Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-17
HOW TO MAKE BREAD
FIRST ADVICE TO SELECT GOOD
FLOUR.
Recipes That All inexperienced
Cooks Should Read and
Study.

HOur IS the nrSt item TO De CONSIDERED.
Good flour should be of a ye.lowish white
tinge, rather granulated and free from bran.
When made into a dough 1t should be
| strong, elastic and easy to be kneaded. Poor
flour Is sticky. damp and clammy when
made into dough. prone to fatten and
| spread over the molding board and exceed
ingly hard to handle
The names given to flour are not always
sure criterion of quality, the same brand
varying somewhat from year to year The
best way in buying -four by the quantity is
to take small quantity at first and give it
a trial baking.
All flour should be kept in a cool. dry
place. as dampness causes it to absorb
moisture and the gluten loses its tenacity,
causing the grain of the bread made from 1t
to become much coarser
After selecting the flour the yeast must
be considered. 1t should be strong sweet
and pure. What kind it shall be must de-
pend upon circumstances. Compressed
yeast cakes are good and convenient, and
will do the work much more quickly than
Ten times the amount of home made or
bakers yeast: Indeed, the compressed
yeast is almost Indispensable for the quick
raising process which is now considered the
ideal method Of bread making.
Milk Should Be Scalded.
In making the dough the flour may be
moistened with wate- or milk, or milk and
water. If milk is used, it should be scalded
mot boiled), then cooled. This is necessary
to prevent souring.
II water Is preferred it should be boiled
and cooled to lukewarm. II milk and water,
pour the boiling water into the milk Those
VINO prefer water declare that it is not only
more economical but that it preserves the
sweet, nutty taste Of the flour, while those
who believe in milk claim that milk bread
Is more tender, nutritious and agreeable to
eye and palate.
The proportion of liquid and flour varies
according to the liquid and the -four. The
general rule, however, Is one scant meas
ure of liquid. including yeast. to three full
measures OF flour. Water bread usually
needs about one cupful more flour than
milk, and therefore takes more time in the
rising. For the quick process one whole
yeast cake is used to a pint of wetting,
While Tor overnight raising half a cupful
OF fresh homemade yeast or quarter of a
cake of the compressed yeast dissolved in a
half cup lukewarm water will suffice. In
dlssolv1ng yeast great care must be taken
that the water or milk is Just lukewarm If
too hot it will cook the yeast enough to de-
stroy Its leavening power, and If too cold
1t will partially chill its life.
A Little Shortening Advised.
Bread made with unskimmed milk needs
no other shortening, but water bread is
made more tender by using little short
ening. This may be butter, lard or drip
ping, and Is best melted in the warm
liquid. Too much shortening checks the
rising by clogging the glutinous cell walls.
One tablespoonful is the usual proportion
for a pint of wetting. A teaspoonful of
salt Is also required. and sugar may be
added. In mixing the dough all the flour
may be added at once and the dough
raised in mass, or soft batter may be
added and the entire mass allowed to rise
again.
The latter method is preferable when the
sponge is set at night or there ia anv douht
about the quality of the yeast 4 point
in favor of adding it all at once is that
each time the bread Is kneaded it loses
some Of its nutritive qualities.
The kneading is an important part of
bread making. The time required depends
entirely upon circumstances. 1t must be
kneaded long enough to lose its sickness
and become firm and elastic. The new
patent kneaders mix and knead the dough
with scientific accuracy thoroughly mixing
all the ingredients so that each particle
of flour is covered with film of moisture
heat in baking. lacking these labor-sav-
ing devices, sprinkle your molding board
with flour, leaving a little in the corner
to dip your fingers in. Flour the hands
up and over toward the center, letting the
palm of the hand meet the dough- Press
down, firmly giving the dough a rolling
motion to prevent its sticking to the board
Other Important Details.
Repeat this turning, rolling and pressing
until the dough is smooth elastic and firm.
The French baker, after mis- bread has
reached this consistency, begins to use
water instead of flour for moistening his
fingers, arguing that it makes the bread
more porous and elastic. The first mould
ing usually takes from fifteen to twenty
minutes. After this kneading, let the
bread stand aside in warm place lightly
covered to rise. The yeast plant can live
in a temperature ranging from thirty de-
grees to 10 Fahrenheit, but thrives best
at about ID degrees. Avoid draughts of
air sudden alterations of heat and cold.
If placed near the fire 1t must be turned
frequently. If necessary to hasten the ris-
ing, set the bread pan in a larger pan of
warm (not hoD water taking care to keep
the water at the same temperature.
If made with compressed yeast, the
dough will usually rise the first time in
an hour, doubling even trebling It's
original bulk, and looking like a honey
comb all the way through. Care must be
taken, however, that the dough does not
become too light or it will fall and sour,