Bread, cakes, and biscuits

Bran Bread. — This is made with neither brown nor whole meal, but consists of fine white meal, mixed with a certain proportion of actual bran, the proportions being one part of more or less coarse bran to three parts fine white wheat meal. It is then made up like ordinary bread. Brown Bread, or Speckled Bread. — To a quartern of fresh yeast dough, add 4oz. of butter, work it well in, then let it rise ; when well risen, add 4oz. of sugar (white or brown) with 4oz. each of picked, washed, and dried currants, and stoned raisins, with, if liked and handy, some blanched and shred almonds, and some finely shred candied peel. This “Irish bread,” as it is often called, can be made more or less rich as you please, by using ordinary dough or fine Vienna milk dough, or more butter, with all the above ingredients ; but its ordinary mixture is plain bread dough, with sugar and currants. Black Bread. — Rub 5lb. of brewer’s grains to a paste, then work into this 4oz. fresh yeast, 2|lb. of very coarse flour, and half a handful of salt. When well mixed, put it aside to rise, and when double its original volume, make it up in loaves, and bake. This is much used on the Continent, in Russia and out of the way parts of Germany especially. Brown Bread. — This is made like ordinary household bread, using coarse or fine brown flour, or equal parts of white and brown flour, as preferred ; it will, however, take rather less salt than ordinary bread, and may need a trifle more yeast, say an extra £oz., and a little more water, as the dough should be as moist and soft as possible. It is best to make it up in small loaves, for if the loaves are of the usual size the outside is baked before the inside is ready, with the result that the crust is as hard as a rock whilst the centre is nothing but a heavy dough. In cooking this bread the oven requires to be of a steady soaking heat. Some bakers, in preparing this bread, add in loz. of butter, dissolved in the mixing water, for every 3lb. or 41b. of flour, whilst others use milk and water to mix the dough. Barley meal, oatmeal, or Indian corn meal may be used in making this bread, allowing one-quarter to one-third of either of these meals to three-quarters or two-thirds of white flour. Brown Bread (American). — Two quarts of Indian corn meal, one quart of rye flour, and two tablespoonfuls of molasses ; mix it well together with enough good sweet milk to make a dough. Let it stand for two hours, then bake in a slow oven. (Boston). — For this, mix together thoroughly