FoodNet

Bread, cakes, and biscuits

1902

Page 8 · 2 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Flour and Water Yeast. — Mix some good wheat flour with water to a thick smooth paste, and put it aside in a warm place, well covei’ed with a doubled cloth or a flannel, and let it stand for a day or two till the surface is a mass of bubbles, and it gives off a faint and not disagreeable winey odour. It can then be used at once, or it may be shaped into thin cakes and dried. It must be remembered, however, that this ferment is much weaker than regular yeast, and will take well-nigh double the quantity. Put 4oz. of raw sugar and />oz. of salt into a gallon of cold water, bring it slowly to the boil, stirring in steadily, as the water gets thoroughly hot, Mb. of flour ; allow this all to boil for an hour (after reaching boiling point), then lift it off the fire and set it aside till cool, when it must be bottled off. Half a pint of this yeastFlour and Water Yeast will be required to raise 91b. of flour. Potato Yeast. — Boil and peel three good sized potatoes, then mash them with a delicately clean wooden spoon ; work in Jib. of brown sugar, three dessertspoonfuls of flour, with a teaspoonful of salt, and mix this to a smooth batter with as little water as may be ; now put half a gallon of water on the fire with two good handfuls of hops and boil it for half an hour, when you add in the previous mixture ; bring it all to the boil again together, then lift it off and strain it into a stoneware jar or bottle ; let it cool till milk- warm, when you add to it half a pint of a previous make, and leave the jar or bottle, loosely corked, in a warm plaoe near the fire till the next day, when it must be tightly corked, tied down, and stored in a cool place. This will keep good for a month. Shake well before using and reckon half a pint for each stone of flour. If you have no previous make of yeast to add to this, use half a pint of brewer’s yeast, or dissolve some German yeast (about loz.) in BREAD. 13 a cupful (a short half a pint) of warm water. The usual reckoning is that a cake of German yeast equals half a pint of liquid yeast. Potato Yeast. — Boil lib. of potatoes and mash them, then mix with them 4oz. of raw sugarPotato Yeast and a teaspoonful of salt, add a quart of tepid water, and let it all stand for twenty-four hours in a warm place ; now boil a small handful of hops in half a pint of water for ten minutes, then strain and add this liquid to the potatoes, &c. Let it stand for another twenty-four hours, then if it does not work of itself add a little brewer’s yeast, and let it work for twenty-four hours more, when it is tit for use directly it is strained. When cold put this yeast into stone bottles, with the corks tightly tied down, and keep it in a cool place till wanted. About a tumblerful (or half a pint) of this yeast is required for 71b. of flour. Always reserve a cupful of this yeast to start another brew of it.