French Bread

Ingredients:

1/3 cup milk

1 cup water

2 teaspoons sugar

30g butter

30g compressed yeast

4 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon water, extra

Sesame seeds

(This recipe makes 2 loaves)

Method:

Place the milk and water, sugar and butter into a pan and stand over a low heat until the butter is melted. Allow to become lukewarm.

Add yeast, stir until yeast is dissolved.

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the milk mixture.

Sprinkle over a little flour from the sides of the bowl.

Stand the bowl in a warm place until milk mixture is frothy.

Mix in flour, and turn out on to a floured surface.

Knead well.

Place dough in lightly oiled bowl, cover, stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, approximately 20 minutes.

Punch down and knead on a floured surface for 3 minutes.

Return to bowl, and place in a warm place until doubled in bulk; approximately 20 minutes.

Turn out on to the floured surface, knead well.

Divide mixture into 6 equal portions.

Roll each portion into a 40cm sausage. Take three rols, and form into a plait, securing at each end.

Repeat the process with the remaining dough sausages.

Place on a large greased oven tray.

Place in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

Brush plaits with combined egg yolk and extra water, sprinkle over seasame seeds.

Bake in hot oven 20 to 25 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on the base.

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