The Elegant Cook

M-J's Home-Made French Bread

American flour is very soft, even the unbleached variety. So, authentic French-style bread in the U.S. is difficult to make. If you can locate unbleached white flours from France or Italy, they are perfect for making baguettes. To make French bread or baguettes like the ones shown in my photograph, I use my own starter for the dough, let it rise twice before I form it into loaves, and place a small pottery bowl of water in a very hot oven while the baguettes are baking. This moisture creates a crispy crust.

Here is a good recipe for home-made French-style bread, by King Arthur Flour company:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/french-style-country-bread-recipe

For more elegant bread recipes, please visit M-J’s page, The Elegant Cook's Bread Recipes.

©M-J de Mesterton 2011

Saltworks, Seattle

A Purveyor of Gourmet Salts from around the World,

and

Traditional Salt Products

Pour 12 Brioches

600 g de farine de gruau (5.5 cups)

140 ml de lait tiède (2/3 cup)

4 cc de levure SAF (1 tsp.)

1 cc de sel (1/4 tsp.)

100 g de sucre (8 tablespoons)

4 oeufs + 1 jaune

135 g de beurre ramolli (2/3 cup)

Garniture : sucre perlé

Pour dorer :

1 jaune d'oeuf + 1 cs de lait (one egg yolk plus one teaspoon of milk)

©M-J de Mesterton 2011

To make brioche au sucre, modify your measurements, shown above, of the same ingredients that M-J uses for regular brioche, and follow M-J's mixing instructions (see link below).

M-J Teaches You How to Make Elegant French-Style Brioche, the Famous Viennoiserie

Click Here for M-J's Brioche Recipe in Pictures at THE ELEGANT COOK

How to Bake Brioche Successfully: Use a Non-Stick, Modern Silicone Pan, Available at Amazon.com by Freshware

Potage aux Artichauts

Pommes de Terre Vapeur

Filet Mignons wrapped in bacon

Profiteroles au Chocolat

I will return with more....

~~M-J

The very elegant and smooth St. Albray cheese from France's Bearn region in the Pyrenees mountains is formed in the shape of a flower, with sections shaped like petals. It makes an beautiful center-piece for a drinks-party table.