How to Shape Epi French Bread

An epi French loaf uses a traditional French bread recipe to bake the loaf in the shape of a wheat stalk. It is easy to make with the aid of a pair of kitchen shears. You can serve an epi loaf in place of a traditional baguette or batard. The loaf lends itself well to dinner parties because guests can break off individual, dinner-roll-sized pieces.

Things You'll Need

• French bread dough
• Corn meal
• Clean flat surface
• Kitchen shears

Instructions

1. Shape your dough into the traditional baguette or batard shape. Baguettes are the longer French loaves and batards are the short loaves, approximately 12-inches long.

2. Spread a layer of cornmeal on the flat surface the length and width of your loaf. Put the loaf on the bed of corn meal.

3. Pinch the loaf approximately two inches from the end and cut the dough at an angle. Do not cut all the way through. You should now have the top of the loaf partially separated from the rest.

4. Tilt the partially-separated piece of the loaf to the side to form the first "leaf" of the wheat stalk.

5. Pinch another section of loaf, cut an an angle and tilt that piece to the opposite side. Continue pinching, cutting and tilting down the length of the loaf.

References

• "The Tassajara Bread Book"; Edward Espe Brown; February 2011