Better bread without sourdough

Keeping a starter can become a burden if you do not bake bread weekly. Fear not. There are plenty of great easy low-yeast ways to bake excellent tasting bread without a sourdough starter.
French bread is a great and easy way to make a plain loaf with or without a crispy crust. If you add more than the original four ingredients of water, flour, yeast and salt, it is no longer considered French bread
Using a longer rise time and some "steam injection" when baking, you can create a wonderful loaf of bread without the hassle of starter.
According to the Internet, "Bread was enormously important to the French people, that at the time of the French Revolution in the late 1700's, the average Frenchman was reported to have eaten three pounds of bread each day." (Bread History - French. https://www.abigailsbakery.com/bread-recipes/bread-history-french.htm)

French bread is baked in brick ovens place in and out of the oven with a peel. If you bake your own pizza you probably have a pizza peel in your cupboard.
A boule is simply the French word for round. You can bake loaves in any shape you wish. Long thin baguettes were developed in Vienna so the bread could be baked faster.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE FRENCH BREAD from The BEST Homemade French Bread Recipe at https://www.iheartnaptime.net/homemade-french-bread.
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups warm water (about 110°F)
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 5-6 cups flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons table salt or fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Proof the yeast. In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until it begins to foam.
2. Mix and let rest. Place 2 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl with the salt. Stir in the yeast mixture and begin to knead by hand or using a dough hook and stand mixer. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour at a time until the dough is smooth but not sticky. Rub the olive oil around the dough ball and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Shape and let rise again. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide it in half. Roll one half into a rectangle. Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a cylinder. Turn both ends in and pinch the seams closed. Round the edges and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the second dough ball. Let rise for 30-45 minutes. Make three diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf.
4. Bake in oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Using ice cubes or a spray bottle, add some steam to your oven for a crispier crust. You can do this more than once during your bake time of 17-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Brush the top of the homemade french bread with melted butter if desired. 
5. Allow to cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing. 

Bread baked in a covered cast iron casserole can resemble or even exceed a sourdough loaf. Using a slow-rise method gives you wonderful flavor and adding extras like cheese or olives will make you a super star in the kitchen. Oh, and there's no kneading.

Here's a recipe from https://joyfoodsunshine.com/easy-no-knead-bread/
You will need a 3.75-quart dutch oven to bake this loaf.

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 ½ cups warm water 105 degrees F

Instructions:

1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
2. Add the water and mix until the dough forms a ball.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (sprayed with cooking spray) and a damp tea towel.
4. Let dough sit covered at room temperature for 18-24 hours.
5. After 24 hours (or at least 1 hour before you want to serve) preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
6. Place a 2 3/4 quart dutch oven  with a lid in the oven while it is preheating. (Note: Readers have used a 5 qt. dutch oven with success).
7. While oven is preheating, transfer the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface.
8. Form the dough into a ball, adding a few TBS more flour if needed. The dough should still be slightly loose. Then cover it with a floured towel while the oven is preheating. (Important note: The dough ball will be loose and "floppy." That is how it should be as this is a very moist bread which is what makes it so irresistible. You will not have a firm ball, it will look a little flat).
9. Carefully remove the hot baking dish from the oven. Remove the lid and spray the dish with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
10. Gently put the dough ball into the baking dish so it's evenly distributed.
11. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
12. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown.
13. Remove the loaf from the baking dish and let it cool on a rack before slicing. To keep it warm, cover with a tea towel.

So don't fret if you don't want to babysit a starter. There's a ton of great bread recipes and you might even find a few posted on the video page of this website in the near future.

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