For a crisp crust on this easy French bread with fresh milled flour, add a pan of hot water to the oven. The steam will help create the crusty exterior.
- When slicing homemade bread, be sure to use a sharp, serrated bread knife. The better the knife is, the less pressure you put on the loaf, preventing your bread from being crushed or too crumbly.
- Has your leftover bread gone stale? Turn it into homemade breadcrumbs. They are great to use in meatball recipes, to top casseroles or to coat friend chicken.
Tools You May Need
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. In any case, I only link to products we actually use on our homestead and that I believe can truly benefit to you. See my full disclosure here.
Electric grain mill or hand grain mill
Stand mixer or large bowl
Rolling pin
Baking sheet
Easy Homemade French Bread
Your search for a quick, easy-to-make bread is over! Fluffy with a crisp exterior, this classic French bread recipe is not only delicious but super simple.
Makes: 2 loaves
Ingredients
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 3/4 cups warm water
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons oil
4 1/2 cups fresh milled hard white wheat flour
1 tablespoon honey
Directions
In a mixing bowl, preferably a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine water, oil, honey and salt. Add 3 cups of flour until a wet batter forms. Sprinkle yeast overtop and mix to combine.
Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining flour. Knead the dough for 10 minutes. Cover the bowl, place in a warm spot and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
Divide dough into equal pieces. Place first half on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10 x 8 inch rectangle. Roll up lengthwise and pinch to seal. Fold ends under slightly to form a long, thin loaf. Place seam side down on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with second piece of dough. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Using a lame or very sharp knife, make 5 cuts across the top of each loaf. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer loaves from baking sheet to a wire rack. Allow to cool a little before serving. Slice and serve with plenty of butter! Store leftovers in an airtight container.
More Fresh Milled Flour Recipes
Sandwich Bread With Fresh Milled Flour
Easy French Bread With Fresh Milled Flour
Nearly effortless and delicious, this easy French bread with fresh milled flour is sure to become your family’s favorite! Made with simple ingredients and packed full of nutrition! Bake up a loaf today!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 3/4 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 1/2 cups fresh milled hard white wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, preferably a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine water, oil, honey and salt. Add 3 cups of flour until a wet batter forms. Sprinkle yeast overtop and mix to combine.
- Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining flour. Knead the dough for 10 minutes. Cover the bowl, place in a warm spot and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
- Divide dough into equal pieces. Place first half on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10 x 8 inch rectangle. Roll up lengthwise and pinch to seal. Fold ends under slightly to form a long, thin loaf. Place seam side down on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with second piece of dough. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Using a lame or very sharp knife, make 5 cuts across the top of each loaf. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer loaves from baking sheet to a wire rack. Allow to cool a little before serving. Slice and serve with plenty of butter! Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
Do not overheat the water. Hot water kills yeast. 110°-115° is best.
To create a warm place for your dough to rise in, turn on the light in your oven and place a small measuring cup of hot water next to your bowl of dough.
For a crisp crust on this easy French bread with fresh milled flour, add a pan of hot water to the oven. The steam will help create the crusty exterior.
When slicing homemade bread, be sure to use a sharp, serrated bread knife. The better the knife is, the less pressure you put on the loaf, preventing your bread from being crushed or too crumbly.
Has your leftover bread gone stale? Turn it into homemade breadcrumbs. They are great to use in meatball recipes, to top casseroles or to coat friend chicken.
A delicious and nutritious recipe! It was so easy for a bread novice like me!