French Bread

I made french bread this week. We're not crusty bread fanatics here, my usual bread is a whole grain sandwich loaf. But I had to see that rerun of Alton Brown's artisan bread show...and I wanted to try it.
It tasted really good...we made french bread pizzas out of some, garlic bread for another meal, and just picked at it here and there until it was gone.

Here's the recipe I used...

1 cup warm water
1 tbsp butter
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tbsp white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

I used my bread machine to mix it all and for the first rise. Then I took it out, shaped it and let rise again, then baked at 350 until it looked done (was around 30 mins).

As I don't usually do french bread, I don't have a couche to use for the proofing/second rise...so they're kind of wonky shaped lol You could use anything really to keep them straight during the rise I'd think....I just didn't :)