Buckeye Bread. — Pour gradually, stirring meanwhile, a quart
of boiling water upon half a pint of wheat flour. When the mixture
has cooled to about lukewarmness (80°) add a gill ofyeast,✪ Buckeye Bread stir well,
cover closely, and let stand till thoroughly light and a mass of white
foam. Taste it, and it bites like beer ; stir it, and it seems to
sparkle with life, while the odor it emits is strongly alcoholic. This
can be kept for several hours after it becomes light and foamy with-
out growing sour, or appearing to deteriorate in any manner. But
it is better to use it as soon as it reaches this stage, as it is then at
its very best. The time required for it to grow light, varies from
two to six hours, according to the strength of the yeast put in it,
and the temperature of the place where it stands. When due at-
22 BBEAD-MAKING.
tention is given to these things, the custom of preparing or "setting"
it in the evening to be used in bread making the next day, is a con-
venient one ; and, as it usually proves satisfactory, is in no way ob-
jectionable.
When perfectly light, beat vigorously into it about half a pint
of flour, cover and leave to rise. By this addition of flour it is
transformed into sponge, which, under favorable conditions, will
rise in from half aa hour to an hour. As soon as the spoage rises,
add more flour, and give it another beating ; and so repeat each time
it rises, until it gets too stiff to be easily stirred. The mixture is
then dough, and is ready for working or kneading. After it has
been kneaded till flour is no longer required to keep it from stick-
ing to the molding board, it is of the proper consistency for bread,
and may be divided into four equal parts, molded or shaped into
loaves, and put in greased bread pans to rise for the last time, prepar-
atory to baking ; or it may be set to rise in a mass before beii^g divid-
ed into loaves. It is very diflicult to decide whether it is better to let
the dough rise in a mass or in separate loaves. Bread which rises
in a mass appears to be a trifle more elastic and spongy than that
which rises in separate loaves ; but the latter seems to excel the
former in sweetness and delicacy of flavor. In either case the bread
will be good. Two points in this mode of making bread deserve
special attention : — ^
The flour is added repeatedly after intervals of fermentation,
and as it contains fre3h fooa for the yeast, these frequent additions
of flour keep the yeast in a vigorous and healthy condition during
the entire period of bread-making.
The fermentation is always arrested in the sponge and dough
before it arrives at the exhaustive point ; whenever sponge or dough
is allowed to reach its utmost limit of expansion and fall back ^ or
"tumble in," ag it invariablv does at this crisis, it loses something
of*excellence that no after labor or attention can restore.
Page 14 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1890. 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
Buckeye Bread. — Pour gradually, stirring meanwhile, a quart of boiling water upon half a pint of wheat flour. When the mixture has cooled to about lukewarmness (80°) add a gill of yeast, stir well, cover closely, and let stand till thoroughly light and a mass of white foam. Taste it, and it bites like beer ; stir it, and it seems to sparkle with life, while the odor it emits is strongly alcoholic. This can be kept for several hours after it becomes light and foamy without growing sour, or appearing to deteriorate in any manner. But it is better to use it as soon as it reaches this stage, as it is then at its very best. The time required for it to grow light, varies from two to six hours, according to the strength of the yeast put in it, and the temperature of the place where it stands. When due attention is given to these things, the custom of preparing or "setting" it in the evening to be used in bread making the next day, is a convenient one ; and, as it usually proves satisfactory, is in no way objectionable.
When perfectly light, beat vigorously into it about half a pint of flour, cover and leave to rise. By this addition of flour it is transformed into sponge, which, under favorable conditions, will rise in from half an hour to an hour. As soon as the spoage rises, add more flour, and give it another beating ; and so repeat each time it rises, until it gets too stiff to be easily stirred. The mixture is then dough, and is ready for working or kneading. After it has been kneaded till flour is no longer required to keep it from sticking to the molding board, it is of the proper consistency for bread, and may be divided into four equal parts, molded or shaped into loaves, and put in greased bread pans to rise for the last time, preparatory to baking ; or it may be set to rise in a mass before being divided into loaves. It is very diflicult to decide whether it is better to let the dough rise in a mass or in separate loaves. Bread which rises in a mass appears to be a trifle more elastic and spongy than that which rises in separate loaves ; but the latter seems to excel the former in sweetness and delicacy of flavor. In either case the bread will be good. Two points in this mode of making bread deserve special attention : — ^
The flour is added repeatedly after intervals of fermentation, and as it contains fresh food for the yeast, these frequent additions of flour keep the yeast in a vigorous and healthy condition during the entire period of bread-making.
The fermentation is always arrested in the sponge and dough before it arrives at the exhaustive point ; whenever sponge or dough is allowed to reach its utmost limit of expansion and fall back or "tumble in," as it invariablv does at this crisis, it loses something of excellence that no after labor or attention can restore.
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Buckeye Bread