A practical cook and text book for general use

This rapid making of yeast bread may be new to many and some will hesitate to risk it with only once raising, but yeast bread so sweet and odorless can be made by no other method. The continued raising results in less sweet flavor. If we must continue to apply the decaying process by fermentation to good sweet flour, and convert sugar into alcohol, by fermentation, let us shorten the process and thus retain the qualities of the grain as much as possible. Entire wheat flour, Graham, and rye require no additions ; white flour may need a little salt, sugar, shortening, and phosphates to supply the precious elements the millers have removed and make it more palatable. It will require less water in mixing, and will not "go as far" hy one- third as bread of the entire grain ; while its " staying " qualities are very limited. These points are easily proven by watching children, who invariably consume double the quantity of white bread to satisfy hunger. No special recipes are given for rolls and biscuit raised with yeast as they are not considered very wholesome. But being very popular they may be rendered less injurious by mixing the same as bread, using vegetable butter for shortening, very little if any sugar, or dates very finely cut may be substituted for sugar. The dough should be well kneaded in the kneader, turned at once upon the moulding board, and cut into biscuit; put in an oiled baking pan and treat the same as bread ; but do not eat them until at least twelve hours old. Warm them in a hot oven, and they will be as fresh as when first baked. Dates, figs, and raisins cut in small pieces are a fine addition to raised bread where changes are desired. Soda and Cream of Tartar, In using these chemicals, observe the exact rule; one level teaspoonful of soda, and twice that quantity of cream of tartar, which should be thoroughly mixed or sifted in the dry flour. The soda should be dissolved in a little warm water, and added to the mixing liquid. To get a level teaspoonful, fill your spoon, and draw a knife across it, thus leaving the bowl of the spoon exactly level full, if one-half a spoonful is desired, divide the level spoonful lengthwise with a knife. Baking Powder. Baking powder if good is convenient because being properly mixed, there is less depending on carelessness or injudicious measuring. BE ACCURATE IN MEASURING ! A level spoonful, a rounding spoonful and a heaping spoonful, are different measures and should not be confused. The level spoonful is secured as heretofore stated. The rounded spoonful, rounds above the rim of the spoon, as much as it dips below, while the heaping spoonful means as much as will lie on the spoon. Most baking powders give their own measure, but to aid those who may desire smaller quantities of flour than that given, a less measure has been made, and readers of this book can proportion the baking powder thus — one level teaspoonful to one level cup of flour. For the benefit of those who use baking powder a few practical suggestions and recipes may not come amiss. And let it be observed that in all of the recipes, milk can be used, or half milk, in which case rather less shortening is needed. Bread. Put one quart of sifted flour of any kind you wish to use in your mixing bowl, and two rounding teaspoonfuls of baking powder ; mix very thoroughly together by sifting, or with a spoon ; add sufficient cold water to make a dough stiff enough to mold into biscuit, and turn at once into one or two small bread pans ; dip a spoon in cold water, smooth the dough, and bake in a hot oven ; from thirty-five to forty-five minutes. White flour absorbs less water than entire wheat, or graham, and no definite rule can be given for the water used, as it may vary from one and a half to two and a half cups.