Basic 447 little pepper. Add paprika, garlic or onion salt, tarragon, or rosemary to accent the bland flavor of poultry. Heat sauces with the poultry during the final 15 to 30 minutes of cooking to blend flavors. White or tomato sauces or sour cream are pleasing. Cookbooks contain many variations: Basic Breads Add cheese and toasted crumbs; vege- tables like onions, shallots, or celery; ingredients such as soy sauce and ginger to give an oriental touch; or an SUCCESS IN BAKING yeast breads begins Indian influence with curry and with the , the main ingredient in chutney. all kinds of . When is poultry cooked enough? White flour generally is used, but Timetables that you see in cookbooks whole-wheat, rye, oatmeal, and other or often attached to the poultry when kinds of flour may replace part or all purchased are good guides. of the white flour in a bread recipe. For large birds that are cooked by All-purpose, enriched flour is the roasting or oven braising, place a meat type usually sold in American retail thermometer in the center of the inside stores. thigh muscles. When they reach a Standards established for enrich- temperature of 185°, the poultry usu- ment per pound of flour of white flour ally is done to the peak of cooked {Code of Federal Regulations^ Title 21, quality. Part 15) are: Thiamine, 2.0-2.5 ing; Another way is to grasp the end of riboflavin, i.2-1.5 mg; niacin, 16-20 the drumsticks and see if drumstick mg; iron, 13-16,5 mg. and thigh joints move easily. Press the In northern regions of the United thickest part of the drumstick meat States, all-purpose generally are with protected fingers to see if it is soft. blends of hard wheats. In the South For the other methods of cooking and some States of the West, all- poultry, the time given on the recipe purpose flours usually are blends of is the best guide. The meat should soft wheats. seem soft and tender when probed Hard-wheat flour absorbs more with a fork, and the joints should move moisture, requires more mixing, and easily. Meat will no longer adhere withstands more fermentation than tightly to the bone. (IRMA M. HOKE) soft-wheat flour. The gluten of the hard-wheat flour For further reading, consult the following tends to be more cohesive and elastic. Department of Agriculture publications : The gluten of the soft-wheat types is Cheese Buying Guide for Consumers, Marketing Bulletin No. 17 ; Conserving the Nutritive Values more delicate and less elastic. That is in Foods, Home and Garden Bulletin No. 90; why hard-wheat flour makes the best Family Food Budgeting for Good Meals and Good yeast breads, and soft-wheat flour Nutrition, Home and Garden Bulletin No. 94; the best and . You can Freezing Combination Main Dishes, Home and Garden Bulletin No. 40; Freezing Meat and use all-purpose flour for making yeast Fish in the Home, Home and Garden Bulletin bread successfully at home, however. No. 93; Home Care of Purchased Frozen Foods, All-purpose flours contain enough Home and Garden Bulletin No. 69; Home of the gluten-forming proteins to Freezing of Poultry, Home and Garden Bulletin No. 70; Shopped s Guide to U.S. Grades for Food, make good yeast bread. Gluten, a Home and Garden Bulletin No. 58; Storing protein complex that is gummy, co- Perishable Foods in the Home, llome and hesive, and elastic, develops as a Garden Bulletin No. 78; Tips on Selecting colloidal network throughout batters Fruits and Vegetables, Marketing Bulletin No. 13; U.S. Grades for Beef, Marketing Bulletin and doughs as a result of beating, No. 15. stirring, and kneading. Yearbooh of Agriculture 1965 The 448

aovERi£AF

PARKERHOUSE

CRESCENTS

PUNCHING DOWN THE DOUGH KNEADtNG THE "WPE" TEST

STEPS IN SHAPING A LOAF OF BREAD Basic Breads 449

