F
ranskbrød
is the most prevalent white bread in all of Scandinavia. It translates to “French bread,” but it contains an egg, so technically it is not a true lean bread by French baking standards. The combination of the egg and water makes for a chewy loaf. This recipe is adapted from one by a great baker and food writer, Beatrice Ojakangas, who has written many bread books utilizing every baking technique, from the food processor to the bread machine. Serve this bread with dinner.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
1 cup water
1 large egg
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon gluten
1
1
/
4
teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
1
/
2
teaspoons bread machine yeast
2-POUND LOAF
1
1
/
3
cups water
1 large egg
4 cups bread flour
1
1
/
2
tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon gluten
1
1
/
2
teaspoons salt 2
1
/
2
teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast
Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic or French Bread cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)
When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
T
his egg bread is shaped into
les gemeaux,
or “the twins,” a pair of loaves baked in the same pan. You can bake this specially shaped twin-humped loaf in your bread machine on the Basic or Variety cycles as described below. Or you can remove the dough, shape it into the twin loaf (with the seam in the middle), place it in a loaf pan (8-by-4-inch for 1
1
/
2
pounds dough; 9- by-5-inch for 2 pounds), cover it with plastic wrap to rise for 45 minutes, and bake it off in your oven for 40 minutes at 350°F. If you don’t want to do anything fancy with this loaf you don’t have to; just run it straight through the Basic cycle. When you slather it with jam, you won’t need the butter; it’s already in the bread.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
7
/
8
cup water
1 large egg
5 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, cut into pieces
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon gluten
1
1
/
2
teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
1
/
2
teaspoons bread machine yeast
2-POUND LOAF
1
1
/
8
cups water
1 large egg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, cut into pieces
4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon gluten
2 teaspoons salt
2
1
/
2
teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast
Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic or Variety cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)
If you are using the Basic cycle, after Rise 1 ends press Pause, remove the bread from the machine, and close the lid. If you are using the Variety cycle, remove the pan when Shape appears in the display. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 2 equal portions. Flatten each portion into a small rectangle and roll up from a short side to form 2 fat squares of dough. Remove the kneading blade and give the pan a light greasing by spraying it with a bit of vegetable cooking spray. Place the 2 separate pieces side by side in the bottom of the bread pan (they will be touching). Return the pan to the machine.
Press Start to continue to rise and bake as programmed. When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
The Right Ingredient: About Eggs
Whole eggs add a wonderful golden color, a tender cakelike texture, and great flavor to bread that cannot be duplicated by any other ingredient. They are often used as a backup leavener for specialty and non-gluten flours in yeast breads. Since the cholesterol is concentrated in the yolk, many recipes call for just egg whites.
The liquid measurement for eggs is important in bread machine baking since eggs are considered liquid ingredients. Refer to this guide for substitutions or when developing your own recipes. Since fresh eggs cannot be used for baking with the Delay Timer, use a commercial egg substitute or dried powdered egg whites if you are not making the bread just after loading. Powdered egg whites will not make any noticeable difference in the flavor of the bread. Add the powder with the dry ingredients, or combine the powder with two parts cold water and shake, adding the resulting mixture with the liquid ingredients.
For no-fat diets, substitute two egg whites or a commercial liquid egg substitute for one large egg. Egg substitutes work perfectly in all bread machine bread recipes. Many bakers on special diets substitute an equal measurement of mashed silken tofu for the eggs (a whole egg equals one-quarter cup).
Here is a helpful guide to using eggs and egg substitutes in baking recipes:
1 whole large egg equals
1
/
4
cup liquid measure
1 large egg white equals 3 tablespoons liquid
1 large egg yolk equals 1 tablespoon liquid
3 small eggs equal 2 large eggs
1 whole large egg equals 2 egg yolks
2 whole large eggs equal 3 egg whites
1 whole large egg equals 1
1
/
2
egg whites