Beginner’s Bundt
This french bread recipe is perfect for anyone who wishes to try their hand at Bread Baking. It does not matter if you’re a beginner or a seasoned baker, this recipe is practically a “no-fail” recipe that will always yield a perfectly chewy bread with a crusty exterior. The crusty exterior of this bread is what makes it a French Bread. This dough can be used to make Baguettes as well (if desired).
Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour (Maida) – 350 grams or 2 3/4 cups
Salt – 8 grams or 1.5 tsp
Active Dry Yeast – 7 grams or 2 1/4 tsp
Water – 250 ml or 1 cup *
* Note: The water will be divided and used in parts. 80 ml water will be used to activate the yeast while the remaining water (170 ml) will be directly added to the dough.
Directions:
1. Mix the yeast in 80 ml water and set aside for five minutes. The water should be lukewarm (37 to 40 C). The water should be warm but not too hot that you cannot dip your finger in it.
2. In a separate bowl, add the flour and salt and stir together. Once the yeast mixture is frothy and bubbles appear on the top, create a well in the centre of your flour and add the yeast mixture and the remaining 170 ml of water and mix well until the dough comes together and there are no dry pieces of flour.
3. Cover the shaggy mass of dough with a plastic wrap or damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, take the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly for at least 1-2 minutes. Kneading the dough for a longer time would lead to higher gluten formation (giving better structure and a smoother loaf) but kneading for 1-2 minutes should suffice to make a delicious loaf. If you are a beginner and are not comfortable kneading the dough then this recipe works perfectly for you as the shorter kneading time would still lead to a light and airy crumb.
5. Transfer the dough onto a clean bowl that has been greased with oil (I use canola oil, but any vegetable oil would work perfectly fine) and set aside for 1-2 hours or until the dough doubles in volume.
6. After the dough has doubled in size, lightly punch it down and bring the dough out onto a floured work surface. Divide the dough in two equal halves and roll each half into a log that should be long enough to cover half your bundt pan.
7. Lightly grease your Bundt pan with oil and transfer the two logs onto the pan to cover completely. Twist the edges so that the ends of the two logs are sealed properly. If the logs are not sealed properly, the bread will not come out in one complete circle.
8. Set aside for a final 30-40 minutes while the oven is preheated at 220 C or 430 F.
9. Bake the bread for 35-40 minutes or until the bread is nicely browned and the exterior is firm and crispy when tapped.
10. Let the bread cool down to room temperature before removing from the pan. DO NOT try to invert the bread while it is still warm. The bread will surely crack and split (speaking from experience 😅) and you will be left with two semi circles instead of a perfect Bundt bread.
Once the bread has cooled down, you can slice it horizontally to make a bundtwich (as shown in the video) or you can simply slice it like you would slice a Bundt cake and eat it with butter, jam or any preferred sandwich filling.
I do hope you give this recipe a try as it will surely impress your loved ones.
Happy Baking!!