Experiments 68 and 69 indicate that the approximate proportion of baking soda to sour milk is: 1/2 teaspoonful of baking soda to 1 cupful of thick sour milk.
The following "equations" indicate the importance of using the proper amount of baking soda to neutralize the acid materials:
1 cupful of sour milk + 1/2 teaspoonful of baking soda —> [Footnote 79: The plus sign is read "with"; the arrow is read "yields.">[ water + carbon dioxide gas + neutral material.
1 cupful of sour milk + 1 teaspoonful of baking soda —> water + carbon dioxide gas + neutral material + unneutralized "soda."
SPIDER CORN BREAD
3/4 cupful corn-meal 1/2 teaspoonful baking soda 1/4 cupful flour 1 egg 1 tablespoonful sugar 1 cupful sour milk 1/2 teaspoonful salt 1 tablespoonful butter or substitute
Mix the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, beat an egg, add the sour milk, then the dry ingredients. Beat the mixtures until the ingredients are well blended.
Melt the butter or substitute in a hot "spider" or frying pan. Pour the corn-meal mixture into it. Bake in a hot oven until sufficiently baked, usually about 20 minutes (see tests below). Serve hot.
TESTS FOR SUFFICIENT BAKING OF QUICK BREAD.—Quick Bread is usually sufficiently baked: (a) when it is a golden brown in color; (b) when the mixture shrinks from the pan; (c) when the crust springs back into place, if pressed gently with the fingers; or (d) when no batter or dough clings to a wire skewer or knitting needle (see Figure 1) that has been inserted. Usually it is not necessary to apply this last test, unless the quick bread is baked in a loaf or in a very thick layer.