Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-08
corresuondence Of the Dispatch.)


fault Of inefficient and incomplete physi-
cal labor is added to the other evils OF
what ought to be an obsolete method.
When the average housewife is told
that under the improved method she can
| start in at, say. 10 a. NJ. to make her
sponge and have the bread baked by
o'clock. she will. | trust. be disposed
to give the idea consideration.
| When further II is claimed that to the
welcome gains OF time and ease, ETC.,
| are added more wholesome bread better
! 10 the taste, that will keep fresh much
| longer and Furthermore that bread made
! in the new way. is endorsed both by the
expert baker and the physician, the ad-
| vantages Of making change ought 10 be
| obvious.
| The medical opinion is based upon the
| fact that there is no need for any for
! cign ingredient such as sugar and pota-
toes. that the fermentation Is more rapid
and the natural sweetness in the -four
retained to the fullest extent. and that.
therefore, the bread is more nutritious
and easily digested.
1t is somewhat difficult TO describe any
! process in words. 1t would be much
easier to show the detail with a practical
! piece of dough But failing that opor-
tunity. ! give the formulae for making
two loaves.
SETTING THE SPONGE.
In an ordinary gallon bowl dissolve
two thirds of a fresh cake OF yeast, with
about pint of tepid water
Add very little salt, about as much as
! VIII lay on a dime: this cannot be gagged
closely, and the only guide to the quanti-
~ IS that the mixture must not taste
salt, but only little "brack" If the
mixture is permitted to taste salt at this
stage. when the fermentation takes place
IL will be much salter. Therefore care. is
necessary until the quantity becomes,
by use, more or less instructive
Add sufficient flour to make the batter
thick enough to be beaten with a spoon.
but not any thicker Beat ii well. put the
bowl in a very hot place, either on the
shelf over the range, or on chair close
10 the front Of the range, cover with a
cloth TO keep off the dust, being careful
the cloth does not sag down and touch
the sponge and then leave IL TO rise.
There Is no necessity to seive the flour;
II properly kept. 1t will have no Jumps.
HOW TO KNEAD.
In an hour and a half the sponge will
be light The bowl must then be trans
fcrred to the table, and sufficient flour
worked in to make n stiff dough. Then
add piece of sweet lard as large as a
small hens egg. and work ii In with the
hand, so that IL is thoroughly mixed. and
I the dough will leave the bowl clean"
| and in such "A condition that IL can be
worked and not stick 10 the kneading-
beard. 1t is the sign OF a good bread
maker that the board Is always free from
surplus -four, and perfectly clear from all
litter after the kneading once commences.
Flour the board lightly around the
centre. being careful that IL Is very dry
and knead the dough vigorously for
twenty minutes. This is a very prominent
part Of the process. and great care should
be taken not TO break the dough or tear
it-that is TO say, the kneading should be
done with the lower end of the palm-the
heel of the hand, as 1t were, and not
with the fingers.
Half the poor bread now made is due 10
this one fact-of ignorant kneading No
amount OF "pinching' will have the fine
effect Of the palm work.
The dough should be placed in the
centre OF the board. and the hands laid
lightly upon II; then the heel OF the palm
should be pressed firmly downwards, and
at the same time the hands thrown for
ward slowly, in such way that the
upper part Of the dough is held fairly
stationary S the hand. while the palm
grinds its way down and under. As the
arms straighten the dough should be
deity turned, and with the same motion
brought backward when the same grind
ing movement is again gone through, thus
systematically working the dough round
and round until it is perfectly smooth,
locking like satin and free from air. blcbs.
| Less than twenty minutes conscientious
work will not produce this effect.
1t is important that there should be no
! let-up in the kneading after il is com
! menced. The best bread Is produced
1 where the temperature Of the dough has
! been kept regular. Every break to attend
! to something else produces a lowering of
/ the surface heat.
{ The kneading must be good vigorous
/ kncading, to which the whole attention
must be devoted, with no time given to
talking or looking out OF the window.
/ In fact. If kneadng is done properly 1t
will be found that there is no chance for
attention to be given to anything else. any
more than there would be In the case OF
any other delicate domestic detail.
FORMING THE LOAVES.
! Having progressed thus far, cut the
! dough into two pieces. Place one out OF the
1 way at the upper corner of the board
/ Take the other into the centre Of the
J board with the cut surface uppermost
! Then with the fingers and thumbs of both
! surface forward and slightly downward
/ with the same action as that of enclosing
an apple in dough for baking) until the
! cut surface disappears. and a smooth,
! seamless ball remains, with tiny gather
/ ing like that of Il bag. at the top. Re-
/ peat the process with the other piece Of
! dough.
TINS AND BAKING FIRE.
Now as TO bread tins. They are OF va
rious sizes; the tins ! use measure at
/ the top inches long by wide and 3
/ deep.
Carefully grease the tins. paying special
attention to the corners; then place in
! each tin one of the pieces OF dough, and
| press II down with the knuckles well into
! the corners and along the sides, so that
! II will present an even surface coming
about half way up the sides OF the tin.
Then place the tins In very warm
J place. such as the chair in which the
/ sponge was placed to rise. They should be
I allowed to remain there until the dough
! has risen to double its capacity. or quite
/ to the top of the tin. This, II the heat
! be right, will be In about an hour. The
tins should Of course be covered to keep
| out the dust
The fire in the mean time should receive
! close attention, as fierce fire Is not re-
qured, but a steady fire-one that has
burned up steadily with good moderate.
| uniform heat, which will be maintained
in the oven with but little increase or
diminution for some time.
| A decreasing heat Is as bad as a fierce
or increasing heat. A clear fire with a
moderate draft open Is what is required.
This Is an item In which practice alone
can make perfect and many baking OF
bread is spoiled by inattention to 1t, or
| ignorance.
! When sufficiently risen the bread should
| be placed In the oven. and should be well
baked I'm about forty-five minutes. or an
! hour at the outside.
! To procure the best results. attention
should be given TO II as II bakes. Ovens
are cranky Affairs subject to wind and
other outdoor agencies: and thus varying
1t will be found necessary at times to
turn the loaves around as they brown,
crosswise or lengthwise. according to the
way In which they bake A sure sign of