9.—Coarse Bread.
Coarse flour (or “overheads,” as it is generally called in the south of Scotland) is the cheapest grade of flour made, and if properly manufactured it will vie with any class of flour in the market for a fine, sweet, nutty flavour; but of course it is dark in colour, and I have seen flour of this grade very strong and carry an exceedingly large quantity of water.
In a test I had some time ago, I produced 110 4-lb. loaves, weighed in dough at 4 lbs. 6 ozs., out of 20 stone of this flour; but I may say that the flour was stone-dressed, and milled in the old style. This same class of flour was in general use in Scotland twenty years ago, and was generally made into coarse or second bread, and coarse “twopennies.” Many a poor family—ay, and rich families too—have thriven and had their hearts made glad on the produce of this grade of flour.
To make Coarse Bread.—Take, say 1 gallon of water, at the same temperature as for wheat meal bread; dissolve 1¼ ozs. of yeast, and the same quantity of salt, in the water; make into an ordinary-sized sponge, and when ready in the morning add half a gallon of water and about 4 ozs. of salt; then make all into a dough, and work off as other doughs.
This flour can be sponged the same way as fine flour for a quick or flying sponge, only care should be used in not setting the sponge too warm, as I find that it ferments and works more quickly than the finer grades of flour.