French Bread – Daring Bakers

If someone told me one year ago that I would make french bread I wouldn’t believe him. You see a few months ago I didn’t know how to knead. I think that now after making the Christmas Bread, the french bread and another Swiss bread (coming soon) I am starting to get the hung of it.

So, February’s challenge was Julia Child’s French Bread. As this has been a very busy month including a 10 day trip to Switzerland (again ) I did not manage to find time to make this bread until the day before the deadline (yesterday) where I had no other choice. It was not the best time to bake as my parents had invited people for dinner. I told my mother that I really had to make this bread no matter what. Thankfully she offered to buy the ingredients for me so I didn’t have to go to the supermarket as well. When I came back home from work I told her:

‘I will go and change my clothes because I have to start’

She said to me: ‘Don’t worry I have already made bread for your website! You don’t have to make bread now’

‘Mother, I have to make this specific french bread and not the traditional Cypriot bread.’

‘Come on take a photo of that and nobody would know.’

You see, she was trying desperately to get me out of the kitchen but she wasn’t successful. I had to make the bread. So, I started work and I ignored her complains. (She was going back and forth checking it out of course).

As it takes a long time to make this bread, I had to make the last part of the recipe with a live audience. I had to clear a part of the table between the main course and dessert to shape the bread – not very polite I know. Nobody was bothered though because the were all curious to see the result. My aunts kept telling me that if I ever get married my husband will be lucky because I can make bread etc. etc. Unfortunately it was not ready before they left so all the sucking up on me went in vain.

The bread looked pretty good in the end and I could not wait until the morning to try it. The shape was not right but hey I didn’t have the space and the time anyway. Nevertheless, it tasted very good when I tried it this morning. Actually, the big piece disappeared before I came back from work so this means that my brothers liked it as well.

Will I make it again? Definitely. With the right shape hopefully… You can find the recipe from this month’s hosts Breadchick Mary (The Sour Dough) & Sara (I Like to Cook)

P.S. I really need to get a new computer because this one is so slow and it crashes all the time. It is really off-putting. Could someone tell me where to get the money? (Just kidding)