Book of American Baking / A Practical Guide Covering Various Branches of the Baking Industry, Including Cakes, Buns, and Pastry, Bread Making, Pie Baking, Etc.

by Various

Skimmed Milk.

Now we will consider skimmed milk, or separated milk. We must bear in mind they have very little fat, though the milk sugar is retained; it is simply fresh milk minus the cream. As butter-fat is about 4 per cent. of the total milk, often less, the fat can be replaced by lard or any neutral fat. They are really as good, and the public in any case will hardly give you credit for having used butter. A quart of separated milk, containing 2 ounces of sweet lard or neutral fat, will make nearly as good bread as fresh milk. Do not get the idea that it will be thinner, and therefore use more fat than is necessary. One gallon of separated milk and 7 ounces of fat equals one gallon of fresh milk. Lard and neutral fats only affect the texture and shortness, and even butter added as a fat does not give that mild flavor imparted when the full cream is used.