The universal cookery book

Instead of mixing a sponge, all the flour may be moulded in and kneaded at once, and the dough set to rise in the same way ; when light, turn out. Use as little flour as possible, and knead fifteen minutes ; less time being required, as part of the kneading has already been done. — Mrs. Helen Campbell. From Good Housekeeping. {By per. Pubs) TO TEST THE OVEN. To Test the Oven. Throw on the floor of the oven a tablespoonful of new flour ; if it takes fire, or assumes a dark-brown color, the temperature is too high, and the oven must be allowed to cool. If the flour remains white after the lapse of a few seconds, the temperature is too low. When the oven is of the proper temperature, the flour will turn a brownish yellow, and look slightly scorched. — Breakfast Dainties : Thomas J. Murrey. White, Stokes, & Allen, Pubs. Vienna Bread. “"Two pounds sifted flour banked around pan, onehalf pint milk, one-half pint water ; mix a thin batter ; quickly add one-half pint milk, in which has been dissolved one-half ounce salt and seveneighths ounce compressed yeast ; leave remainder of flour against side of pan ; cover and keep free from air forty-five minutes ; then mix in rest of the flour until dough leaves side and bottom of pan. Let stand for two and a half hours. Divide into onepound pieces. Subdivide into twelve pieces. Fold corner of each piece to centre, turn over to rise for thirty minutes. Put in hot oven, bake twenty minutes." French Twist Bread. Take one quart of light dough raised with homemade yeast ; mix in a large tablespoonful of sweet butter, a saltspoon of salt, and one egg ; add flour, and knead well. Let it rise until light, then knead very gently ; roll the dough in thin strips, measuring an inch in diameter ; dredge lightly with flour, and AERATED HOME-MADE BREAD. 145 braid loosely; let it stand a few moments, and bake quickly without burning. — Petersons Magazine. (By per) Aerated Home-made Bread. Mix flour and water together to the consistency of a thick batter ; then beat it until fine bubbles of air thoroughly permeate it ; for small biscuit, pour it into patty-pans, and bake in a good brisk oven ; for bread in loaves, more flour is thoroughly kneaded in with the hands, until the dough is full of air-bubbles, and then baked at once, without being allowed to stand. — Cooking Manual : Juliet Corson. Dodd, Mead, & Co., Pubs. (By per) Gems. These are the simplest form of bread, and if properly made are certain to be light and sweet. A hot oven and hot pans are prime essentials, and there must be no delay between making and baking. The coldest water, ice-water preferred, should be used. Use either whole-wheat flour or Graham, three parts of flour to one of water being the right proportion. For a dozen gems allow one large cup — a half-pint — of ice-water, one even teaspoonful of salt, and three cups of flour. Stir in the flour slowly, beating hard and steadily, not less than ten minutes. The pans should have been set on top of the stove, and oiled or buttered. Fill them two-thirds full, and bake about half an hour. If properly made, they are very light, and have the full flavor of the wheat. Hygienic cook-books give the same rule as practicable for bread, but none tested by the writer has SA L T— RISING BREAD.