Sour Dough French Bread

This recipe make 2 loaves or you can double for 4 loaves.

Bring to boil:
1/2 cup milk (to double 1 c)
1 cup water (2 c)
1 1/2 Tbs oil (3 Tbs)

Add to the wet ingredients and set aside to cool:
2 1/2 tsp salt (1 Tbs)
4 1/2 tsp sugar (3 Tbs)

Sift:
4 3/4 cups flour into large bowl. (8 c)

Dissolve:
1 powdered yeast cake in
1/4 cup water (2 yeast cakes in 1/2 cup water)

Make well in dry ingredients. Add cooled wet ingredients.

Mix: dough will be moist. Knead 5 minutes.
Let rise one hour covered with cloth.
Remove 2 Tbs of dough. Put in refrigerator as starter for
next batch. (Next time stir this starter into the wet ingredients before adding to the flour.)

Divide dough in half. Press until flat on floured wax paper
or board. Fold one side to middle and press down with
fingers. Fold other side onto the first and press down.
Form into loaves. Let rise one hour.

Bake on foil lined cookie sheets 10 minutes on 450 F and
lower to 350 F for 10 min. more.