First method
- Cream together well 2oz. of German yeast and a good teaspoonful of caster sugar.
- In another basin sift together 4lb. finely ground wheatmeal, and a dessertspoonful of salt.
- Make a “bay” in the centre of this, and pour into it one and a half pints tepid water and the yeast.
- Draw a little flour down from the sides on to this, strew a little more over the tiny pond thus formed, cover the basin with a double cloth, and let it rise for forty minutes in front of the fire.
- Now work this all up into a dough, and again let it rise for two hours, when it must be re-kneaded and divided up into loaves.
- Bake for about an hour, placing the bread in the hottest part of a very hot oven first, then draw it down to the cooler end.
Alternative liquid for first method
- If preferred, a pint and a half of milk, in which 1oz. of butter has been dissolved, may be used in precisely the same way, when tepid, to mix the dough with.
Second method
- Mix together 4lb. fine wheat-meal, 2oz. of sugar, and a little salt.
- Make a “bay” in the centre, and pour in 2oz. of German yeast, previously creamed with a teaspoonful of sugar, a pint of tepid water, and half a pint of milk.
- Add to this two or three well-beaten eggs, work it all to a dough, then cover, and let it rise before the fire for two hours, keeping the pan well covered.
- Now divide it into two, and bake in two tins for an hour.
Variation using equal quantities of wholemeal and flour
- Take equal quantities of meal and flour—say, one gallon of each; work it as for bread with 21/2oz. of fresh German yeast, or two tablespoonfuls of well-washed beer yeast.
- Add to this four to six tablespoonfuls of salt and a good three quarts of warm water or milk and water.
- This bread requires much more moisture than the ordinary white bread.
- Cover the mixture with a blanket and let it rise for quite an hour and a half the first time.
- Then work the dough thoroughly, beating and kneading it well, and let it rise for another hour.
- Bake it well in a moderately hot oven.
Another way
- To 7lb. of wholemeal take 31/2lb. of flour, salt to taste, and three dessertspoonfuls of solid beer yeast (or just under 2oz. of German yeast), and about four and a half pints of liquid.
- This bread requires much more moisture than the ordinary white bread.
- Cover the mixture with a blanket and let it rise for quite an hour and a half the first time.
- Then work the dough thoroughly, beating and kneading it well, and let it rise for another hour.
- Bake it well in a moderately hot oven.
Another way (no flour)
- Use no flour at all, but one gallon of wholemeal, 14oz. of German yeast, or three dessertspoonfuls of beer yeast; work and bake as above.
General notes on yeast and liquid
- The proportion of salt for relieving the insipidity of this bread is about 1oz. to a gallon of flour or meal.
- Less yeast will be needed in summer than in winter; and in the former season the liquid used to mix it should be cooler than in winter.
- You can, of course, decrease or increase the quantities according to the above proportions.
Wholemeal Bread.—Cream together well 2oz. of German yeast and a good teaspoonful of caster sugar; in another basin sift together 4lb. finely ground wheatmeal, and a dessertspoonful of salt; make a “bay” in the centre of this, and pour into it one and a half pints tepid water and the yeast, draw a little flour down from the sides on to this, strew a little more over the tiny pond thus formed, cover the basin with a double cloth, and let it rise for forty minutes in front of the fire. Now work this all up into a dough, and again let it rise for two hours, when it must be re-kneaded and divided up into loaves; bake for about an hour, placing the bread in the hottest part of a very hot oven first, then draw it down to the cooler end. If preferred, a pint and a half of milk, in which 1oz. of butter has been dissolved, may be used in precisely the same way, when tepid, to mix the dough with. Another way, you mix together 4lb. fine wheat-meal, 2oz. of sugar, and a little salt; make a “bay” in the centre, and pour in 2oz. of German yeast, previously creamed with a teaspoonful of sugar, a pint of tepid water, and half a pint of milk. Add to this two or three well-beaten eggs, work it all to a dough, then cover, and let it rise before the fire for two hours, keeping the pan well covered. Now divide it into two, and bake in two tins for an hour.
—— This can be varied by using different proportions of wholemeal and flour to suit different people’s taste and digestion. Take equal quantities of meal and flour—say, one gallon of each; work it as for bread with 2½oz. of fresh German yeast, or two tablespoonfuls of well-washed beer yeast. Add to this four to six tablespoonfuls of salt and a good three quarts of warm water or milk and water. This bread requires much more moisture than the ordinary white bread. Cover the mixture with a blanket and let it rise for quite an hour and a half the first time. Then work the dough thoroughly, beating and kneading it well, and let it rise for another hour. Bake it well in a moderately hot oven.—Another way: To 7lb. of wholemeal take 3½lb. of flour, salt to taste, and three dessertspoonfuls of solid beer yeast (or just under 2oz. of German yeast), and about four and a half pints of liquid.—Another way: Use no flour at all, but one gallon of wholemeal, 14oz. of German yeast, or three dessertspoonfuls of beer yeast; work and bake as above. The proportion of salt for relieving the insipidity of this bread is about 1oz. to a gallon of flour or meal. Less yeast will be needed in summer than in winter; and in the former season the liquid used to mix it should be cooler than in winter. You can, of course, decrease or increase the quantities according to the above proportions.