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.
New Milk.
I will deal lastly with new milk, and its advantages in comparison with the last named. The composition of new milk consists of 87 per cent. of water, 5 of milk sugar, 4 of fat, and about 3½ of albuminoids, the rest being mineral matter. The effect of added milk to bread in place of water is, other things being equal, to increase its nutriment. Providing the bread is worked on a short and quick system, as it should be, it will get a bloom, with a rich crumb, color and even texture. The crust will be thin and fine, and the flavor will be most appetizing. Although the table just given is the average composition of milk, there are variations. The casein and albumin are the nitrogenous constituents of the milk, and may be regarded as flesh-formers. The fat consists of stearine, and other constituents which give to butter its characteristic flavor. Milk sugar or lactose is the only carbohydrate present in starch. The ash consists chiefly of phosphates of lime and potash. Taking the figures given, it can be said that new milk has from three to four times the value of separated milk, and, taking a careful valuation, we get, say, 1s. per gallon of new milk and 3d. for separated. Of course, where large quantities of new milk are bought there would be a corresponding reduction in the price. I get it by the ten gallons; there is no transit to pay, and no second handling is required, the milk coming direct from the farm to the bake-house. The excessive fat per gallon in new milk is worth 9d. per gallon above separated milk, which would cost 3d. The value of a standard sample would be as follows: New milk—Fat 3.5, non-fat 9.0, total solids 2.5. Separated milk—Fat 0.3, non-fats 9.0, total 9.3, value 3d. Taking as a maximum quantity eight gallons of new milk per sack, and as a minimum quantity six gallons, the price of the loaf would be higher. To assist in cases where a large quantity of milk is used the dough must be softer because of the binding effect of the milk. Taking into account the added solids, we should have a larger output per sack, together with a better loaf, one of high dietetic value, while the milk and butter contained in it would improve the flavor, texture, color and physical properties of the crumb. Evenness of texture and cleverness of loaf make a better crumb color, the effect most noticeable with added milk, being due to the percentage of fat present. As a comparison, take 1 ounce of butter with 10 pounds of flour, as against 1 quart of milk. The butter or fat gives a very fine texture and thin crust, whilst the milk results in a better bloom, owing to the unfermentable sugar of milk. Of all milks, fresh full cream is best, and ought to be used with water in equal proportions, as half milk and half water give excellent results.
Miscellaneous.
A good idea followed by many is weighing the ingredients required for as many custard pies used in a week or two. For instance, if you make 4 pies a day, or 24 a week, weigh the required amount of sugar, starch, salt and mace, mix and sift together and put away in a can or box, and every time you make 4 pies weigh off one pound, or four ounces to each pie. This saves time in weighing, and does away with the guessing of the salt and flavor, which is hard in small mixes. The same is done with pumpkin pies, adding to the whole amount the required spices. This enables you to make a uniformly spiced and tasting pumpkin pie, which is the most important feature of it.
Recipe for Preserving Rhubarb for Pie.
The following is a recipe for preserving rhubarb for pie purposes, and it is simple and cheap. Take the rhubarb and cut it in pieces, and put it in fruit jars, filling them with water, and thereby keeping it all winter, or as long as you want it, and when you get ready to use it, it is all ready for use, after sugar, etc., is added.
