Super Yummy French Bread

Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1/8 cup yeast (3 packets)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 3 tablespoons shortening, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup milk (scalded )
• 2 cups hot water
• 10 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup semolina flour
• 1 -2 egg (optional)

Recipe

• 1 pour yeast, 1 tablespoon (first tablespoon) sugar, and the lukewarm water in a bowl. let sit
• 2 in the meantime mix melted shortening, remaining two tablespoons sugar, all of the salt, the scalded milk, and two cups of the flour. mix until smooth.
• 3 add the yeast mixture.
• 4 alternately add the rest of the flour (including semolina) and hot water.
• 5 knead on a floured surface for about five minutes ( i did mine for about 10 or until my arm fell off since i am a slow kneader- you should be able to tell by how well your bread stretches).
• 6 put in a buttered bowl and let rise in a warm place until double in size (mine rose for 50 minutes in an oven on the warm setting).
• 7 punch down in order to shape into three loaves and brush with beaten egg.
• 8 let loaves rise on buttered baking sheets until double in size.
• 9 optional- slit with scissors at 45 degrees and brush again with egg before baking.
• 10 bake at 375 for about 40 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.