FoodNet

Experimental cookery

1932

Page 348

Presented as published in 1932. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
TABLE 48 Effect of Increasing Water in a Dough {Bailey and Le Vesconte) Absorption, per cent Extensibility Reading for tenacity, millimeters 59 18.65 125.0 60 18.80 122.0 61 18.90 121.0 62 19.50 117.1 63 19.77 114.7 64 21.00 99.7 65 20.96 94.5 66 20.48 94.5 67 19.66 92.3 Swanson and Working have reported in experiments with mechanical modification of the dough, using 340 grams of flour, that the best loaf of bread was produced when 205 to 215 cc. of water was used. In the proportions of water used by them the 205 cc. is equivalent to 60 per cent of the weight of the flour and 215 cc. to 63 per cent. When a smaller amount of water than 60 per cent was used a loaf of poor volume was obtained. Harrel has also reported that better bread is produced when the amount of water used is sufficient. Table 49 from his results is self-explanatory. The hydration capacity of different glutens varies, hence the maximum volume with any flour will be obtained with a definite water imbibition for that gluten. With increased swelling beyond the point at which the maximum volume is obtained the gluten becomes more tender and less tenacious, some of the cell walls collapse and coalesce, thus giving a smaller volume. With less swelling than the amount required to produce the maximum volume the tenacity is greater and a smaller volume results. The hydration of the gluten can be so great that there is a limit to the amount of stretching the gluten will stand and a very poor volume is the result. Sugar. Fitz reports that the average proportion of sugar used by bakers varies from 2 to 5 per cent. Shortening. Fitz has reported that the amount of shortening used by bakers varies from 0 to 3 1/3 per cent. It is not necessary to add shortening 428 FLOUR AND BREAD TABLE 49 Variations Caused by Different Absorptions on Properties of Bread {Harrel) Absorption Volume of loaf, cc. Spring in oven Color of crumb 50 2550 fair good minus 55 3100 fair plus good 60 3275 good good 65 3300 good good 70 3LS0 good minus good 75 2700 fair slightly dull to make good bread, but Whymper states that even a low percentage adds to the keeping quality of the bread, for the bread stales less readily. Salt. Fritz has reported that the amount of salt used by bakers averages from 1.5 to 2 per cent and varies from 1.35 to 2.12 per cent. The use of salt is important in bread making. If it is not added to the dough, fer- mentation takes place very rapidly and the bread is too porous. If too much is used, fermentation is slow and the bread is firmer and more compact. Proportion of ingredients in bread dough. The committee on the stand- ardization of experimental baking tests of the A.A.C.C. have suggested formulas for baking tests, which are given in the laboratory outline. Experi- ment 73. Methods of mixing. Straight-dough process. Two processes are used in making bread. One is called the straight-dough process or quick method. In this process all the flour and other ingredients of the bread are mixed together in the dough for the whole fermentation period.