Simple French Bread

Scald 1/2 cup of whole milk remove from the heat and add:

1 1/2 tablespoons of shortening
1 tablespoon of sugar
Add 1 cup of Boiling water stir and let cool below 100F

Dissolve 1 cake of yeast in 1/4 cup of water and let rest for a bit

When cool, pour milk mixture into a bowl and add:

2 teaspoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
Add the yeast mixture
add flour to form a soft dough... approximately 4 cups
Do not knead (but if you feel like it, go for it)
let the warm wet dough rise until doubled in bulk

Punch it down and form 2 long loaves. Cook in a bagette pan or on a sheet 400 F for 15 minutes (maybe less) reduce heat to 350 and bake about 30 minutes (maybe less)

Finish: Egg white wash (egg white + 1T cold water) Brush this mixture on the loaf about 5 minutes before completion

Notes: The scalding of the milk, adding the sugar, the shortening and using boiling water to the mixture is VERY important. It increases the cooling time but it gives a slightly different flavor to the loaf.

As usual.... putting a pan of water in the bottom of the oven adds to the chewyness of the crust