Читать книгу Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book - Mary A. Wilson - Страница 8

Earthen mixing bowls or clean cedar pails make the best utensils to set the bread dough in. These utensils will retain the heat and are easy to clean, and when they are closely covered, prevent a hard crust from forming on the dough.

Do not fail to give the dough plenty of proof—that is, let it rise for a sufficient length of time as given in the recipes.

Use a good grade of blended flour.

Use the ball of the hand, near the wrist, to knead and work the dough. Kneading is most important and should be thoroughly done. Do not be afraid of hurting the dough; you can handle it as roughly as you like. Heavy, active kneading distributes the yeast organisms and develops the elasticity of the gluten and gives body and strength to the dough.

Now, a word about the baking. Bread is baked to kill the fermentation and to hold the glutinous walls of the dough in place and to cook the starch and thus make it palatable and easy to digest.

An oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit is necessary. Do not have it any hotter than this. Too much heat browns the loaf before it has time to bake in the centre.