FoodNet

Simple cooking of wholesome food for the farm home

1913

Page 13 · 2 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
How Bread Is Made Light. — The rising of bread is caused by the setting free of carbon dioxide gas within the dough. This gas, as it is formed, expands and stretches the dough. The yeast should be evenly distributed through the dough. This is one 22 Bulletin of the University of Texas reason why the dough should be kneaded well. The. carbon dioxide may be produced by the fermentation caused by yeast, or by chemical action resulting from bringing together two such substances as soda and sour milk. The yeast which is used in making bread is a microscopically small plant called a fungus. A number of yeast fungi are put into dough and kept warm so that they will multiply, act on the dough, and generate the car- bon dioxide. When enough yeast plants have been developed and gas produced to make the dough light, it is cooked to kill the fungi. Bread. — One cup scalded milk, one cup boiling water, one tablespoon lard, one and one-half teaspoons salt, one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in one-fourth cup luke-warm water, one tablespoon sugar, six or more cups sifted flourBread. .Dry yeast may also be used. It is prepared as follows: Dissolve the yeast cake and sugar in luke-warm water. Put butter and salt in a perfectly clean pan or bowl, and add the milk and water, or all water may be used. Cool to luke-warm, add dissolved yeast cake, and sift in part of the flour, beat until the batter is light and porous-looking ; this will save time in kneading. Add the remainder of the flour, mix well, and, unless the dough can be gathered in a ball on the end of a spoon, more flour is necessary. Turn out on a floured bread board and knead well. The object in kneading bread is to make the gluten in the flour elastic and distribute the yeast evenly. Bread is kneaded sufficiently when it is elastic to the touch, has bubbles on the surface, and does not stick to the board. Press the finger lightly in the dough; if elastic it will spring back into place when pressure is removed. Put the dough in a clean bowl, lightly buttered or dampened with cold water, and brush a little water over the top to prevent a crust forming, cover with a clean cloth kept for that purpose, and set in 'a warm place to rise. When it has doubled its original size, remove to the board, again knead for a few minutes, and divide into loaves. Put each loaf in a greased pan, cover, and let it rise until it has again doubled in size. If it rises too long, it is likely to be sour and be full of large holes. If it does not rise enough, it will be heavy and soggy. It is always better Simple Cooking of Wholesome Food for tine Farm Home 23 to bake each loaf in a separate pan. This will insure thorough baking and brown crust on all sides. The quantity given in this recipe will make two medium-sized loaves. It can be made and l>aked in five hours. By starting the bread early in the morning, the bread can be made and baked by the time dinner is over. If it is made up at bedtime, and allowed to rise over night, one yeast cake will make twice the amount given in the recipe. In warm weather, however, there is danger of the bread rising too rapidly and of souring.