Mrs. Wilsons Cook Book | Page 3

of the hand, near the wrist, to knead and work the dough.
Kneading is most important and should be thoroughly done. Do not be
afraid of hurting the dough; you can handle it as roughly as you like.
Heavy, active kneading distributes the yeast organisms and develops
the elasticity of the gluten and gives body and strength to the dough.
Now, a word about the baking. Bread is baked to kill the fermentation
and to hold the glutinous walls of the dough in place and to cook the
starch and thus make it palatable and easy to digest.
An oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit is necessary. Do not have it any hotter
than this. Too much heat browns the loaf before it has time to bake in
the centre.

SALT
Salt controls the action of the yeast. It also retards or delays the proper
fermentation if too large an amount of it is used. Then again, if not
enough salt is added to the mix, the yeast becomes too active and thus
produces an overlight loaf of bread. One ounce of salt to each quart of
liquid in summer, and three-fourths of an ounce in winter will give the
best results to the home baker.
BAKING THE BREAD
Now turn on a moulding board and cut into five parts or loaves. Allow
about nineteen ounces to each loaf. Take the dough up between the
hands and work into a round ball. Place on the moulding board and
cover for ten minutes. Now with the palm of the hand flatten out the
dough and then fold halfway over, pounding well with the hand. Now,
take the dough between the hands and stretch out, knocking it against
the moulding board, fold in the ends and shape into loaves. Place in
well-greased pans and brush the top of each loaf with shortening. Cover
and let raise for 45 minutes. Bake in a hot oven for 45 minutes and
brush with shortening when removing from the oven. Let cool and then
the bread is ready to use.
SPONGE METHOD
Generally speaking, the sponge method produces a lighter and whiter
loaf than the bread made by the straight dough method. Bread made by
the straight dough method has the advantage over bread made by the
sponge method in flavor, texture and keeping qualities.
SPONGE METHOD
One quart of water or half water and half milk, 80 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Two yeast cakes,
Two and one-half quarts or two and
one-half pounds of flour, One ounce of sugar.
Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the water and add the flour. Beat to

thoroughly blend and then set aside to raise for three hours, then add
One ounce of salt,
One and one-half ounces of shortening,
One and
one-half quarts or one and one-half pounds of flour.
Work to a smooth elastic dough. This takes usually about ten minutes,
after the flour is worked into the dough. Place in a greased bowl and
then turn over the dough to coat with shortening. This prevents a crust
from forming on the dough. Set aside to raise for two hours and then
pull the sides down to the centre of the dough and punch down. Turn
the dough over and let raise for one and one-quarter hours.
THE CARE OF THE BREAD AFTER BAKING
The jar, crock or box in which the bread is kept should be

scrupulously clean. It should be scalded and aired one day every week
in winter and three times weekly during the spring, summer and early
fall. Keep the fact in mind that the bread kept in a poorly ventilated box
will mould and spoil and thus be unfit for food.
Place the freshly baked bread on a wire rack to thoroughly cool before
storing. Do not put old bread in the box with the new baking. Plan to
use the stale bread for toast, dressings, bread and cabinet puddings,
croutons and crumbs.
THE FOOD VALUE OF BREAD
Wheat contains the sixteen needed elements for nutrition, and when
made into palatable bread, it forms about 40 per cent. of our total food
requirements. Stale bread digests much easier than fresh bread for the
reason that when thoroughly masticated in the mouth the saliva acts
directly upon the starchy content. Fresh bread, unless thoroughly
chewed, so that it may be well broken up, becomes a hard, pasty ball in
the stomach, which requires that organ to manufacture the additional
gastric juices to break up this dough ball.
Bread from one to three days old easily digests. Graham and whole
wheat breads contain a larger percentage of nutriment than the white

breads.
OVEN TEMPERATURE
Many housewives feel that it is impossible to secure accurate results in
baking in the gas range; this is due to the fact that few women really
understand the principle of baking