Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-23
Good Bread

Good Bread
First let me say what l consider good
bread, tor there is much diversity of opin.
ion on the subject, promising that hav-
ing once attained to the making of per-
feet loaf. if your particular family like it
closer or more porous, it is easy to in
dulge them and vet have good bread"
MY ideal loaf, then, is light. white
and tender, of an even, porous character,
the holes all very small. yet not really
close-a sort of dense lightness, like good
sponge cake-the crust thin and crisp
and something the color of pitch pine.
To any one making bread for the first
time | would say, make very little-two
loaves; if by chance YOU spoil it, though
don't think you will, the loss is not
great and the work has been light"
How to produce these two perfect
loaves in the easiest and best way:
Take scant quart OF water as warm as
milk from the COW. dissolve in it half a
cake of compressed yeast and a teaspoon
full of salt. Have ready warmed, two
quarts OF flour, full measure. Make a
hole in the center of the flour, see that
the yeast is thoroughly dissolved in the
water, pour it into the hole, working the
flour gradually into it with the right
hand; when mixed, this will be soft
dough; if too soft to work, sprinkle a lit
tie -four from the dredger, and knead it,
but always use as little as possible to
knead with. At first. to a novice, it may
seem sticky and rather unmanageabe.
but by degrees. always working from the
sides towards the center, the rough mass
will become smooth and no longer stick to
the hands or bowl.
The movement in kneading is difficult
to describe, yet | will make the attempt,
because in the course of great many
lessons in bread making, | find such va
ried understanding of the word. Some
take the tips of their fingers and believe
they are thoroughly mixing the bread,
while an hour OF such handling will not
produce the smooth, plastic mass that ten
minutes proper work would do; others
simply pound and punch it. which does
not change the position of the dough at
all.
In kneading the small quantity of
dough have given. one hand is enough,
with the other steady the bowl; double
your fist and plunge it on to the side of
the dough farthest from you, bringing it
over. with pressure and turn of the
wrist. towards the middle; keep on doing
this until the dough is smooth; it will
take about ten minutes. Set it to rise in a
warm place, covered with a cloth if in
summer. for two hours or less, in winter il
will take about four hours. 1t is LIGHT
enough to work over when there is sign
OF cracking, and the whole. when pulled
| looks full of very small holes. II the
| holes are allowed to become large like
froth or coarse sponge, it will be too
light, and the bread, though it may not be
sour. will be dry and taste husky
the second day. ''Let it rise till
double its bulk" is perhaps the best rule
for beginner. When it is double the
bulk knead it again as thoroughly as you
did the first time. Now if YOU are pressed
for time after this kneading. divide the
dough, put it into two well creased pans
and set it again TO rise. This bread will
be excellent, but if, instead of putting i,
into the pans after this second kneadng
you let it rise again, then work it thor
oughly and put it in the pans. it will re.
pay the extra trouble by being whittier and
of a finer texture. After the bread is in
/
rise twice the size it was when put in. on,
by no means allow it to get beyond this
after this. all depends on the oven.
| Many bake bread slowly, leaving it in
the oven long time; this causes thick,
hard crust In modern iron ovens quick
baking is necessary. Let the oven be
quite hot; hold your hand in it; if YOU can
bear TO keep it there longer than it takes
you to count % deliberately. 1t is not no;
enough, yet if you have to withdraw il
before 90 it is too hot and your bread will
be spoit. Ii is better to manage so that
your oven waits for the bread, rather than
the bread for the oven. but if BY any
| chance the bread is light enough to bake
before your oven is ready and thus in dan.
ger Of getting too porous, work il down
thoroughly with your hand and let it rise
again.
A small loaf. and by all means make
them small until you have gained expert.
erce. will not take more than three.
quarters OF an hour to bake, il your oven
is good one. When of a nice yellow
brown take it out, turn it out of the tin on
to cloth or sieve, tap the bottom. If that
is brown aud crisp and smells cooked il
need remain no longer. If from fault oil
your oven it be not brown, but whitish
and soft, set it back in the oven, bottom
upwards. An oven, however, that does
not bake well at the bottom will be likely
10 spoil your bread. This is usually
caused by careless servant leaving q
collection of ashes underneath it. Satisfy
yourself that all the flues are clean before
beginning to bake /; il then it refuses to do
its duty. have it examined by blacksmith
or change it, for you cannot cook any,