Baking the Bread. — Medium=sized loaves should have from | to 1
hour's time for baking, and should turn out of the pan of a yellowish
brown color on the top, bottom and sides of the loaf. One test is to
thrust into the loaf a straw taken from the broom; when it is pulled
out, if it is clear from dough the bread is done, but if it is sticky the
2G0 BREAD, BISCUIT, ETC.
bread should be baked longer. Or, if the loaf is baked in 2 parts,
break them apart, and press with the finger where broken; if clammy
it is not done and must be baked longer, but if elastic it is done.
If on ojjening the oven door you are met with a cloud of steam
which quickly passes away, in all probability the bread is done.
Bread should reach the temperature of boiling water (212°) clear to
the center, but when carelessly baked, even when burned on the out-
side, it sometimes does not do so ; in such slack-baked bread the yeast
germs are not all killed, and the bread is not wholesome. In j)utting
the j)ans into the oven leave space enough between them so that the
heat can freely circulate around each one.
When turned out of the pan, if the sides of the loaf look white,
while the top and bottom crust is of a good color, turn the loaf so
that one side will come at the toj) and the other at the bottom of the
j)an, return it to the oven and finish browning the sides; if this is not
done there is danger that the loaf will be doughy in the center. An
oven too cold will allow the bread to rise too much, and cause it to
run over the sides of the pans, which detracts from the flavor of the
bread. If the oven is too hot it crusts over the top of the loaf and
causes it to crack at the sides; it will also crack at the sides if it has
not sufiiciently risen in the pan before putting it in the oven.
Remember then, that bread should be thoroughly baked, for
slack baked bread is both unwholesome and unpalatable; and also
that bread which "doughs" in the mouth will "dough" in the stom-
ach, and hence is very indigestible, because it becomes a sticky mass
which the digestive fluids do not readily penetrate.
After the loaves are baked put them where the air can freely circu-
late around them, thus cooling them quickly and carrying away any
gas remaining about them; do not leave them in the j)ans. A fine
wire frame is sometimes used to set them on; or turn the pan bottom
upward and place the loaf on it, bottom upward also. Do not wet
the crust or put a wet towel over it; a little butter or lard may be
rubbed over the crust if preferred, but the moisture from the cooling
bread will soften the crust sufficiently, and the bread keeps better to
be cooled quickly. A thin dry cloth may be thrown over if there are
flies about.
The best bread cloths are made from coarse table linen. Do not
use them for anything else, and keep them scrupulously clean.
Bread keeps best in a tin box with a cover which shuts ilowu tight-
ly to keep it from drying out quickly. It must be thoroughly cold
before iDutting it in the bread-box, or it will not keep well, and be-
sides the steam from the bread will cause the box to rust — two thingo
BREAD, BISCUIT, ETC. 261
Page 200
Presented as published in 1902. 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
Baking the Bread. — Medium=sized loaves should have from | to 1 hour's time for baking, and should turn out of the pan of a yellowish brown color on the top, bottom and sides of the loaf. One test is to thrust into the loaf a straw taken from the broom; when it is pulled out, if it is clear from dough the bread is done, but if it is sticky the
bread should be baked longer. Or, if the loaf is baked in 2 parts, break them apart, and press with the finger where broken; if clammy it is not done and must be baked longer, but if elastic it is done.
If on opening the oven door you are met with a cloud of steam which quickly passes away, in all probability the bread is done. Bread should reach the temperature of boiling water (212°) clear to the center, but when carelessly baked, even when burned on the outside, it sometimes does not do so ; in such slack-baked bread the yeast germs are not all killed, and the bread is not wholesome. In putting the pans into the oven leave space enough between them so that the heat can freely circulate around each one.
When turned out of the pan, if the sides of the loaf look white, while the top and bottom crust is of a good color, turn the loaf so that one side will come at the toj) and the other at the bottom of the pan, return it to the oven and finish browning the sides; if this is not done there is danger that the loaf will be doughy in the center. An oven too cold will allow the bread to rise too much, and cause it to run over the sides of the pans, which detracts from the flavor of the bread. If the oven is too hot it crusts over the top of the loaf and causes it to crack at the sides; it will also crack at the sides if it has not sufficiently risen in the pan before putting it in the oven.
Remember then, that bread should be thoroughly baked, for slack baked bread is both unwholesome and unpalatable; and also that bread which "doughs" in the mouth will "dough" in the stomach, and hence is very indigestible, because it becomes a sticky mass which the digestive fluids do not readily penetrate.
After the loaves are baked put them where the air can freely circulate around them, thus cooling them quickly and carrying away any gas remaining about them; do not leave them in the pans. A fine wire frame is sometimes used to set them on; or turn the pan bottom upward and place the loaf on it, bottom upward also. Do not wet the crust or put a wet towel over it; a little butter or lard may be rubbed over the crust if preferred, but the moisture from the cooling bread will soften the crust sufficiently, and the bread keeps better to be cooled quickly. A thin dry cloth may be thrown over if there are flies about.
The best bread cloths are made from coarse table linen. Do not use them for anything else, and keep them scrupulously clean.
Bread keeps best in a tin box with a cover which shuts down tightly to keep it from drying out quickly. It must be thoroughly cold before putting it in the bread-box, or it will not keep well, and besides the steam from the bread will cause the box to rust — two things