The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1914-01-30
Chapter IL

By George A Olson, Chemist State
Agricultural Experiment Station,
Pullman. Wash.
EN HE scientific methods used to de-
termlne the amount of water a
flour requires are impracticable
for household purposes. However,
there is a means whereby anyone can
determine the water requirement of a
flour, provided he has a fairly accu-
rate scale and a small apothecarys
graduate. 1t involves practical tests
of the behavior OF the dough in the
process of fermentation and in the
baking.
Weigh out three or four lots of flour
of four ounces each, add in the one
lot two ounces of prepared yeast prep
aration, in another two and four
tenths ounces of yeast preparation. If
the one with two and eight-tenths
ounces is too soft, while another with
two and four-tenths ounces is a little
too stiff mix a fourth lot, adding two
and five-tenths ounces of the yeast
preparation. Mix, set aside in a warm
place and let raise until light. then
bake and observe which combination
gives the best result, indicates also
the required amount of yeast solution
to use. The quantity of yeast prepa-
ration used for four ounces of flour,
multiplied by fifteen, will give the
quantity required for five one-pound
loaves of bread, or multiplied by three
will give the quantity required for
each three-quarter pound of flour to
make one one-pound loaf.
What the Illustration Teaches
The accompanying illustration shows
the variations in the baking of a loaf
of bread, such as are commonly OBJ
served in the ordinary household prac-
tees. Only one kind and the same
lot of flour, the same amount of flour,
yeast, salt and sugar were used. The
only variable was the amount of wa
ter. In the first row the loayes are
what are known as straight bakes (i.
e., without any kneading other than
with the first mixing); in the second
row, one kneading besides the mixing,
and in the third row, two kneadings
besides the mixing are represented. In
each case No. l was made stiff, No.
less stiff, No. 3 still less stiff or a
dough of proper slackness. and No.
so soft that it had to be handled with
spoon. The loaves following in or
der below these numbers have the
same amount of water as those in the
top row; e. e., Nos 3. and IL had
651s per cent of water. The improve
ment of the texture of the loaf, due
to kneading. is clearly shown. 1t is
possible under ordinary methods of
making bread to have in one baking
bread like No. 10. in another like No.
IL or 3 and occasionally like No. 3.
This is due to the fact that the mate
rial has not been accurately measured
out and, as a result, one hears that
the bread is not as good and won
ders what the trouble is. At other
times, the variations are not so no.
ticeable, but il the different bakings
should be compared there are, in all
proba bility, such variations as these.
with reasonable increase of water
there is always an increase in the
weight of bread and volume of loaf.
An increase of water reduces the time
required fer the fermentation and
baking. When the straight bakes are
compared with those involving knead-
| ing, it is observed that the weight
of the loaf is practically the same in
all cases when like amounts of water
| were used.)