Domestic science, principles and application

Ingredients necessary for white bread are: Wheat flour, liquid (water or milk) and yeast. Sugar, shortening, and salt are used to flavor it. Methods of Making Bread. — There are many ways of making bread, but all come under either of two main heads: (1) slow process or (2) quick process. In the slow process, mix the ingredients into a batter or a sponge and set to rise until it is full of air bubbles, usually over night. Then add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead this on a floured board until smooth and elastic to the touch. Let rise again until double its bulk. Take upon the board and shape into loaves; let stand in greased tins until double their size. Bake in a moderate oven 40 or 45 minutes. In the quick process, use more yeast than in the slow process. Mix ingredients together into a sponge, and beat the sponge hard until it is full of air bubbles. This beating takes the place of one rising. Add enough flour to make stiff enough to knead on a board, turn on a floured board and knead as in slow process. Let it rise once to double its bulk, shape into loaves, double bulk again, and bake. This process takes 5 hours. Setting the Sponge. — L Put yeast to soak in a little lukewarm water. This dissolves the starch with the yeast and frees the yeast plants so that they can act more quickly. (135) 2. Use half milk and water or all water for the liquid. Half and half makes a richer loaf. All-milk bread dries out rapidly. 3. Scald the milk in the upper part of a double boiler. 4. Put shortening (lard or butter), sugar, and salt in a large, earthen bowl. 5. Pour the scalded milk into the bowl and stir all until the sugar and butter are dissolved. 6. Add the water to the ingredients in the bowl. 7. When all is lukewarm, add the dissolved yeast mixture. Stir thoroughly. 8. Add as much flour as liquid, slowly, and beat continually until smooth. 9. Add enough flour to make a drop batter. Beat this until full of bubbles. This drop batter in bread is called a "sponge.'' Making the Dough. — 10. Add enough more flour to make the batter stiff enough to handle on a board. 11. Take mixture upon a board, leaving bowl perfectly clean. 12. Knead until it is smooth all through, is elastic to the touch, and springs back into place when pressed with the finger. Well-kneaded dough does not stick to the hands or to the board and can be kneaded without using flour on the board. 13. Put to rise in an earthen bowl in a warm place, and cover the bowl with a dry cloth. Wet the top of the dough slightly to keep it from getting so dry that it can not rise. First Rising. — 14. When the dough has doubled its bulk, remove from the bowl, take out clean, and knead just enough to shape into loaves. Cut in the right size for loaves. BREAD 15. Prepare the pans by greasing thoroughly on bottom and sides. Be sure corners are well greased. 16. Shape the loaves well; make them the length of the pans and the same width. 17. Set the pans with bread in a warm place to rise and double bulk again. Baking Bread. — When bread is nearly ready for the oven, test the oven, which should be hot enough to turn M fcfe-"^^/ jr^«tim|^^^H^^^^H^\j Br ' 'jm -^-^ f m..: ^gl^g^ Fig. 16. Bread and rolls, with utensils for making.