French Bread

They took my favorite recipe off allrecipes.com but luckily I still have.  I made this this weekend with a couple new trips in the mix.  It turned out great.

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups water (70° to 80°)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3-1/2 cups bread flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• GLAZE:
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted, optional

Directions

• 1.In bread machine pan, place the first five ingredients in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).
• 2. When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Roll each portion into a 10-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal.  I did not divide in half.  I made one large loaf. 
• 3. Sprinkle a greased baking sheet with cornmeal; place loaves seam side down on prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes.
• 4. Whisk egg and water; brush over loaves. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. I preheated my stone and baked on a cookie sheet on the stove at 450 for approx. 20 minutes (watch it though because it did get brown).  I put a small bowl in the lower shelf of the oven filled with water.  The crust was crispy and bread soft inside.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves (16 slices each).