Soyer's standard cookery

Fermented and unfermented breads are raised to be made light and porous, that they may be easily acted upon by the digestive ferments. Some mixtures are made light by heating sufficiently to enclose a large amount of air, and when baked in a hot oven, air is forced to expand. AERATED BREAD is made light by carbon dioxide forced into dough under pressure. The carbon dioxide is generated from sulphuric acid and lime. Aerated bread is of close texture, and has a flavor peculiar to itself. It is a product of the baker's skill, but has found little favor except in few localities. Water Bread. Two cups boiling water, one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of lard, one tablespoonful of sugar, one and a half teaspoonfuls of salt, one-quarter yeast cake dissolved in onequarter cup lukewarm water, six cups sifted flour. Put butter, lard, sugar, and salt in bread raiser, or large bowl without a lip; pour on boiling water; when lukewarm, add dissolved yeast cake and five cups of flour; then stir until thoroughly mixed, using a wooden spoon. Add remaining flour, mix, and turn on a floured board, leaving a clean bowl; knead until mixture is smooth, elastic to touch, and bubbles may be seen under the surface. Some practice is required to knead quickly, but the motion once acquired will never be forgotten. Return to bowl, cover with a clean cloth kept for the purpose, and board or tin cover; let rise over night in temperature of 65° F. In morning cut down; this is accomplished by cutting through and turning over dough several times with a case knife, and checks fermentation for a short time; dough may be raised again, and re-cut down if it is not convenient to shape into loaves or biscuits after first cutting. When properly cared for, bread need never sour. Toss on board slightly floured, knead, shape into loaves or biscuits, place in greased pans, having pans nearly half full. Cover, let rise again to double its bulk, and bake in hot oven. Cottolene, coto suet, or beef drippings may be used for shortening, one-third less being required. Bread shortened with butter has a good flavor, but is not as white as when lard is used. Milk and Water Bread. One cup scalded milk, one cup of boiling water, one tablespoonful of lard, one tablespoonful of butter, one and a half teaspoonfuls of salt. One yeast cake dissolved in one-quarter cup lukewarm water, six cups sifted flour, or one cup white flour and enough entire wheat flour to knead. Prepare and bake as water bread. When entire wheat flour is used add three tablespoonfuls molasses. Bread may be mixed, raised, and baked in five hours, by using one yeast cake. Bread made in this way has proved most satisfactory. It is usually mixed in the morning, and the cook is able to watch the dough while rising and keep it at uniform temperature. It is often desirable to place bowl containing dough in pan of water, keeping water at uniform temperature of from 95° to 100° F. Graham Bread. Two and a half cups of hot liquid (water, or milk and water), half cup molasses, one and a half teaspoonfuls of salt, one-quarter yeast cake dissolved in one-quarter cup lukewarm water, three cups flour, three cups Graham flour. Prepare and bake as in first recipe. The bran remaining in sieve after sifting Graham flour should be discarded. Rye Bread.