Oui, Oui, Oui…all the way home! Baking Julia’s French Bread with the DBs.

Posted by Gabi on 29 February 08

This month the Daring Bakers challenge is Julia Child’s French Bread and is being hosted by the equally lovely Breadchick Mary from The Sourdough and Sara from I Like to Cook.

Read the recipe here.

It was fun to spend time with Julia Child, in a sense, by connecting to her through the words and instructions in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2.

Rick and I had listened to her autobiography, “My Life in France”, while on a road trip to Napa and Sonoma California last Summer. So we knew how hard she had worked on developing a French Bread recipe that could be made by the home cook but still approximate the bread available in Boulangeries all over France. We learned that it is not necessary to bake bread if you live in France because each neighborhood has its own baker. You buy fresh bread every day from him (or her) and do not bake it yourself.

I had never tried this particular recipe before but have baked other breads for years, so I felt pretty comfortable tackling it. Some of the other DBs were reporting that this recipe was taking them more than 16 hours to complete so I thought that I would mix the dough on Friday night and retard the rising in the fridge so that my first rise would be complete on Saturday morning and then I would have rest of the rises and the baking complete by afternoon. The recipe says it will take 9-10 hours for a rise if refrigerated but my dough had barely risen the next morning. I got it out and put it on a heating pad on low and waited. I was a little worried that I might exhaust the yeast before I got through with three rises and I think I did a bit since I didn’t get large bubbles in the interior or a lot of final rise. I was happy with the overall result though.

I used a peel, sprinkled with cornmeal to transfer the bread loaf from the canvas resting place to the hot baking stone in my oven, I need a bit of practice because I slightly deformed my loaf when I slid it onto the stone and I also need practice on the slashing part- I’m sure it comes with time. I think my cuts were maybe too horizontal and shallow. They opened up but I didn’t get much more rise out of them. Instead of a hot brick added to a pan of water, I made steam by adding ice cubes to a pan that I had put in the oven as I preheated it. I think this method works pretty well. All in all I think it was a success but I’m sure practice will improve the process.

I didn’t finish baking it until about 8pm so waiting 2-3 hours for it to cool as instructed meant we had to wait until the next day to taste it.

When we did we were very pleased -it turned out great- it’s one of the best breads I have ever made. Nice crust, nice crumb, nice chew and great taste!

Thanks to Mary and Sara and the other DBs, whose bread you can check out here. I’m glad you encouraged me to try this recipe, I think with a little practice and scheduling manipulation it will be a recipe I use often.

Filed Under: Breads, Daring Bakers, blog events Comments: 40 Comments to Read

linda said,

Looks wonderful! I’m still working on mine, nearly time to transfer it to the baking sheet and slash it. ..
dhanggit said,

this is absolutely beautiful french bread!! great job for this month’s db challenge!!
Maryann said,

The toasted bread photo looks so good. I wish I had it here this morning with my espresso.

http://findingladolcevita.blogspot.com
breadchick said,

Gabi, great job on your bread! I love your proof pail too (enviously eyes the KA Catalogue).

Your fridge retard makes me want to give that a go next time I make this.

Thanks for participating with Sara and I
Marie said,

Gabi, I’m all over that toast picture!!! I love good bread toasted, I should have made a round loaf, your’s looks fantastic!!
veron said,

I read Julia Child’s , my life in France twice. A wonderful book. Your bread looks awesome – love the crumb and the crust!
Delaney said,

Wow, this is so impressive and gorgeous. I’ve got to work up to French bread; I just pulled off some mediocre white bread loaves (from the Better Homes and Gardens cb with the red-and-white checkered cover) a few weeks ago and want to keep trying.
Jenny said,

Mmmm! I just love looking at everyone’s bread, what a fun challenge this month was!
Cakespy said,

Oui Oui Oui–all the way into my BELLY! This looks wonderful. I love listening to the book on tape of My Life in France while baking!!
Deborah said,

It looks absolutely perfect!
kate said,

your bread looks awesome! good job!
i was too wimpy to even try it. next time!
cookworm said,

Your bread looks delish! I didn’t get large bubbles, either, but I agree: practice makes perfect! Nice job
brilynn said,

I read that book a couple years ago and really enjoyed it!
I need to get myself one of those plastic containers with measurements on the side so I can see when my bread has doubled.
Susan at Sticky,Gooey,Creamy,Chewy said,

Great job, Gabi! It looks like you had “French toast” for breakfast. Get it? French? toast? Oh boy, it’s been a long day. Anyway, your bread really does looks lovely
Courtney said,

Gabi,
Fab job. And I like the new look of thr blog. I know Julias obesssion with mastering this. And it was well worth it.
MyKitchenInHalfCups said,

Hooray Gabi! Yes you got wonderful bread. I really like the refrigerator retard trick! Real bread bakers have to take advantage of those tricks!
Your bread looks heavenly. So glad you all enjoyed it.
Big Boys Oven said,

Your bake looks so adorable. I was so frustrated with the lenghty recipe, when I first had a look, I totally drop dead! but look it is worth it ! lol!
Jenny said,

I read My Life in France last summer too, and remember the part about the bread. It made me want to try it “someday,” and here we are.

Your bread looks terrific! I wish I had thought more about doing a longer process like you.
Susan said,

Excellent! Now I want to read Julia’s autobiography too.
Pixie said,

Looks sensational, well done!
Lucy V said,

Gabi, That is some really nice looking bread there! I wish I had done a boule! Yours looks great and it also looks like it sliced excellently.
Bev said,

fab looking bread! toasted and dripping in butter! mmmmmmmmmmmm
i shot the chef said,

I love your title!!! Cute! hehe

Fabulous bread too! – Candace
Sheltie Girl said,

You did a wonderful job on your bread. The crumb is so nice and airy. I wish my gluten free loaves had obtained this level of airiness, but they never do. The yeast has to work so hard just to raise the gf flours.

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go
baking soda said,

Your enthusiasm shines through! Nice loaves!
marion-il en faut peu pour ... said,

it looks great !
it was long indeed, and hard to find a whole day to bake in one time
Congrats
Lucy V said,

A very pretty loaf of bread!
Hannah said,

Nice work on this challenge, the crumb of your bread looks so even and perfect!
Emiline said,

What a success!
I think you did a fine job.
peabody said,

It was a great bread…so glad you liked it. Job well done.
breadchick said,

I love the “3 little piggies” reference and your bread is wonderful looking. Sounds like you had fun.

Thanks for baking with Sara and I
Jenny said,

That does indeed look like a lovely loaf of bread – such a soft interior!
Sara said,

Isn’t her autobiography just so wonderful? Thanks for baking with us this month!
Paula said,

Your bread looks lovely! Nice job on this challenge:)
DaviMack said,

I am SO jealous of that crumb! Fabulous! It almost makes me want to make this in straight white flour!
lina said,

Great work! Your toast picture is sooo yummy looking…
Holly said,

Hi Gabi! Cooking keeps me from going crazy! I am so excited to find another Utahn in the DB’s. Now I know of four of us. Your bread looks great and I know I will be browsing through the rest of your site. Thanks for stopping by!
Deborah said,

Excellent work! Looks yummy!
joey said,

Lovely bread! I am having some now with butter…the best breakfast ever
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