Recipe: French Bread (Robin Hood Flour recipe, 1950's)

FRENCH BREAD

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 cake compressed yeast (or 1 pkg. active dry granular yeast)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. shortening
3 to 3 1/3 cups sifted Robin Hood All-Purpose Flour, divided use

Soften yeast in 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water in mixing bowl 5 minutes. Add salt, sugar, shortening and half of flour. Beat until smooth with electric mixer or by hand.

Stir in remaining flour until mixture leaves sides of bowl. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Place in lightly greased bowl. Grease top of dough and cover with waxed paper. Allow to rise in warm place (80-85 degrees F) until doubled (50-60 minutes).

Roll out dough to 15x8-inch oblong. Roll up to make long slender loaf, tapering ends by rolling gently between hands. Place sealed edge down on greased baking sheet; brush with cold water. Let rise in warm place until light (25-30 minutes).

Brush with cold water again; make diagonal slashes with sharp knife across top of loaf at 2-inch intervals. Sprinkle with sesame seed, if desired.

Bake in quick moderate oven (375 degrees F) for 35-40 minutes, with pan of water on bottom of oven.

Makes 1 loaf
Source: Recipe flyer: Touch Your Menus with Magic by Using Robin Hood Flour, Rita Martin, 1950's