Sourdough French Bread

Instructions

1. Combine 3 cups flour and yeast in a large bowl. Heat 2 cups water with sugar, salt, and shortening just until warm (115-120 degrees) and shortening melts.
2. Add flour and yeast at low speed in mixer 1 minute. then 5 increase speeed for 5 minutes. Add sourdough. Stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough. On lightly floured surface, greaduallt knead in approximately 1 c. flour until dough is smooth and datiny. (approx. 10 minutes)
3. Array
4. Mary Ann's instructions...
5. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double (about 1 hour). Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll each half of dough into a 15x10-inch rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends. Place, seam-side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place till nearly double (35-45 minutes).
6. Place an ovenproof ceramic or heavy-duty glass baking dish filled with 1 inch of water on the lowest rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Let the water steam the oven while the bread rises.
7. Combine egg yolk and water. Brush dough with egg wash. With a very sharp knife or single-edge razor blade, make 4-5 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Place baking sheet with bread on rack above pan of water. Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees; bake for 30-35 minutes, or till bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. (If necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning.) Remove bread from baking sheet; cool on a rack.