Foods, their selection and preparation

firm, elastic gluten, which produces breads of larger volume and somewhat more open grain than those made from the softer flours. Flours which have good breadmaking quality are spoken of as "strong” flours, in contrast to "weak” flours, or those low in breadmaking qualities. There are a number of factors which determine the breadmak¬ ing quality of a flour. Not only must the flour have a high gluten content, but the mineral salts and acids in the flour play an important part, since they may change the character of the gluten present. The flours most used for breadmaking in the home are the "all-purpose,” "generalpurpose,” or "family” flours. These terms all mean that such flours are milled from wheats which yield flours that give good results in the various types of baking done in the home. There are, however, all-purpose flours milled from both hard wheat and soft wheat. Those from soft wheat require somewhat shorter fermentation periods than those from hard wheat, and produce loaves of somewhat smaller volume. Hard and soft flour may be recognized by the "feel.” If a little is rubbed between the fingers, hard-wheat flour feels slightly granular, while soft-wheat flour has a smooth satiny feel. A handful of soft-wheat flour has a tendency to "cake” when the hand is closed tightly and released, while hard-wheat flour falls apart. Because of the difference in the quality and quantity of the gluten, hard-wheat flour requires more liquid than soft-wheat flour. Since early in 1941, all-purpose flours have been available in en¬ riched form. (See page 284.) Enriched flour bakes in exactly the same way as any other white flour. In testing a flour in the home for its breadmaking qualities, it is well to follow the directions furnished with the flour. Liquid. The liquids most used in the preparation of yeast bread are water and milk. In breads made with water the wheat [311] flavor predominates. Many of the crusty varieties of bread and rolls, such as hard rolls and French and Vienna breads, are made with water. The crustiness is due mainly to the baking, however. In some cases, the water in which potatoes have been boiled is used, since it promotes the growth of yeast. If some of the cooked potato is added, it contributes toward keep¬ ing the bread moist. The amount used must be small, since it dilutes the gluten content and interferes with the lightness of the bread. Milk increases the food value of the bread. This is an especially desirable place to use skim milk or skim-milk powder. Fluid milk should be boiled to kill bacteria and stop the action of protein-splitting enzymes. Skimmilk powder can be used in amounts up to J cup to a pound of flour. Diluted evaporated milk also may be used, but needs no scalding. For sweet breads, condensed milk sometimes is used. Buttermilk may be used in yeast bread. It yields a bread with a fine, velvety, uniform texture, with an improved color and bloom of crust, and a distinctive flavor. While com¬ mercial lactic acid may be used with good Loaves of Bread • They may come in different shapes and sizes, but all must conform to local laws as to weight results, that present in a good grade of but¬ termilk is equally satisfactory and might well be used more widely than it is. Whey, too, may be used with good results, since it is high in lactic acid and minerals.