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Bread Without Yeast-Salt-Rising
In the morning set a sponge in a pitcher, by taking one teaspoonful of sugar, two-thirds teaspoon of salt, one-half as much saleratus, and one coffee-cup of new milk. Pour on this one pint of boiling water; let it stand until it is only blood-warm, and stir in flour to make a stiff batter. Keep it warm by setting it in warm water, and in five hours it will be a foam-if not, stir in a little flour. Then mix soft in your bread-pan with about a pint of milk and water, salt, and cover lightly with flour. This will rise again in about an hour; then mix rather firm and put in your tins.
IV. Bread of Fine Flour.
In making any bread the mixer must know the strength of the yeast and the quality of the flour, for flour varies in its rising qualities just as yeast does in strength. The rule is that more yeast is required in cold weather than in warm, and closer watching of the sponge is required in warm than in cold weather. The "good old-fashioned way," when bread was only made once a week and baked in a brick oven, was to take from five to six gallons of flour, put it in the kneading-trough and make a hole in the center of the flour, into which was poured a pint or more of yeast -according to strength-well mixed with a pint of milk-warm water. With a spoon this was stirred into a smooth batter and sprinkled over with all the dry flour left. Then the plan was to cover with a cloth and in summer set it in a rather cool place, or in winter in a warm place. When the sponge has risen, scatter over it two tablespoonfuls of salt, add warm water by degrees as you mix all thoroughly together. Work and knead the whole until it will no longer stick to the hands. Cover the mass with flour and set it under a cloth, where it is warm, to rise. When risen, divide into suitable loaves, mould them lightly upon the pastry-board, place in floured tins or pans and bake as quickly as possible, but not to brown the crust too much; that is, the oven must be of such a temperature that a large loaf will bake in from one hour to one hour and a half. This is the best way to make bread where large quantities are baked, as, where many hands are kept. Then a brick oven is economical.
V. Heating the Oven.
To heat a brick oven requires judgment. The fuel should be hard wood, quite dry, and cut fine. Then the oven may be heated in an hour. The oven is cleaned by drawing out the coals and sweeping with a broom, having the brush on the handle similar to the teeth of a rake. If, upon throwing a little dry flour into the oven, it turns dark, the oven must be cooled a little. The bread once in the oven, shut and close tight.
VI. Milk Bread, Potato Bread and Cream Bread.
THESE are made with milk and water, instead of clear water, or with cream and water, if the bread is liked a trifle short. This also makes excellent rolls. Potato bread is made by adding a little warm mashed boiled potato to the sponge, the manipulation of the whole being otherwise identical with the operations for bread previously given. Rice bread is also made by adding boiled rice, crushed fine, to the sponge. A little fine corn-meal is sometimes added to the sponge, under the supposition that it keeps the bread moist.
The intelligent housewife may modify her bread-making in many ways. In fact, hardly two persons make bread exactly alike.
VII. Rye Bread.
TAKE as much flour as you wish for one baking of bread; make a hole in the center of the flour and stir into it a teacupful of good hop yeast and a pint of new milk. Stir the batter a little stiffer than for griddle-cakes, salting the batter to the taste. Then cover closely, and let it rise over night. In the morning, add more new milk, and knead up your bread very stiff. Then make a hole through the center of the dough, and let it rise until it is even on the top. Your bread is then ready to put in the pans for the third rising, which will take about half an hour. Bake as you would wheat bread. It is also good if mixed with two-thirds wheat flour to one of rye. VIII. Graham Bread.
MAKE a sponge as for white bread, as a Graham sponge is apt to sour, or use part of the sponge to make a soft dough. If liked, a little syrup or sugar may be added. Let it rise only once before putting into the pans. If you proceed as you do with white bread, you will not fail. If you wish all Graham bread, for a change, you can make the " gems" by stirring the Graham flour into cold water, so as to form a stiff batter, and bake in gem pans, in a quick oven; or puffs may be made by taking one cupful of sweet milk, one egg and one cupful of Graham flour, and bake as above.
IX. Boston Brown Bread.
THE rule is two parts of Indian meal to one of rye. Wheat flour is sometimes used, and sometimes wheat and rye. To three quarts of mixed meal, add a gill of molasses (not glucose syrup), two teaspoonfuls of salt, one of saleratus and a half-teacupful of good yeast. Water, or better, skimmed milk enough may be used to make a very thick batter.
Put in a baking-pan covered, and set in a warm place to rise. When it cracks on the top, smooth it over with the wet hand and place it in the warm oven (not hot) until risen. Then bake with a brisk heat for three or four hours; it may even take five or six hours if the loaf is large, for the oven must not be very hot at any time.
When baked let it cool in the oven, and