As the yeast acts to produce carbon MAKING BREAD doughs by combining dioxide, the gluten network stretches all the ingredients at one mixing to form cells, which expand and hold saves time. the leavening gas in batters and If you soften the yeast and scald doughs. The hardening of gluten dur- fresh milk and cool it to lukewarm ing baking gives structure to the temperature, the order of adding bread. ingredients is not too important. Add- The liquid to use to make the dough ing the flour to the liquid ingredients may be milk, water, or water in which helps control stiffness of the dough. potatoes have been cooked. Beat the dough with a spoon or use the medium-low speed of a mixer MILK GIVES A GOOD FLAVOR and im- until the gluten is stretchy and the proves the nutritive value. Bread made dough forms circles around the bowl. with milk has a finer texture and better Continue to add flour until the keeping qualities than bread made dough is stiff and does not cling to with water. The milk may be fresh, sides of the bowl. fluid milk, evaporated milk, or dry Turn out on a lightly floured board milk powder. or pastry cloth. Scald fresh, fluid milk to destroy Dry, stiff doughs have too much any substance that might produce flour and do not make good bread. undesirable changes in the bread dur- Neither do doughs that are too soft ing fermentation. Dilute evaporated and sticky. milk with an equal amount of warm All flour needed to keep the dough water. from sticking should be added during You can substitute i cup of warm the mixing and the first kneading. water and 3 tablespoonfuls of dry Flour added later forms streaks in the milk powder for each cup of milk the bread and coarsens the texture. recipe calls for. You may use active dry or com- KNEAD the dough quickly and easily. pressed yeast, but either kind should be Give the dough a one-quarter turn fresh. with each pushing motion. Keep the The action of the yeast produces fingers curved, and lift and fold the bubbles of carbon dioxide, which dough over from far side toward you. expand and cause doughs to rise. Push the dough from you with heel of Yeast grows best at a temperature palms and keep an easy rhythm in between 80° and 85^. High temper- your kneading. atures destroy the yeast. Low tem- Do not break or tear the dough, for peratures retard its growth. Active dry that injures the gluten. If the dough or compressed yeast must soften in seems hard to manage, let it rest lukewarm water 5 to 10 minutes to 10 minutes. separate and activate the cells. The average kneading time is about Fats add flavor and make the bread 10 minutes. The actual kneading time tender and the crumb moist, soft, and depends on whether the flour is hard velvety. Lard, hydrogenated fats, oils, or soft, the amount of dough, and the margarines or butter may be used. way you manipulate the dough. Salt adds flavor and helps control The dough is kneaded enough when action of the yeast. its surface is smooth and satiny; many Sugar starts activity of the yeast and small blisters appear under the sur- gives flavor to the bread and a face; and the dough does not stick to "bloom" to the crust. your hand if you hold it on the surface Eggs add flavor and nutritive value. for 30 seconds. They also improve the color, texture, and structure of muffins, rich roll NEXT COMES fermentation in the bowl. batters, and dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased 748-0920—65- -30 450 The Yearbook of Agrioilture 1965 bowl and turn the dough upside down. Roll doughs are softer and richer Set the bowl in an unlighted oven than bread doughs. They may be above a pan of hot water. Allow the allowed to ferment only once, then dough to rise until it is twice its bulk. punched down and shaped into rolls. To test whether the dough is light You may want to experiment with enough, press the tip of the first finger making several kinds and shapes. into the dough to the second joint, When rolls are light, they retain the quickly in and out. If the dent stays in dent when pressed lightly, and are the dough, it is ready to punch down. ready to bake. Plain roll-types are Plunge your fist into the middle of the baked in a preheated oven at 400° to dough. Fold the edges of the dough to 425° for 12 to 15 minutes. Rolls and the center. Then turn the ball of coffeecakes that contain much sugar, dough upside down. This releases honey, or molasses require lower oven excess gas, unites the gluten strands, temperatures of about 350°. and distributes the yeast and its nutri- If you do not use all of a yeast dough ents more evenly. immediately, you may store it in the A second fermentation period may refrigerator. Cover the dough to pre- be omitted, but if the flour is a hard- vent formation of a crust, which makes wheat type, the bread may not be as streaks in the baked products. Warm good as you desire. doughs continue to