Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled during Her Visit Part 22

These rolls are excellent without additional shortening, or, in fact, without anything else being added. Mold pieces of the bread dough into b.a.l.l.s the size of a walnut; roll each piece flat with the rolling pin, dip in melted b.u.t.ter, fold and place close together in a bake pan. Let rise _very_ light, then bake about 15 minutes in a very hot oven. If a teaspoonful of flour browns in about two minutes in the oven, it is the right temperature for rolls.

CLOVER-LEAF ROLLS

Take pieces of the bread dough, the size of a walnut, cut into three pieces, mold with the hand into round b.a.l.l.s the size of small marbles; dip each one in melted b.u.t.ter, or b.u.t.ter and lard, and place three of these in each Gem pan. (These pans may be bought six or twelve small pans fastened together, and are much more convenient than when each one must be handled separately when baking). Allow small rolls to become _very light_, bake in a hot oven, and you will find them excellent. Dipping the rolls in melted b.u.t.ter makes them crisp. Serve hot, or place in a hot oven a few minutes until heated through, if served after they have become cold.

"POLISH" RYE BREAD (AS MADE IN BUCKS COUNTY)

This excellent, nutritious bread, is made from the whole-ground grain.

Every part of the grain is used in the flour, when ground. To bake this bread, sift together one quart of this "whole-ground" rye flour and two quarts of white-bread flour. Early in the morning of the day on which bread is to be baked, prepare a thick batter, or sponge, consisting of one quart of potato water (or the same quant.i.ty of luke-warm, scalded milk, or a mixture of the two); add one tablespoonful of a mixture of lard and b.u.t.ter and two boiled, mashed potatoes. Two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one-half tablespoonful of salt and one Fleischman's compressed yeast cake, dissolved in a small quant.i.ty of water; add about five cups of the mixed, sifted flour, beat the batter well, and stand in a warm place, covered, from one and a half to two hours. When well-risen and light, stir in balance of flour gradually, until all except one cup has been added; then turn onto a bake-board and knead well. This sponge should not be quite as stiff as for wheat bread. Turn the dough onto a clean, well-floured cloth in a large bowl, set to rise and bake according to directions for baking "Hearth-baked Rye Bread" or, if preferred, form into loaves, place in bread pans and, when light, bake.

PERFECT BREAKFAST ROLLS

One quart of scalded milk, when lukewarm, add the following: 1/2 cup of b.u.t.ter and lard (mixed), 1 egg, 1 tablespoonful of sugar, 1 teaspoonful of salt and 1 Fleischman's yeast cake; add flour to form a thick batter; beat all thoroughly. Mix the above at 9.30 P.M., stand in a warm place, closely-covered, over night. The following morning add more flour; dough should not be mixed quite as stiff as for bread.

Allow it to raise in a warm place. When well-risen, place on bread board, roll, cut into small biscuits; dip each biscuit in melted b.u.t.ter, fold together, place in pans a distance apart, and when they have doubled in size, bake in a hot oven.

"AN OLD RECIPE" FOR GOOD BREAD

This country cook invariably baked good bread and always used potato-water in preference to any other liquid for setting sponge.

She stood aside water, in which potatoes had been boiled for dinner (usually about one quart or less) and added two finely-mashed potatoes. About 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the day _before_ that on which she intended baking bread, she dissolved one cake of yeast (she used the small cornmeal commercial yeast cakes, sold under different names, such as National, Magic, etc.) in a half-cup of luke-warm water, added 1/2 teaspoon of salt and sufficient warmed, well-dried flour to make a thin batter. She placed all in a bowl and stood it in a warm place, closely-covered, until about 9 o'clock in the evening, when she added this sponge, which should be light and foamy, to the potato water, which should be lukewarm. She also added 1 tablespoon of salt and enough flour to make a rather thick batter.

Heat thoroughly and allow this sponge to stand, well-covered, in a warm place until morning, when add 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter or lard and warmed flour enough to make a stiff dough. Turn out on the bread board and knead for about twenty minutes, until the dough does not stick to the hands. Place stiffened dough into howl; allow it to rise until bulk is doubled. Mold into loaves, adding as little extra flour as possible. Cut several gashes on top of loaves, brush with melted b.u.t.ter, place in bread pans, and when loaves have doubled in bulk, place in moderately hot oven and bake about one hour.

STEAMED BROWN BREAD

Place in a bowl 3/4 cup graham flour and 1/2 cup of yellow, granulated cornmeal. Sift into this 3/4 cup of white flour, 1 teaspoonful of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoonful of salt. Mix all ingredients together to form a batter by adding 1 cup of sour milk, in which has been dissolved 3/4 teaspoonful of soda. Then add 2 tablespoonfuls of mola.s.ses. Pour into a well-greased quart can (the tin cans in which coffee is frequently sold will answer nicely), cover closely, place in a kettle of boiling water, steam about three hours; stand in oven a short time after being steamed. Cut in slices and serve as bread, or, by the addition of raisins or currants, and a little grated nutmeg or other flavoring, a very appetizing and wholesome pudding may be served hot, with sugar and cream or any pudding sauce preferred.

