Sweet French Bread with Amish Bread Starter

Here is the latest Recipe for the Home Baked Sweet French Bread using Amish Bread Starter.
2 Cup Starter (only 2 days old from 5th day)
5 TBsp Sugar
3 TBsp Softened Butter
2-1/2 Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

Mix all ingredients in a large plastic bowl (with lid) with Sturdy Spatula for about 5 minutes. & Hand Knead for 10 min. in the bowl.
Cover the plastic container.
Let it rise till Double about - 12 hours.

Roll the Doubled Dough into shapes of French Bread:
Divide the dough into halves.
Roll out the dough into oval shape - 1/2 in thick.
Place them on top of Non-Stick Cookie Sheet, side-by-side to each other & leaving about 2 inches of gap to allow the dough to rise till double in size.

Using sharp kitchen knife or scissors, slit the top of the bread dough about every 3 inches.

Cover it with Saran Wrap loosely and also place an empty 8 oz yogurt cup, for example to keep saran wrap from touching the dough's surface.

My kitchen temperature was about 62Degrees. To help rise the dough.
Place the cookie sheet above a pot of hot water without turning on the stove.
Change the hot water several times to help dough rise into double in size.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Egg White Wash -
Beat 1 egg white with a tablespoon of water together.
Egg white wash will give the bread nice shine and soft top.
Otherwise, just brush the top of the bread dough with Water right before baking time.

Brush each Bread dough that has rise in double with Egg White Wash.

Place at top second rack of the conventional (gas) oven
Bake for 35 to 40 min.
Bread will look shiny and brown.



The texture is more like a bread than the French Bread. Maybe less kneading will create less fine looking bread. Taste wise, it is great.