Football French Bread

This deliciously fun Football French Bread is sure to score you big points for whatever occasion you decide to serve it.

This French bread recipe was originally published in a cookery book in 1660 by Robert May. It's an easy-to-follow and simple recipe that requires nothing more than a bowl, spoon, whisk, and some elbow grease for kneading. And, with straightforward ingredients, it's likely you'll be able to make this bread at a moment's notice with ingredients you already have on hand in your kitchen.

From there, you can get as creative as you want with the shaping of this dough. As I mentioned earlier, I shaped mine for my football-loving family, but the design possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

FOOTBALL FRENCH BREAD   {PRINT THIS RECIPE}
Yield: 1 loaf          Prep Time: 2 ½ hours (including proofing time)     Bake Time: 30 minutes

¾ cup water
½ cup milk
¼ teaspoon maple syrup
1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons) of active dry yeast
2 large egg whites (reserve the yolks for another use)
1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, whole wheat flour
1 ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
additional all-purpose flour for rolling and dusting
ice cubes

-Combine the water and milk in a small bowl. Microwave on low power until warm (110-115 degrees).
-Sprinkle the yeast over the water/milk mixture and stir to completely dissolve.
-Stir the maple syrup into the yeast mixture and allow it to sit and get foamy (about 5 minutes).
-Meanwhile, add the egg whites into a medium-size bowl and whisk by hand until the egg whites get frothy and soft peaks form. Set aside.
-In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt.
-Use a wooden spoon and stir in ½ of the yeast/milk mixture and all the frothy egg whites *Note - make sure you whisk them again right before you add them into the flour mixture.
-Add in as much of the remaining yeast/milk mixture as needed until the dough comes together to form a ball *Note - You may have some liquid leftover. It isn't always necessary to use all of it.
-Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and hand knead, adding a little additional flour if needed until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
-Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (approximately 1 hour).
-Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it into somewhat of a disc shape.
-Bring the sides of the dough up and into the center of the disc and use your fingers to pinch the seams together.
-Use your hands and fingers to gently but firmly push and prod the dough into the general shape of a football.
-Place the dough, seam side down on a lightly floured pizza stone or baking sheet.
-Re-shape the dough as needed.
-Allow the bread to rest and rise again until doubled (about 45 minutes).
-Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
-Dust the football with an additional coating of flour.
-Use a sharp paring knife to carefully cut the laces and lines in the dough to resemble a football.
-Toss 4 or 5 ice cubes in the bottom of the preheated oven (this makes steam) and quickly slide the bread into the oven.
-Bake for 15 minutes and then cover the loaf with foil and continue baking and an additional 15 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
-Cool on a wire rack.
-Serve and enjoy!

The step-by-step photo instructions:

• Dissolve the yeast in half the warm water and milk mixture.
• Stir in the maple syrup and allow the mixture to get frothy.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt.
• In a medium bowl, briskly whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Use a wooden spoon to stir the frothy egg whites into the flour mixture, and stir in the yeast mixture.

• Stir in enough of the remaining milk mixture to form a soft, sticky dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
• Place the dough into an oiled bowl and allow it to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape the dough into a football by pulling and pinching.
• Transfer the loaf, seam side down, onto a floured baking sheet or a pizza stone.
• Allow the dough to rise again until double (about 45 minutes).

• Once risen, dust the dough lightly with flour and use a paring knife to slice the laces, and the football end markings, into the dough.
• Preheat the oven and toss some ice cubes into the bottom to cause steam.
• Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake at 450-degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes uncovered, and then for 15 minutes covered until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.

The texture of this bread is outstanding! The interior crumb is relatively soft and chewy, but it still has some bite to it. And the crust has a satisfying crunch and flake that the ice cubes and the oven steam help to form to seal in all its goodness and flavor. It's bakery bread at its finest... only you made it yourself!

Take a bow...you deserve it!

If you're curious about the other bread I've/we've made over the past months for the Bread Baking Babes and Friends, please take a gander at these. They're some of my favorites, and I have a special place in my heart for each one.

Pretzel Croissants - April 2014

Merlot Bread with Salami and Smoked Mozzarella - June 2014

Savory Seed Crackers - September 2013

Carrot and Parsnip Bread - October 2013

And lastly, I could go on and on about how much I love to bake with yeast, but I have to stop somewhere...

Pane-Bianco Filled with Red Pepper, Basil and Garlic - April 2013