A WHOLESOME BREAD (MADE FROM BRAN)

Place in a bowl 4 cups of clean bran and 2 cups of white flour, sifted with 2 teaspoonfuls of baking powder, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 tablespoonful of melted b.u.t.ter. Mix into a soft batter with 2 cups of sweet milk; add 1/2 cup of mola.s.ses. Fill two layer cake pans and bake in a hot oven about 25 minutes. This is so easily and quickly made.

The young housewife may mix, when commencing to prepare lunch, and when the meal is ready to serve the bread will be baked, and it is an excellent laxative.

FRAU SCHMIDT'S "HUTZEL BROD"

1 quart dried pears.

1 pint of pear juice.

1 Fleischman's yeast cake.

1 scant cup brown sugar.

2 eggs.

1/4 teaspoonful soda.

1 pound of soaked raisins.

3/4 cup of a mixture of lard and b.u.t.ter.

1 teaspoonful of fennel seed.

Pinch of salt.

2 teaspoonfuls of ground cinnamon.

Flour to stiffen, as for ordinary bread.

Cover one quart of dried pears with cold water and cook slowly about 20 minutes until they have cooked tender, but not soft (the night before the day on which the bread is to be baked).

Then drain the juice from stewed pears, which should measure 1 pint; when lukewarm, add 1 yeast cake, dissolved in a small quant.i.ty of lukewarm water, and about 3 cups of flour and a pinch of salt. Stand, closely-covered, in a warm place over night to raise.

The following morning, add 1/4 teaspoonful of baking soda, dissolved in a little warm water, to counteract any acidity of batter. Cream together sugar, b.u.t.ter and lard, add eggs one at a time, men the well-floured, diced pears, also raisins, cinnamon and fennel seed, and enough flour to stiffen as for ordinary bread. Knead well, let rise; it will require some time, as the fruit r.e.t.a.r.ds the raising process.

When light, turn onto a bake-board, cut into four portions, mold into four shapely loaves, place in pans, brush with melted b.u.t.ter and when quite light, place in a moderate oven and bake one hour. This bread will keep well several weeks, if kept in a tin cake box.

This recipe is much simpler than Aunt Sarah's recipe for making "Hutzel Brod," but bread made from this recipe is excellent.

"AUNT SARAH'S" QUICKLY-MADE BROWN BREAD

2 cups of b.u.t.termilk, or thick, sour milk.

1/2 cup of sugar.

1/4 cup of mola.s.ses.

1 tablespoonful of melted b.u.t.ter.

1 egg.

1 teaspoonful of soda.

3/4 teaspoonful of salt.

3-1/2 cups of graham flour.

1/2 cup of white flour, sifted with 3/4 teaspoonful of baking powder.

The egg was placed in a bowl, and not beaten separately; sugar and b.u.t.ter were creamed together, before being added; then mix in salt and mola.s.ses, and gradually add b.u.t.termilk, in which the soda had been dissolved; then add white and graham flour, 3/4 cups of raisins may be added, if liked. Bake in a bread pan in a moderately hot oven.

"STIRRED" OATMEAL BREAD

Early in the morning 1 cup of oatmeal porridge, left over from that which had been cooked for breakfast, was placed in a bowl and added gradually 2 cups of scalded, luke-warm milk, 1 tablespoon of a mixture of lard and b.u.t.ter, 1/4 cup New Orleans mola.s.ses and one Fleischman's yeast cake, dissolved in a little of the milk; stir in about 3 cups of bread flour and stand in a warm place about 1-1/4 hours to rise; then add 3-1/2 cups more of bread flour and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Stir well with a spoon, and pour into three small bread tins; let rise, when well-risen, bake about 3/4 of an hour in a moderately hot oven.

This is a delicious and wholesome bread and no kneading is necessary.

1-1/2 cups of the cooked oatmeal might be used, then use less white bread flour when mixing.

NUT AND RAISIN BREAD

2 cups b.u.t.termilk, or sour milk.

1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 cups graham flour.

1 cup wheat flour.

1 teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little of the milk.

1 teaspoonful of baking powder, sifted with the wheat flour.

Mix all together, add one cup of seeded raisins, 1/4 cup of ground peanuts and 1/4 cup chopped walnut meats. Bake in an ordinary bread pan.

"SAFFRON" RAISIN BREAD

For this old-fas.h.i.+oned, "country" bread, set a sponge in the evening, consisting of 1 cup of luke-warm water, 1 Fleischman's compressed yeast cake and 2 tablespoonfuls of saffron water, obtained by steeping 1/2 tablespoonful of dried saffron flowers in a small quant.i.ty of boiling water a short time. Use about 2 cups of flour to stiffen the sponge. Cover bowl containing sponge and stand in a warm place until morning, when add the following: 3/4 cup of soft A sugar, 1/4 cup lard and 1/8 cup of b.u.t.ter (beaten to a cream); then add one egg. Beat again and add this mixture to the well-risen sponge. Add also 3/4 cup of seeded raisins and about 1-3/4 cups of flour.