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To Bake Rolls and Fluttes
After allowing rolls and fluttes to rise for forty-five minutes, in which time they ought to have doubled in size if temperature was right, remove cloth. Have a baking pan alongside board, take up rolls from their bed with a piece of pasteboard and turn into baking pan, split side up, keeping them an inch apart from one another. Sprinkle a very little cornmeal flour over fluttes, carefully transfer with a piece of pasteboard from fluted cloth into baking dish with rolls, keeping them also one inch from one another, then with a small sharp knife make three light diagonal incisions on top of twelve fluttes only, set in oven to bake for half an hour, or until they attain a nice golden colour, remove and serve.
N. B. If desired, French loaf and ring, rolls and fluttes can all be prepared at same time-that is, one loaf, one ring, twelve each rolls and fluttes-with identical process by simply doubling quantity of each ingredient, using a vessel of double capacity (to easily hold twelve quarts) for sponge, dough, etc., and ready dough cut and rolled out accordingly. FERMENT (AN EXCELLENT HOME-MADE YEAST) For two quarts of ferment: Procure six small; raw, old potatoes the size of ordinary eggs-the uglier, more common-looking and thicker-skinned the better, but they must be sound. Thoroughly wash till completely free from sand, place in small enamelled pan, pour a quart cold water over, let gently cook until soft, which will take considerable time (or nearly fifty minutes), and drop potatoes and water in which they were boiled into a deep, narrow vessel. The water will have reduced by this time to one pint; if reduced more than a pint add shortening to make a pint. Add six ounces sifted flour, carefully and thoroughly mash potatoes, flour and water with a potato masher until a firm pulp, or for about fifteen minutes. Add a quart cold water (in hot weather; lukewarm in cold weather), then carefully dissolve ingredients with the hand until completely free from lumps and see that the ferment is just to a lukewarm point before adding yeast. Take up a half cup of the ferment and add to it a half-ounce cake firm, fresh compressed yeast, thoroughly dissolve with the hand, add to ferment and thoroughly whisk with pastry whisk until frothy. Remove whisk, cover vessel, place a heavy dry cloth around and set in warm place to rise during night. First thing in the morning remove cloth and cover from vessel, then whisk ferment for five minutes and strain through strainer into a stone jar, pressing everything through except skins of potatoes. Tightly cover, place in ice box and use as directed when required, taking care to always briskly shake the jar just before using ferment. N. B. The above ferment is of wide importance for the purpose of strengthening the preparation of the sponge, lightening and giving a delicious, sweet, succulent taste to bread.
MILK DOUGH FOR TWO RINGS (12 MILK FLUTTES AND 12 DOUGHNUTS) Break two fresh eggs in a bowl, gradually add a pint boiled milk (made lukewarm before using it), gently beat up with a fork for two minutes, then add two ounces fine sugar, two teaspoons salt, one and a half teaspoons vanilla essence, and mix the whole well together for two minutes. Add a pint ferment, made lukewarm in a bain-marie (double pan) in cold weather and used cold in hot weather. A saltspoon powdered cinnamon can be added if desired, which will give a fine additional flavour.
Place in a dishpan three pounds thoroughly ripe, best quality sifted flour, make a wide fountain in centre of flour, then pour brewing into fountain. Briskly mix with the hand and gradually incorporate flour for six minutes, then sharply knead for twenty-five to thirty minutes. Lift up with hands and vigorously knock it against bottom of pan about ten times, carefully cover pan with a dry cloth and place in a warm place to rise during the night. Lightly flour table, remove dough from vessel, place on floured table and briskly work for ten minutes, sprinkling a little flour over once in a while. Divide dough into four equal parts, carefully roll out to ball shape, cover and let rest for ten minutes, avoiding draughts.
TO SHAPE MILK RINGS ("COURONNES") Take up a ball and with the thumb make a hole in centre of dough. Rapidly turn hand around ball until open space is enlarged to four inches, the ring of equal size all around, and lay it on a lightly buttered baking pan. Prepare another in exactly same manner, cover all with a dry cloth and place for an hour in a temperature of 80 degrees to rise.
TO BAKE MILK RINGS ("COURONNES") Beat up an egg in a bowl with three tablespoons milk, then with a small hair pastry brush lightly glaze surface of the two rings and with a pair of scissors or a small sharp knife make a few double incisions on surface of each ring all around. Set in oven to bake for an hour, being careful not to open oven door for twenty minutes. Carefully watch and see that it is equally baked all around, remove and serve.