Principles of food preparation

Note. If a very thick crust is desired, the oven temperature should be low and the baking prolonged. This method gives a nutty-flavored loaf, which is both wholesomer and more delicious. Quick-Process Bread — Straight Dough Method Ingredients same as before. Method. Sift flour, salt, and sugar. Blend the yeast cake in a bowl with a little of the warm liquid until smooth. Add the remainder of the liquid and the butter. Add flour enough to make a soft dough. {This step should occupy not more than 7 m.) Knead the dough on a lightly floured board, gently at first, but increasing the pressure as the mass becomes less sticky, and continuing to knead until the dough will no longer adhere to the hands or the board. ( This step should occupy not more than 15 m.). Set the dough to rise in a greased bowl, placed in a pan of water and closely covered, as already described. Allow to stand until the dough has doubled in bulk. {This step should be completed in 30 m.) Remove the dough from the bowl, manipulate lightly, hardly more than shaping with the hands into loaves, and place these in greased pans to rise again in a warm place until once more doubled in bulk. ( This should take place in 20 m.) Bake as before, with gradually increasing heat, for 45 m. Remember to weigh before and after baking. Compare the two loaves. Which rose the highest? Which has the finer and more even grain? Notes. A second kneading, after the bread has risen once in the dough stage, gives a finer grain, and this method should be used in making quick-process bread at home. A single compressed yeast cake will yield, during its growth, sufficient gas to raise eight or more loaves of bread made by the slow, or overnight process. Many housekeepers prefer to use a dried yeast for this method, and when a dried yeast is used a sponge is generally preferred to the "straight dough." The reason is thought to be that a sponge affords better conditions for a re-birth of activity, so to speak, on the part of the yeast cells, since these are in the spore state in the dried yeast, and need longer coaxing before they begin to work than is needed by the compressed yeast, which is merely in a resting state. Once the cells have come out of the spore state, however, they are very active, so that by the time the dough is mixed and kneaded their vigorous growth quickly raises the mass. The reverse of this appears to be the case with the compressed yeast, whose initial activity is very great, and in actual practice it has been found well to take advantage of this, and knead up the dough at once. Whenever the slow-process method is used it is advisable to scald the wetting first, to sterilize it, so as to avoid the presence of other organisms than the yeast. These do not have time to do harm during the quick process. Of course if the liquid is scalded it must be allowed to cool to such a temperature as will not hurt the yeast plant. Made by straight dough and sponge methods STUDY OF YEAST AIDS Make a loaf of quick-process bread by the second method, using one or two teaspoonfuls of glucose instead of cane sugar.