Our daughter Katie is quite a great cook, and her foolproof French bread recipe is sure to become a favorite in your home! After baking, slather each slice with lots of Kerrygold Irish Butter for the best results!
Fill a measuring cup with warm water and add the dry yeast. Stir until incorporated.
Prepare a large mixing bowl with a paddle attachment. Add 4 cups of bread flour, followed by the hot water, sugar, salt and oil.
Add the yeast mixture to the bowl, and mix on slow until incorporated. Add the remaining 2 cups of all-purpose flour, one cup at a time, mixing well.
Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
Allow it to rise. Every 10 minutes, punch the down down. Repeat 4-5 more times.
Dust a large work surface with flour. Place the dough on the floured surface, and cut the dough in half. Roll each ball into a rectangle about 9x12 inches.
Roll each rectangle of dough lengthwise.
Place both loaves on a greased pan, seam side down. Score each on top a few times with a sharp knife. Using a pastry brush, coat the tops of each loaf with the whisked egg.
Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes in lower half of oven, until golden brown.
Notes
Note: You can use 6 cups of all-purpose flour instead of the bread flour. You can also mix this by hand with a big wooden spoon if you don't have a stand mixer.