HOME-MADE BREAD

New Zealand Listener, Volume 7, Issue 167, 4 September 1942, Page 15

HOME-MADE BREAD

weeks, a fresh interest in the making of home-made bread has arisen, especially in country districts. Many people want to make enough for at least part of the week-probably because the delivery of bakers’ bread is not so easy now-nor are the shopping trips to town so frequent. So here are some of the Daisy Chain’s own recipes. iI FIND that, during the past few Bread is not hard to make — when ence one has worked out one’s own special preferences-which will take only two or three bakings. And what is nicer than a really good home-made loaf? Family Bread (Redcliffs, Christchurch) This Link says her+recipe has been well tried and tested, and has been awarded many prizes. It is not a fancy bread, but a good everyday loaf. She uses a coal range and stipulates that the oven door must not be opened under three-quarters of an hour, as steam escapes and doughy bread results. Sift into a warmed basin 10 breakfast cups of flour and 1 tablespoon of salt. Be particular with the quantity of salt, as too much retards the rising. The flour may be all white, or half and half white and wholemeal, but the Link prefers 7 cups of white to 3 of wholemeal for special lightness. Into another basin put 2 teaspoons of compressed yeast and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Work together till the yeast is liquid, then add to it 34% to 4 cups of lukewarm water, or milk and water. Make a hole in the centre of the flour and pour in the warm water and yeast mixture. Mix from the sides to the centre till the mixture (or sponge as it is called) is a light dough slightly moister than scone dough. Cover the vessel with a clean cloth, and a thick rug or blanket (so that it will not cool’ off too quickly) and leave in a warm place overnight. Next morning, turn the dough on to a floured board, sprinkle with more flour, and knead with the back of the fingers, folding in all the air possible. Knead in this way for fifteen. minutes or longer. The dough must be nice and light, like a scone, and must not show any stickiness whatever, and also must not be over dry-just light and fluffy. Shape into loaves, and half fill well-greased bread tins, cover and leave in a warm place for one hour, then bake in a nice moderate oven for an hour-about regulo 7, or 420 degrees to 450 degrees. When done, turn out, and rub the tops with melted butter or a cloth dipped in hot water. After threequarters of an hour the fire can die down a little, but do not open the oven door for three-quarters of an hour, then close gently. This is very important. Wholemeal Bread This is made with 2% lbs. wholemeal and % lb. white flour, 144 pints milk,

% oz. sugar, 1 oz, compressed yeast, 1% ozs. butter, % oz. salt. First scald the milk and then cool it until lukewarm. In it dissolve the yeast and the sugar. Add this to the % Ib. of white flour, and beat ‘to a smooth batter. Then leave it in a warm place for ¥-hour. This is called the "sponge." In another basin, warmed, rub the butter into the sifted wholemeal and salt. Add to this, the first mixture of white flour, yeast, sugar and milk (or sponge), which has been standing for half an hour. Work the two mixtures together to a smooth dough. Leave it to rise in a warm place until double the size, which will take about two hours. Then turn on to a floured board and knead well, folding in as much air_as possible. Then leave anothe? half hour. It will now be ready to shape into loaves. If using tins to bake in see that they are well greased and fill them only half full. Leave the loaves to fise for another half hour — they should almost double themselves again. Then bake in a moderate oven (regulo 7, 420 degrees to 450 degrees) for forty minutes or more, according to the size: of the loaf. Wholemeal Malt Loaf (Papakura) This recipe uses home-made yeast. Three breakfast cups flour-which may be all white or half white and half wholemeal, % cup raw sugar, 3 ozs. butter, 1 good big tablespoon malt, 1 cup of sultanas (which may be omitted), 1 dessertspoon salt, 1 breakfast cup

warm milk, or milk and water, and % cup liquid yeast. Sift the flour into a warm basin, add sugar and salt. Rub in the butter, add the sultanas. Dissolve the malt in the warm milk. Make a well in the centre of the flour, pour in the yeast and the warm, liquid. Mix all together and make to a nice dough — not too soft and not too stiff. A little extra flour may be added if necessary. Sprinkle the dough with flour, cover with a clean cloth and a blanket, and leave in a warm place to rise double the size, (Overnight in the hot water cupboard is a good idea.) In the morning turn on to a floured board, knead well, and half fill greased tins. Again cover and leave till risen to the top of the tins, Bake steadily in a moderate oven about one hour. Liquid Yeast To Work New Yeast. — Mix up a small piece of compressed yeast with a little sugar to make it liquid. Then stir it into the new yeast. Put it all into a serew top jar, and leave for two days. By "working" is meant the rising of the bubbles of carbon dioxide to the surface where a good froth is formed. To Start Liquid Yeast.-1 oz. hops (handful or two), 2 medium potatoes, cut up, skins and all, 3 pints water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 cup flour. Boil hops, potatoes, and water for 20 minutes. Strain and add the sugar. Leave till lukewarm. Mix the flour with a little of the liquid, and add all to the starter. To Keep the Yeast Working.-Each day add to the jar a dessertspoon of sugar and a little lukewarm unsalted potato water, pouring out some of the old yeast in the jar if too full. After adding potato water yeast is ready for use again in about eight hours if required.