Danish-french Bread (franskbrod)

Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 7 -7 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• yellow cornmeal
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in large mixer bowl combine 3 cups of the flour and the yeast.
• 2 heat 2 1/2 cups water, sugar, salt and shortening just till warm 115-120 degrees f.
• 3 stirring constantly to melt shortening.
• 4 add to dry mixture.
• 5 beat at low speed with mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl.
• 6 beat 3 minutes at high speed.
• 7 by hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• 8 knead on floured surface till smooth (10 to 12 minutes.) shape into a ball.
• 9 place in greased bowl and turn once.
• 10 cover, let rise till double 1-1 1/2 hours.
• 11 punch down, divide in half.
• 12 cover let rest 10 minutes.
• 13 roll each half to 15 x 12" rectangle.
• 14 roll up tightly from long side, seal well.
• 15 taper ends.
• 16 place each diagonally seam side down, on greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
• 17 gash tops diagonally every 2 1/2 inches 1/8 inch deep.
• 18 beat egg just till foamy add 1 tbsp. water
• 19 brush tops and sides of loaves, and sprinkle with poppyseeds.
• 20 cover, let rise till double (about 1 hr.) bake at 375 degrees f.
• 21 till light brown for 20 minutes, brush again with egg mixture.
• 22 bake another 20 minutes longer.
• 23 remove from sheets and cool.