rise even in the A second, or even a third, fermenta- refrigerator and therefore must be tion period is recommended for bread punched down. Refrigerated doughs dough prepared at high altitudes. keep about 2 or 3 days. Doughs double their size faster at high No-knead, batter breads were de- altitudes than at low altitudes. The veloped to simplify making yeast higher the altitude, the shorter the breads and to save time of the home- time required for a dough to double maker. Coffeecakes and sweet rolls are its bulk. the products usually made by this Punching the dough down more process. times allows fermentation to continue The no-knead doughs are softer and long enough to produce good bread. contain more fat than kneaded doughs. This is because fermentation needs to These doughs are mixed in the same go on long enough to cause changes in way as the kneaded types. Not quite the gluten to develop ''buttery" flavors so much flour is used, and the gluten and to make the bread tender, light, is developed by beating. and good. A no-knead dough is allowed to rise When fermentation is complete, the in the pan until light and baked at dough is ready for shaping as described temperatures from 375° to 425^. The in the various recipes. baked products are more open in grain and less delicate in crumb and PLAIN BREAD generally is baked in an butterlike flavor than those made from oven preheated to a temperature of kneaded doughs. 400^ to 450*^ for 40 to 45 minutes. If you use the higher temperature, QUICK BREADS are leavened with air, reduce the oven temperature to 350° steam, or carbon dioxide, which is after the first 15 minutes. Rich doughs released by the action of baking are baked at temperatures of 350° to powder, or of soda with various sour 375^ to prevent o ver browning. milks. Remove the baked loaf from the Pancakes, waflles, muflins, ginger- oven and brush the crust with fat. bread, and biscuits are examples of Remove the loaf from the pan soon quick breads. after baking and cool it on a rack. Techniques for making quick breads When the bread is cool, wrap and differ somewhat. Once you acquire store it in a clean, dry place. the simple, but exact, skill for making Basic Breads 451 muffins or biscuits, you will find it own mix, the kind and amount of easier to make them right than wrong. baking, way of shopping, and the Good muffins are light and tender. ingredients. The crusts are an even, golden-brown Products prepared from boxed mixes color, pebbly, and free from peaks. may cost more than products made The texture of muffins is somewhat from basic recipes or homemade mixes, coarse and free from vertical tunnels. but the preparation time is shorter. The way you combine the liquid and dry ingredients really determines THE MANY KINDS of bread available in whether you will succeed or fail in retail markets range from those that your effi^rts to make good muffins. require some preparation to ready-to- Only a few extra strokes of the mixing serve items. spoon may spoil your muffins. A Frozen, unbaked bread and rolls, batter should look lumpy, not refrigerated biscuits and rolls, and smooth. If the batter is smooth, it brown-n-serve products must be baked. is overmixed, and overmixing is the Many resemble home-prepared breads. commonest cause of poor results. Baked breads, rolls, and cofíeecakes Oil the bottom of the pan, but not range from standard to foreign and the sides. Hold the spoon close to the specialty types. pan and push the batter out of the Some markets sell day-old bread spoon with a spatula. Avoid stirring often at half the original price. the batter during this process. Either the home-baked or commer- cial breads freeze well and may be BISCUITS ARE Q^UIGK and easy to make stored in a freezer up to 3 months. if you use a tested recipe, add the Cool home-baked bread thoroughly. correct amount of milk for the flour Wrap, label, and freeze it immediately. you are using, and develop a deft hand Thaw the bread in the original for mixing and handling the dough. wrapper at room temperature. Heat Experiment to find the right amount wrapped rolls, muffins, and biscuits of milk for your particular flour. Add in an oven at 275° to 300^ for 10 all of the milk at once and stir to 15 minutes. quickly until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. WHITE BREAD The dough stiffens rather suddenly. 