The art of cookery

Liquid Yeast. — Compressed yeast is on sale in most towns and villages, but as it cannot be obtained at all times and in all places every housekeeper should be acquainted with some approved method of making liquid yeast. Here is one that has been thoroughly tested : Steep an eighth of an ounce of pressed, or a small handful of loose, hops in a quart of boiling water for about five minutes. Strain the boiling infusion upon half a pint of flour, stirred to a smooth paste with a little cold water, mix well, let boil a minute, add a tablespoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of white sugar, set aside till lukewarm, then stir in two half-ounce cakes of compressed yeast dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of cold water, or a gill of good liquid yeast. Let stand twenty-four hours, stirring occasionally, cover closely, and set in a cool place. Yeast made according to this method will keep sweet two or three weeks, and can be used any time during that period for mixing bread, or for starting a fresh supply of yeast. Liquid Yeast Bread. — Mash one medium-sized, wellboiled potato in an earthen bowl with half a teacupful of flour, and pour over it, stirring meanwhile, a quart of boiling water. Set the mixture aside until it gets lukewarm, then pour into it half a teacupful of liquid yeast, stir well, cover closely, and let stand till light. When it is perfectly light and foamy, which will be in about six hours if kept at the proper temperature, mix together equal portions of this ferment and warm sweet milk. Stir in sifted flour until a dough is formed sufficiently stiff" to be turned from the mixing bowl to the molding board in a mass, then proceed in every respect as when Bread- Making. 1 93 making bread with compressed yeast. Bread made according to this method goes under the general name of home-made bread, and if all the conditions are carefullycomplied with, it will be of good quality, but not nearly so good as Vienna bread. Imperial Rolls. — Divide a piece of Vienna bread dough, large enough for an ordinary sized loaf, into a dozen irregular pieces about half an inch in thickness. Take, separately, each of these pieces in the left hand, and slightly stretch with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand one of the irregular points over the left thumb, toward the center of the roll. Repeat this operation, turning the piece of dough as it proceeds, at each turn lifting the thumb and gently pressing it upon the last fold, until all the points have been drawn in, when the roll must be turned face, or smooth side, upward to rise, and when sufficiently risen must be reversed in position, or turned smooth side downward in the pan, and placed in the oven. If the folding is done properly, an imperial roll when baked will be composed of a succession of sheets or layers of delicate, tenacious crumb, surrounded with a thin, crisp, tender crust. French Rolls No. i. — Take enough dough for a small loaf of bread, and divide it into four pieces. Roll each piece under the palms of the hands, upon the molding board, into a long roll not much thicker than one's thumb, lay in a suitable roll pan, let rise till sufficiently light, then bake. French Rolls No. 2. — Divide a piece of bread dough large enough for a small loaf of bread into twelve pieces. With the finger-tips knead each piece into a ball, then 194 '^^ ^^^ ^f Cookery.