Put the flour into a deep earthenware pan which is perfectly
dry and free from dust, and deep enough to be not much more
than half filled by the quantity of flour. This will give room
for kneading, and will allow for the rising of the dough. Take
a strong wooden spoon and make a hollow in the middle of the
flour, but do not go down to the bottom or the sponge (that is,
the thin batter in which the yeast grows) will stick to the
bottom of the pan. Put the German yeast into a large basin,
and mix it to a smooth cream, adding by degrees a dessert-
spoonful of fine salt, and a pint of water. The temperature of
the water must be settled by adding one part of boiling water
to two parts of cold. A little milk✪ Quartern Loaf is often considered to
improve the bread ; this also must be lukewarm. Add the
liquid to the yeast by degrees, stirring till perfectly mixed. If
you neglect this the bread will be full of large holes. Pour the
yeast into the hole in the flour, and stir into it as much of the
flour lying round as will make a pool of batter as thick as
cream. If there are any lumps beat them out with the wooden
spoon. Strew plenty of the flour on the pool, throw a thick
clean cloth over the pan, and set it on a chair so that it is
raised from the floor. Put it in a warm place, out of the draught,
BREAD, BISCUITS, AND CAKES
527
but not in front of the fire. The yeast-plant requires gentle
warmth to make it grow, but heat kills it at once. Look at the
sponge from time to time ; probably in half an hour it will be
seen to ferment — that is, the yeast will have broken through
the flour in its growth and given off large bubbles of the
carbonic acid gas, which has the effect of lightening the bread.
When this is the case the sponge is ready to be made up into
dough. Put the pan on a table of convenient height for you to
knead. Pour into the sponge a little more lukewarm water, or
milk and water, probably half a pint. Do not make the
dough too moist. Stir in as much of the flour as you can with
the spoon. Then take plenty of the remaining flour, throw it
on the top of the sponge, and knead it steadily and firmly with
the knuckles of both hands. Do not work quickly, but steadily.
Keep throwing up the flour which lies under and over the
dough on to the top. When it ceases to stick to the pan or to
your hands it will be sufficiently kneaded. When the flour is
nearly all kneaded into the dough begin to draw the edges
towards the middle, in order to mix the whole thoroughly, and
go on kneading it all over with your knuckles, pressing them
well into and over the dough, and turning it constantly from
one side of the pan to the middle. It is impossible to say
exactly how long the kneading will take ; probably half an
hour. When all the flour is worked in, and the outside of the
dough is clear from the pan, and free from any lumps, cover
the pan with the cloth, and leave it to rise, putting it, as before,
in a warm, but not a hot, place. Look at it in three-quarters
of an hour. If the dough has swollen to nearly twice its
original size, and if it has begun to crack, it will be fit to
bake. Set it on a pastry board, and with a large sharp knife
divide the dough in half. It ought to be full of little holes
like a sponge.
Page 365 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Put the flour into a deep earthenware pan which is perfectly dry and free from dust, and deep enough to be not much more than half filled by the quantity of flour. This will give room for kneading, and will allow for the rising of the dough. Take a strong wooden spoon and make a hollow in the middle of the flour, but do not go down to the bottom or the sponge (that is, the thin batter in which the yeast grows) will stick to the bottom of the pan. Put the German yeast into a large basin, and mix it to a smooth cream, adding by degrees a dessertspoonful of fine salt, and a pint of water. The temperature of the water must be settled by adding one part of boiling water to two parts of cold. A little milk is often considered to improve the bread ; this also must be lukewarm. Add the liquid to the yeast by degrees, stirring till perfectly mixed. If you neglect this the bread will be full of large holes. Pour the yeast into the hole in the flour, and stir into it as much of the flour lying round as will make a pool of batter as thick as cream. If there are any lumps beat them out with the wooden spoon. Strew plenty of the flour on the pool, throw a thick clean cloth over the pan, and set it on a chair so that it is raised from the floor. Put it in a warm place, out of the draught,
but not in front of the fire. The yeast-plant requires gentle warmth to make it grow, but heat kills it at once. Look at the sponge from time to time ; probably in half an hour it will be seen to ferment — that is, the yeast will have broken through the flour in its growth and given off large bubbles of the carbonic acid gas, which has the effect of lightening the bread. When this is the case the sponge is ready to be made up into dough. Put the pan on a table of convenient height for you to knead. Pour into the sponge a little more lukewarm water, or milk and water, probably half a pint. Do not make the dough too moist. Stir in as much of the flour as you can with the spoon. Then take plenty of the remaining flour, throw it on the top of the sponge, and knead it steadily and firmly with the knuckles of both hands. Do not work quickly, but steadily. Keep throwing up the flour which lies under and over the dough on to the top. When it ceases to stick to the pan or to your hands it will be sufficiently kneaded. When the flour is nearly all kneaded into the dough begin to draw the edges towards the middle, in order to mix the whole thoroughly, and go on kneading it all over with your knuckles, pressing them well into and over the dough, and turning it constantly from one side of the pan to the middle. It is impossible to say exactly how long the kneading will take ; probably half an hour. When all the flour is worked in, and the outside of the dough is clear from the pan, and free from any lumps, cover the pan with the cloth, and leave it to rise, putting it, as before, in a warm, but not a hot, place. Look at it in three-quarters of an hour. If the dough has swollen to nearly twice its original size, and if it has begun to crack, it will be fit to bake. Set it on a pastry board, and with a large sharp knife divide the dough in half. It ought to be full of little holes like a sponge.
Records on this page
Quartern Loaf