RECIPE FOR "PULLED BREAD"
Take a Vienna loaf of bread, twelve-hours old, cut away all the crust with a clean-cut knife, then break away gently (with your fingers only) small finger-lengths of the bread, place in a moderate oven and brown a golden brown, and it is ready to serve. 'Tis said six loaves will be required for one pound of this pulled bread. 'Tis easily prepared in the home, but quite costly, when purchased. Many people prefer "pulled bread" to fresh bread, as it is more wholesome.
AUNT SARAH'S "HUTZEL BROD"
- 2 pounds dried pears.
- 2 pounds dried prunes.
- 2 quarts juice of fruit and water.
- 1 pound dried currants.
- 1 pound seeded raisins.
- 1 pound blanched and shredded almonds.
- 1 pound chopped English walnut meats.
- 1½ ounces finely-shredded citron.
- 1½ ounces orange peel.
- ½ ounce chopped figs.
- 1 ounce ground cinnamon.
- ¼ ounce ground cloves.
- 2½ ounces anise seed.
- 6 pounds flour (warmed and sifted).
- 2 cakes compressed yeast.
- 1½ cups sugar.
- 1 large tablespoon butter.
- 1 tablespoon salt.
- 4 tablespoons brandy or sherry.
The whole recipe will make 12 loaves of bread.
This delicious German bread was usually made by "Aunt Sarah" one week before Christmas. It may be kept two weeks, and at the end of that time still be good. It is rather expensive as regards fruit and nuts, but as no eggs are used, and a very small quantity of butter; and as bread containing fruit is so much more wholesome than rich fruit cake. I think American housewives would do well to bake this German bread occasionally. Mary took one-fourth the quantity of everything called for in the recipe, except yeast. She used ¾ of a cake of Fleischman's yeast and ¼ of each of the other ingredients, and from these baked three loaves of bread. The prunes and pears should be covered with cold water at night and allowed to stand until the following morning, when, after stewing until tender, the juice should be drained from the fruit and water added to the fruit-juice to measure two quarts. Remove pits from prunes, cut pears and prunes in small pieces; stand aside. Clean currants and raisins, blanch and shred almonds, chop walnut meats, citron, orange peel and figs; add cinnamon, cloves and anise seed. Mix together flour and one quart of the fruit juice; add the compressed yeast cakes (dissolved in a little warm water), knead well, set a sponge as for ordinary bread; when raised, add the remaining quart of fruit juice, sugar, butter and salt. A small quantity of brandy or sherry may be added, but if not liked, fruit juice may be substituted.
Add the remaining ingredients, and knead thoroughly. Allow dough to raise from two to three hours and when light form into loaves and allow to stand an hour, when bake. This quantity of dough should be made into twelve small loaves. Should the flour and liquid used be warmed before mixing, the dough will raise more quickly. It simplifies the work if the fruits and nuts be prepared the day before the bread is baked.