How to make French bread, origin of the recipe and name

Everyone has already eaten the famous French bread, one of the most classic foods on the Brazilian table. But, it has several other names

Who has never eaten French bread? Without a doubt, this food competes with rice and beans to see which is more present in the lives of Brazilians. However, even though it is so popular, few people know its origin, relevance and where its name comes from.

This way, this article will clarify everything about this famous food. And, to top it off, we’ve also put together some recipes for you to try at home and enjoy a warm, homemade bread.

Finally, now find out all its history and how to make French bread.

French or Brazilian bread?

Many people think that, due to the name, this bread comes from France. Despite this, he was raised here in Brazil. Well, it’s true that there is French bread from France, however, what we eat is from here.

To better understand this story, we need to go back to the beginning of the 20th century, in the famous Belle Epoque. This was, in fact, a remarkable era in Europe and had its peak in France. During this period, which lasted from 1871 to 1914, architecture, arts and gastronomy were highly valued.

So, in France, in Belle Epoque, a type of bread different from the usual ones at the time emerged. This bread, unlike French baguettes, had a soft crumb and was still crunchy on the outside. And it is at these moments that Brazilians enter this story.

With the end of the Brazilian Empire, Brazil tried to leave behind the old customs of Colonial Brazil. In this way, favoring the spread of European customs and, mainly, French ones. This is largely due to the Belle Epoque.

Therefore, French bread could not be more Brazilian. It emerged in 1910, when Brazilians, when trying to copy the French bread recipe from France, added sugar and milk. And it was these new ingredients that created this fluffy, white bread that exists in Brazil.

Today, its name is no longer just French bread. In other words, the same recipe has many names in this great country. It is called, for example, bald bread, bread roll, carioquinha, cacetinho, bread salt and several other names out there, varying from region to region.

In fact, this bread is currently known around the world as Brazilian Bread. Furthermore, many foreigners love this bread, and it is considered one of the tastiest in the world.

How to make French bread at home

We, at Área de Mulher, have separated for you two very simple recipes on how to make French bread right there, in your home. This way, you can avoid going to the bakery every day. So keep an eye out.

Recipe 1

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg of wheat flour
• 10 g bread yeast
• 15g salt
• 20 g of sugar
• 1 tablespoon margarine

Preparation mode:

1. First, put yeast in a glass with warm water and sugar. Stir, everything is diluted.
2. Mix all ingredients in a container.
3. Knead the dough until it stops sticking to your hands. If necessary, add more water or flour.
4. The dough should then have a spongy appearance.
5. Then let it rest for 2 hours.
6. Afterwards, knead the dough again and prepare the bread. Mold it into the desired shape and place it on the greased tray.
7. If the dough is sticking, sprinkle a little flour on top.
8. So, let it rest for another 1 hour.
9. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
10. Brush the dough with water before baking.
11. Finally, let them bake for 40 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Recipe #2

Ingredients:

• 480g wheat flour (3 and 1/2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 tablespoon of sugar (15 g)
• 10 g of dry yeast (1 tablespoon) or 30 g of fresh yeast
• 2 tablespoons of oil (30 ml)
• 320 ml of warm water (1 and 1/2 cups)
• Sesame and parmesan (optional)

Preparation mode:

1. First, in a container, mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast.
2. Add the oil little by little and then add the water. Mix until the dough gains consistency. Be careful not to let it get too soft
3. Transfer the dough to a clean countertop, sprinkle flour on the surface and then knead until it no longer sticks to your hands.
4. Once done, shape the dough into a ball. Then, let it rest in a closed place for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
5. Then, knead a little more to remove the air from the dough. Now divide it into 10 or 8 equal parts.
6. In this way, shape the parts by curling and thinning the ends.
7. Transfer everything to a greased pan and let it rest for 30 minutes.
8. Make cuts with a knife along the length of the bread and brush water over the top.
9. Then preheat the oven to 180° C.
10. So, bake the dough for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Sources: Catraca Livre, Dejú, Tudo Gostoso, Portal Vila Mariana.

Sources Featured Images: Ideal, Sonhos, Student Guide, Mercado Livre, Gazeta FM