good flour and good yeast, the first step in bread-making
is to properly combine these materials with some liquid,
which may be either milk or water. If milk is used, it
should be first sterilized. More flour will be required
to make the bread with water than with milk. Various
methods are employed to combine these materials.
As fermentation begins more readily and proceeds
more rapidly in a thin batter, it is quite customary to
start the bread with such a batter of flour, liquid, and
yeast, called a ferment^ or sponge^ to which, when light,
an additional portion of flour and water is added. Some
cooks use for this sponge the entire amount of liquid
needed for the bread, adding flour as the batter grows
light, first for a thicker batter, and later, when this is
risen, sufficient to make a stiff dough. Others use only
a portion of the liquid needed at first ; and when the
sponge is well risen, add both flour and liquid to make
a fresh sponge, more flour being added to this, when
light, to make the dough. Still other cooks dispense
altogether with the sponge, adding to the liquid at the
first sufficient flour to make it into a dough, allowing
it to rise once in the mass, and again after it is molded
into loaves.
As to the superiority of one method over another,
much depends upon their adaptability to the time and
convenience of the user. Good, light bread may be
produced by any of the methods. Less yeast, but more
time will be required by the first two methods.
Care of the Bread. — Except in very warm
weather, the ferment, or sponge, should be started
with the liquid at a lukewarm temperature.
FERMENTED BREAD. 41
The liquid should never be so cold as to chill the
yeast. Milk, if used, should be first sterilized by
scalding, and then cooled before using.
After the sponge is prepared, the greatest care must
be taken to keep it at an equable temperature. From
70° to 90° F. is the best rauge of temperature, 75°
being considered the golden mean throughout the entire
fermentive process of bread-making.
After fermentation has well begun, it will continue,
but much more slowly if the temperature be gradually
lowered to 45° or 50°. If it is necessary to hasten the
rising, the temperature may be raised to 80° or 85°,
but this will necessitate careful watching, as the bread
will be liable to overferment, and become sour. Cold
arrests the process of fermentation, while too great heat
carries forward the work too rapidly. Too much stress
cannot be laid upon the importance of an equable
temperature.
Lightness of Bread.— A thin batter is suffi-
ciently light when it is effervescent, like yeast, through-
out ; a thicker batter, when risen to double its first
bulk, and cracked over the top. The loaf is sufficiently
light when it has doubled its first proportions, and
feels light when lifted on the hand.
Temperature for Baking.— Without an oven
thermometer, there is no accurate means of determining
the exact temperature of the * oven ; but housekeepers
resort to various means to form a judgment about it.
The baker's old-fashioned way is to throw a handful of
flour on the oven bottom. If it blackens without ig-
niting, the heat is deemed sufficient. A common way
of ascertaining if the heat in the oven is sufficient, is to
42 EVEKY-DAY DISHES.
Page 21
Presented as published in 1897. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
good flour and good yeast, the first step in bread-making is to properly combine these materials with some liquid, which may be either milk or water. If milk is used, it should be first sterilized. More flour will be required to make the bread with water than with milk. Various methods are employed to combine these materials.
As fermentation begins more readily and proceeds more rapidly in a thin batter, it is quite customary to start the bread with such a batter of flour, liquid, and yeast, called a ferment or sponge to which, when light, an additional portion of flour and water is added. Some cooks use for this sponge the entire amount of liquid needed for the bread, adding flour as the batter grows light, first for a thicker batter, and later, when this is risen, sufficient to make a stiff dough. Others use only a portion of the liquid needed at first ; and when the sponge is well risen, add both flour and liquid to make a fresh sponge, more flour being added to this, when light, to make the dough. Still other cooks dispense altogether with the sponge, adding to the liquid at the first sufficient flour to make it into a dough, allowing it to rise once in the mass, and again after it is molded into loaves.
As to the superiority of one method over another, much depends upon their adaptability to the time and convenience of the user. Good, light bread may be produced by any of the methods. Less yeast, but more time will be required by the first two methods.
Care of the Bread. — Except in very warm weather, the ferment, or sponge, should be started with the liquid at a lukewarm temperature.
The liquid should never be so cold as to chill the yeast. Milk, if used, should be first sterilized by scalding, and then cooled before using.
After the sponge is prepared, the greatest care must be taken to keep it at an equable temperature. From 70° to 90° F. is the best rauge of temperature, 75° being considered the golden mean throughout the entire fermentive process of bread-making.
After fermentation has well begun, it will continue, but much more slowly if the temperature be gradually lowered to 45° or 50°. If it is necessary to hasten the rising, the temperature may be raised to 80° or 85°, but this will necessitate careful watching, as the bread will be liable to overferment, and become sour. Cold arrests the process of fermentation, while too great heat carries forward the work too rapidly. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the importance of an equable temperature.
Lightness of Bread.— A thin batter is sufficiently light when it is effervescent, like yeast, throughout ; a thicker batter, when risen to double its first bulk, and cracked over the top. The loaf is sufficiently light when it has doubled its first proportions, and feels light when lifted on the hand.
Temperature for Baking.— Without an oven thermometer, there is no accurate means of determining the exact temperature of the * oven ; but housekeepers resort to various means to form a judgment about it. The baker's old-fashioned way is to throw a handful of flour on the oven bottom. If it blackens without igniting, the heat is deemed sufficient. A common way of ascertaining if the heat in the oven is sufficient, is to