A small amount of sugar hastens fermentation, and from one to two teaspoonfuls to a ✪ Yeast Bread loaf may be used. Many people prefer the flavor of bread with no sugar, however. Some bakers use malt extract both as a yeast food to hasten fermentation and for its effect upon the flavor. YEAST BREAD i II I I I s I 200 FOODS AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT Fat, or shortening^ should be sparingly used, not more than one or two teaspoonfuls being allowed to a loaf. If you study a number of bread recipes, you will see that this in- gredient varies more than the others. As a matter of fact, if the flour is of good quality and the bread well made, this ingredient is not necessary (in loaf bread at least), although it seems to improve the quality of biscuit and rolls. Methods of mixing and the rising of bread. — Dissolve the yeast in a portion of the liquid, stir this mixture into the remaining Uquid, add half the floiu', and beat the mixture thoroughly at this stage. Add the sugar if any is to be used. When this soft mixture, called the "sponge," becomes full of bubbles, add the salt, the shortening if used, and the remain- ing floiu'. Knead the dough by the hand, or by the machine, for about ten minutes, or imtil it is smooth and elastic. Put it into a greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to remain until it doubles its bulk. Some bread makers knead in all the flour at the first, and obtain a good result. The first rising is more rapid, however, and expe- rience seems to prove that the results are better on the whole with the sponge. Cut the dough down, knead again, using as little flour as possible. Shape into loaves, place the loaves in greased pans, cover, and leave again until the loaves double their bulk, when they are ready for baking. If left too long, the bubbles of gas become too large. Temperature and time are important, in this matter of mixing and rising. The process may be shortened to five or six hours, including the baking, or lengthened to twenty-four by the choice of the amount of yeast and the temperature. The shorter process is the better, on the whole. After reading over the sections of the chapter on preservation of fruit, performing the yeast experiments, and discussing the results, you will be able to answer these questions : YEAST BREAD 201 I 1. What should be the temperature of the ingredients when the bread is mixed ? 2. If milk is used, how may the souring of the milk be prevented ? 3. What temperature will you secure for the bread while it is rising? 4. If an emergency occurs, and the dough cannot be kneaded or baked at the moment it is ready, what can be ^done ? Can you think of two exx)edients ? A few suggestions. — The kneading stretches the gluten and long kneading gives a fine grain. In such a recipe as that for the making of Parker House rolls, a very delicate quality results from a protracted process ; one old-fashioned housekeeper reconunends a half hour's kneading three times. Fortunately a sufficiently good bread or roll may be made by ten or fifteen minutes' kneading at a time.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

A small amount of sugar hastens fermentation, and from one to two teaspoonfuls to a loaf may be used. Many people prefer the flavor of bread with no sugar, however. Some bakers use malt extract both as a yeast food to hasten fermentation and for its effect upon the flavor. s Fat, or shortening should be sparingly used, not more than one or two teaspoonfuls being allowed to a loaf. If you study a number of bread recipes, you will see that this ingredient varies more than the others. As a matter of fact, if the flour is of good quality and the bread well made, this ingredient is not necessary (in loaf bread at least), although it seems to improve the quality of biscuit and rolls. Methods of mixing and the rising of bread. — Dissolve the yeast in a portion of the liquid, stir this mixture into the remaining liquid, add half the floiu', and beat the mixture thoroughly at this stage. Add the sugar if any is to be used. When this soft mixture, called the "sponge," becomes full of bubbles, add the salt, the shortening if used, and the remaining flour. Knead the dough by the hand, or by the machine, for about ten minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Put it into a greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to remain until it doubles its bulk. Some bread makers knead in all the flour at the first, and obtain a good result. The first rising is more rapid, however, and experience seems to prove that the results are better on the whole with the sponge. Cut the dough down, knead again, using as little flour as possible. Shape into loaves, place the loaves in greased pans, cover, and leave again until the loaves double their bulk, when they are ready for baking. If left too long, the bubbles of gas become too large. Temperature and time are important, in this matter of mixing and rising. The process may be shortened to five or six hours, including the baking, or lengthened to twenty-four by the choice of the amount of yeast and the temperature. The shorter process is the better, on the whole. After reading over the sections of the chapter on preservation of fruit, performing the yeast experiments, and discussing the results, you will be able to answer these questions : 1. What should be the temperature of the ingredients when the bread is mixed ? 2. If milk is used, how may the souring of the milk be prevented ? 3. What temperature will you secure for the bread while it is rising? 4. If an emergency occurs, and the dough cannot be kneaded or baked at the moment it is ready, what can be ^done ? Can you think of two expedients ? A few suggestions. — The kneading stretches the gluten and long kneading gives a fine grain. In such a recipe as that for the making of Parker House rolls, a very delicate quality results from a protracted process ; one old-fashioned housekeeper recommends a half hour's kneading three times. Fortunately a sufficiently good bread or roll may be made by ten or fifteen minutes' kneading at a time.

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