THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
T he dough for rolls should be very lig h t; w hen w anted u n u su ally
nice more sh o rten in g m ust be added, also if a sweet roll is to be m ade
sugar m ust be added to th e lig h t dough and th e m ix tu re allowed to rise
again before sh ap in g into rolls.
W lien the tin is filled before it is set aside for the second risin g the
rolls should again be generously brushed over w ith m elted b u tte r to in
sure a fine crisp cru st w hen they come from the oven. T h e pan is again
set in a warm place, well covered, and left to rise sufficiently for the
baking.
W e have sufficient dough rem aining to m ake two loaves of bread. W e
tu rn it out on the kn ead in g board w hich is dusted w ith flour and d i
vided into equal proportions.
T hey are lightly kneaded into shape,
)eing careful not to w ork in too m uch flour, as too much will cause the
loaves to break along th e sides. If carelessly kneaded we will have an
unsightly loaf w hen baked and frequently there will be a seam or crack
th ro u g h it. T h e loaves are now ready to be brushed over w ith melted
b u tte r or lard, covered w ith a cloth and set aside to rise. As th ere is
no definite tim e in the risin g of bread we m ust determ in e when it is
ready for th e oven by the form er test of lig h t w eight and double bulk,
th e well risen loaf being tw ice its original size. T his know ledge comes
to the housekeeper only th ro u g h constant practice an d experience, but
she will find th at the rolls will be lig h ter before b aking than are the
loaves, so they will require a little longer tim e for rising.
T here are several ways for testin g th e heat of the oven for baking
but the sim p lest one is to place a teaspoonful of flour on a pan and set
it in the oven, if it brow ns th ro u g h in one m inute th e oven is ju st rig h t
for the rolls, but it should require five m inutes for the loaves.
T he object of th e bak in g of th e loaves is to check or kill the ferm ent
and drive off the gases, and cook th e starch ju st enough to m ake it sol
uble for digestion. T h e tim e required for b aking a loaf varies according
to the size and kind of a loaf required. A pound loaf m oulded into the
usual shape will bake in th ree-q u arters of an ho u r when the oven is at
a tem peratu re of 400 degrees, but may rem ain in a tem p eratu re of 350
degrees one and a-lialf hours.
Q uick baking gives a w hite loaf because the starch has undergone
little change, w hile slow b aking gives a yellow tin t and n u tty flavor
A ny loaf w hen th o ro u g h ly baked will seem lig h t and hollow and no
steam will com e from it to bu rn the hands when it is tu rn ed from the
pan.
As soon as th e pans are taken from th e oven th e bread should be r e
moved from them and placed on edge so th a t the air may circulate free
ly all around it. W hen th o ro u g h ly cooled it is then readv to be placed
in the bread box.