Roasted Garlic French Bread

I loved the Crusty French Bread recipe so much I couldn't wait to make it again. I decided to halve the recipe this time (to make only one large loaf) and I added a head of roasted garlic to the mixture. This bread turned out just as delicious as the regular French bread but with a really nice roasted garlic flavor. I may add another head of garlic for an even stronger garlic flavor the next time I make it. I can't tell you how good this bread smelled while baking. This was a huge hit with my family and perfectly delicious smothered in butter fresh from the oven.

Roasted Garlic French Bread:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 cup of warm water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 head of roasted garlic, chopped up (click here for recipe)
• 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• Cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp water

Prepare the roasted garlic (click link above).

Place all dough ingredients (through yeast) in the bread machine in the order listed. When you put the roasted garlic in, sprinkle it around the edges of the flour. Put the yeast in a well in the center of the flour. Select the dough cycle and press start.

Once the bread machine stops (it was one and a half hours on my machine). Remove the pan from the bread machine and punch the dough down (deflate it), then cover and let it rise asecond time, until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Remove the dough and place it on a floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Roll the dough into a rectangle. Roll up jelly roll fashion and pinch the seam together. Tuck the ends underneath. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place the bread on the prepared baking sheet; cover and let rise until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Carefully make several evenly placed diagonal cuts (with a sharp knife) on top of the oaf. Beat together the egg white and 1 tablespoon of water then brush over each loaf with a pastry brush.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net