RAISED WHEAT BREAD WITH POTATOES
Take one half a cup of hop yeast, or yeast made from turnpike cake will do, also two boiled hot Irish potatoes, mash them, and add to the yeast and potatoes one pint of water. Make a sponge of this by beating in sifted flour until it is a soft dough. Set it to rise by the stove; when it is light, pour the sponge in the bread tray and mould it rather stiff with sifted flour, knead it well and set it to rise again. When it is light, work in a little more flour, shape it in loaves in the baking-pans; and when light the second time bake it; this allows the yeast to lighten or rise once, and the dough or bread to rise twice, making three fermentations the dough undergoes before it is baked into bread.
LIGHT BREAD, INVARIABLY GOOD
Take nine pint cups of flour, one pint cup of good yeast made from hops, two pint cups of warm water and a pint cupful of warm milk. Make into a sponge, let this rise; when risen, knead it with all your strength, work more flour into it, and let it rise again. When it is light, you must bake it in loaves.
EXCELLENT FAMILY BREAD
Take a peck of sifted flour, half a pint of family yeast, or a gill of brewers’ yeast; wet all up soft with new milk, or milk and water warm. Add a cup of shortening, and a teaspoonful of salt. Knead it faithfully, and set it in a warm place to rise. It is better to take the dough when risen, and work it down again; but some dislike the trouble, and bake it as soon as it rises. You must keep your dough for wheat bread very soft; but for rye, you may have it stiff.
SPONGE BREAD
Take three quarts of wheat flour, and three quarts of boiling water, mix them thoroughly; let them remain until lukewarm, then add twelve spoonfuls of family yeast, or six of brewers’. Place it where it will be warm; keep the air from it, and leave it to rise. When it is light, work in flour to mould it, and a little salt. Let it stand for a second rising, then shape into loaves and bake.
RYE AND INDIAN BREAD FOR DYSPEPTICS
Take a pint of rye flour and a pint of Indian meal, scald the meal with a cup of boiling water, and when lukewarm, mix in the flour and a cup of yeast; add a little salt, and knead it as for other bread. Bake for two hours.