To Make Yeast for Bread

The Book of Household Management · Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary) · 1861
Source
The Book of Household Management
Time
Cook: 20 min Total: 20 min
Yield
18.0 lbs of flour
Status
success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (7)
For making yeast
To activate yeast for baking
Instructions (18)
Making the yeast starter
  1. Boil the hops in the water for 20 minutes.
  2. Let it stand for about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the hop water to the bruised malt.
  4. Let the mixture stand covered until lukewarm.
  5. Add not quite 1/2 pint of yeast.
  6. Keep it warm and let it work for 3 to 4 hours.
  7. Put the working yeast into small 1/2-pint bottles (ginger-beer bottles are best).
  8. Cork the bottles well and tie them down.
  9. The yeast is now ready for use and will keep for a few weeks.
Activating the yeast for baking
  1. Boil 3 lbs. of potatoes without salt.
  2. Mash the potatoes in the same water they were boiled in.
  3. Rub the mashed potatoes through a colander.
  4. Stir in about 1/2 lb. of flour.
  5. Add the yeast (from the bottles), pouring it into the middle of the flour mixture.
  6. Let the mixture stand warm on the hearth all night.
  7. In the morning, ensure the mixture is quite warm before kneading.
Notes on usage
  1. The bottles of yeast require very careful opening as it is generally exceedingly ripe.
  2. 1 bottle of yeast is sufficient for 18 lbs. of flour.
Original Text
TO MAKE YEAST FOR BREAD. 1716. INGREDIENTS.—1-1/2 oz. of hops, 3 quarts of water, 1 lb. of bruised malt, 1/2 pint of yeast. Mode.—Boil the hops in the water for 20 minutes; let it stand for about 5 minutes, then add it to 1 lb. of bruised malt prepared as for brewing. Let the mixture stand covered till about lukewarm; then put in not quite 1/2 pint of yeast; keep it warm, and let it work 3 or 4 hours; then put it into small 1/2-pint bottles (ginger-beer bottles are the best for the purpose), cork them well, and tie them down. The yeast is now ready for use; it will keep good for a few weeks, and 1 bottle will be found sufficient for 18 lbs. of flour. When required for use, boil 3 lbs. of potatoes without salt, mash them in the same water in which they were boiled, and rub them through a colander. Stir in about 1/2 lb. of flour; then put in the yeast, pour it in the middle of the flour, and let it stand warm on the hearth all night, and in the morning let it be quite warm when it is kneaded. The bottles of yeast require very careful opening, as it is generally exceedingly ripe. Time.—20 minutes to boil the hops and water, the yeast to work 3 or 4 hours. Sufficient.—1/2 pint sufficient for 18 lbs. of flour.
Notes
—