Action of Yeast — Yeast is a very small plant, the cells of which float in the air, and will fasten itself on to anything on which it can feed and multiply. It grows rapidly on beer as brewers’ yeast, and on hollands as German yeast. It splits most sugary substances into gas and alcohol. When kept at blood- heat the gas causes bubbles. It is these bubbles which work in the dough of bread and make it light. The dough does not go on increasing in bulk in the oven, because the great heat kills the yeast plant ; cold numbs it, and renders it useless. Baking-powder — Baking-powder is composed of a dry acid powder and a dry alkali powder mixed with cornflower, to separate the particles and spread it more evenly in the substance to be raised. When mixed with water or any liquid it fizzes up. Carbonate of soda and tartaric acid are used, as they are almost tasteless when mixed. Butter-milk and soda have a similar action. Self-raising flour is merely flour mixed with dry baking-powder. 24 INSTRUCTION IN COOKERY Leaven — This has been in use since the time of Moses. Leaven is dough which has not been baked, and in which yeast plants have fixed themselves. It has a sour taste, owing to the formation of acids. Aerated Bread — This is simply bread made from dough into which gas has been pumped, as it is in the manufacture of aerated waters. Note for Teacher — This lesson must be illustrated by showing yeast, and mixing it into sugar and warm water. Point out the gas bubbles after it has stood. Again, various acids and alkalis may be mixed, and a bottle of soda-water may be shown, with an explana- tion of the bubbles, and how they got there. Bread — i oz. German yeast, i teaspoonful salt, 3J lb. flour, about if pints lukewarm water✪ Bread. Warm a bowl and put the flour into it. Add about i teaspoonful of sugar to the yeast, mix them well together with a wooden spoon, now pour on to this about J pint of lukewarm water, make a hole in the middle of the flour, pour the yeast and water into it, stir a small quantity of the flour into this, sprinkle some salt round the edge so as not to touch the yeast, and allow to rise covered up with a cloth in a warm place for about 20 minutes. Then knead up with more warm water, making a stiff dough, knead until smooth, then allow to rise again for about an hour, keeping it warm and covered up the whole time. Next make into loaves, and place in warm and greased tins. Let the loaves rise for about 15 minutes, then bake in a quick oven at first, and afterwards not so hot. If this quantity of dough is made into three loaves, they should take about an hour each. Brown Bread — 1 lb. whole meal, 1 small teaspoonful salt, j oz. yeast, lukewarm milk and water✪ Brown Bread. BREAD AND BREAD-MAKING 25 Place the flour in a warm bowl, mix the yeast with a little moist sugar until liquid, pour a teacupful of warm water on to it, and pour it into the centre of the flour, stirring a little flour in with it. Let it rise for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the salt round, and knead with lukewarm water and milk to a stiff batter. Beat well, then let it rise in a warm place for an hour. Put it into warm greased tins. Allow to rise for a few minutes. Then bake in moderate oven according to the size of the loaf.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Action of Yeast — Yeast is a very small plant, the cells of which float in the air, and will fasten itself on to anything on which it can feed and multiply. It grows rapidly on beer as brewers’ yeast, and on hollands as German yeast. It splits most sugary substances into gas and alcohol. When kept at blood-heat the gas causes bubbles. It is these bubbles which work in the dough of bread and make it light. The dough does not go on increasing in bulk in the oven, because the great heat kills the yeast plant ; cold numbs it, and renders it useless. Baking-powder — Baking-powder is composed of a dry acid powder and a dry alkali powder mixed with cornflower, to separate the particles and spread it more evenly in the substance to be raised. When mixed with water or any liquid it fizzes up. Carbonate of soda and tartaric acid are used, as they are almost tasteless when mixed. Buttermilk and soda have a similar action. Self-raising flour is merely flour mixed with dry baking-powder. Leaven — This has been in use since the time of Moses. Leaven is dough which has not been baked, and in which yeast plants have fixed themselves. It has a sour taste, owing to the formation of acids. Aerated Bread — This is simply bread made from dough into which gas has been pumped, as it is in the manufacture of aerated waters. Note for Teacher — This lesson must be illustrated by showing yeast, and mixing it into sugar and warm water. Point out the gas bubbles after it has stood. Again, various acids and alkalis may be mixed, and a bottle of soda-water may be shown, with an explanation of the bubbles, and how they got there. Bread — i oz. German yeast, i teaspoonful salt, 3J lb. flour, about if pints lukewarm water. Warm a bowl and put the flour into it. Add about i teaspoonful of sugar to the yeast, mix them well together with a wooden spoon, now pour on to this about J pint of lukewarm water, make a hole in the middle of the flour, pour the yeast and water into it, stir a small quantity of the flour into this, sprinkle some salt round the edge so as not to touch the yeast, and allow to rise covered up with a cloth in a warm place for about 20 minutes. Then knead up with more warm water, making a stiff dough, knead until smooth, then allow to rise again for about an hour, keeping it warm and covered up the whole time. Next make into loaves, and place in warm and greased tins. Let the loaves rise for about 15 minutes, then bake in a quick oven at first, and afterwards not so hot. If this quantity of dough is made into three loaves, they should take about an hour each. Brown Bread — 1 lb. whole meal, 1 small teaspoonful salt, j oz. yeast, lukewarm milk and water. Place the flour in a warm bowl, mix the yeast with a little moist sugar until liquid, pour a teacupful of warm water on to it, and pour it into the centre of the flour, stirring a little flour in with it. Let it rise for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the salt round, and knead with lukewarm water and milk to a stiff batter. Beat well, then let it rise in a warm place for an hour. Put it into warm greased tins. Allow to rise for a few minutes. Then bake in moderate oven according to the size of the loaf.

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Instruction in cookery (Methuen's text-books, Thompson)