FoodNetArchive

Cooking for profit

1886

Page 84 · 2 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Strain the yeast and the water into a pan and mix in half the flour. Beat the batter thus made thoroughly. Scrape down the sides of the pan. Pour a spoonful of melted lard on top and spread it with the back of the fingers. This is to prevent a crurst from forming on top. Cover with a cloth and set the sponge in a moderately warm place to rise 4 or 5 hours. This having been commenced at about 8 in the morning beat it again about one, add the salt aad make up stiff dough with the rest of the flour. Knead the dough on the table, alternately drawing ir, up in round shape and pressing the pulled-over edges into the middle and then pressing it out to a flat sheet, fold- ing over and pressing out agaui. Brush the clean scraped pan over with the least touch of melted lard or butter — which ya'events sticking and waste of dough — j)lace the dough in and brush that ovei, too. Where economy reigns the strictest a little warm water in a cup, and teaspoonful of lard melted in it will do for this brushing over and insures the truest saving and smoothest bread. Let the dough rise till 4. At about 4 o'clock spread the dough on the table by pressing out with the knuckles till it is a thin uneven sheet. Double it over on itself and press the two edges together all around first. This imprisons air in the knuckle holes in large masses. Then pound and press the dough with the fists till it has become a thin sheet again, with the inclosed air distributed in bubbles all through it. Fold over and repeat this process several times. Then roll it up. Let it stand a few minutes before making into rolls. Persons in practice find it quickest to COOKING FOR PROFIT, 19 pull off pieces of dough of right size and mould them up instantly. Others cut off strips of dough, roll them in extended lengths and cut these up in roll sizes. Mould them up round with no flour on the board and only a dust on the hands, and place them in regular rows on the table — the smoothest side down. Take a little rolling pin — it looks like a piece of new broom handle — and roll a depression across the middle of each. Brush these over with the least possible melted lard or butter, using a tin-bound varnish brush for that purpose. Double the rolls, the two buttered sides together, and place them in the pans diagon illy, with plenty of room so they will not touch. Brush over the tops of the rolls in the pans with the least possible melted lard again and set them to rise about an hour — less or more according to the tem- perature. Bake in a hot oven, about 10 minutes. Brush over with clear water when done. Cost of material — flour 14, yeast 3, milk 6, sugar 2, lard 6; 31 cents for 4 or 5 dozen, according to size or 6c per doz- en. They sell 2 or 3 for 5c with a chip of butter added — about ^ oz, 1 cent. 261— Graham Rolls. This is for fifty rolls of small size. 2 pounds graham, not sifted. 1 pound white flour. IJ pints warm water. ■^ pint yeastCommon Bread Dough. ^ cup reboiled molasses — small 1 teaspoonful salt.