6 cups sifted all-purpose flour Turn it out immediately on a lightly I % cups milk floured board or pastry cloth. Knead ji cup lukewarm water the dough quickly and gently about lo 1 package yeast to 15 times. The dough should be 5 tablespoons sugar light and soft, not sticky. Neither 2 teaspoons salt sticky doughs nor solid, stiflf doughs Yi cup cooking oil or soft shortening make good biscuits. Pour the scalded milk over the sugar, After slight kneading, roll or pat the salt, and oil or soft shortening, which dough to the desired thickness. Cut you have measured into a mixing bowl. as many biscuits as possible from the Add half of the flour and beat well. first rolling, as rerolling results in Soften the yeast in one-fourth cup overmixing. of warm water. Add it to the batter Cut square biscuits to save time and and beat until smooth. eliminate the need of rerolling the Add the remainder of flour, or scraps. enough to make a moderately soft dough, and mix thoroughly. PREPARED MIXES provide a shortcut Turn the dough out on a lightly for mixing a variety of breads. floured board or pastry cloth. Knead The savings in time and money it until it is smooth and elastic. depend on whether you prepare your Place the dough in a greased bowl; 452 The Yearbook of AgriatUure 1965 cover and let rise at 80*^ to 85° until Add enough flour to make a thick doubled in bulk (about i hour and batter. Beat until smooth. 20 minutes). Add softened yeast, eggs, and lemon Punch it down. Let it stand on the rind or lemon extract. Beat well. bread board for 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour—enough to Divide the dough in half and shape make a soft dough. Turn on a lightly each portion into a ball. Allow each floured board or pastry cloth and to rest 10 minutes. knead until smooth and satiny. Flatten each ball and press into Place in a greased bowl, cover, and rectangles about i inch thick. Fold in let rise in a warm place (80^ to 85°) half lengthwise and stretch dough until doubled (about 90 minutes). gently until it is about three times the When it is light, punch it down. length of the baking pan. Fold the ends Let rest i o minutes. to the center until they overlap, and Shape it into rolls or cofleecakes. press down firmly. Let it rise until it has doubled Fold the dough in thirds lengthwise (about 45 minutes). Bake in moderate and seal by pressing down firmly. Roll oven (350^) 20 to 30 minutes. the dough lightly with your hands and Approximate yield: Three coffee- place in greased pans with seam side cakes or about 3^ dozen rolls. underneath. Approximate fermentation times in Yield: Two loaves. minutes for high altitudes : First bowl Each loaf should fill an BK x 4K x 2K fermentation—75 at 5 thousand feet, inch pan half full. 55 ^t 7,500 feet, and 45 at 10 thousand Brush the tops of the loaves lightly feet; pan fermentation—^35 at 5 thou- with melted fat. sand feet, 35 at 7,500 feet, and 30 at Set the pans in a warm place (80° to 10 thousand feet. 85°) to rise (about 55 minutes). When the dough is doubled, it is ready to ROLL VARIATIONS bake at 375° for 45 to 55 minutes. Cloverleaf : Make balls of dough of Approximate fermentation times in a size that three balls half fill a cup of minutes for high altitudes: First bowl a muffin pan. Dip each ball in melted fermentation—60 at 5 thousand feet, butter or other fat and place (fat side 45 ^t 7,500 feet, and 40 at 10 thousand up) in greased cups of muflan pans. feet; second bowl fermentation—30 Crescents: Roll or pat the dough at 5 thousand feet, 25 at 7,500 feet, into circles about 10 inches in diameter and 20 at 10 thousand feet; pan and one-fourth inch thick. Cut the fermentation—30 at 5 thousand feet, dough into 12 pie-shaped pieces and 25 at 7,500 feet and 20 at io thousand. brush with fat. Begin at the outer edge and roll the dough to the point and BASIC SWEET DOUGH press together. Curve the rolled dough 2 packages yeast slightly to form a crescent and place }i cup lukewarm water it, pointed side underneath, on a 1 cup milk greased baking sheet. 2 teaspoons salt Fan-tans: Roll or pat the dough into % cup sugar a rectangle about one-fourth inch }i cup oil or soft shortening thick. Brush the top with melted fat. 5 cups sifted all-purpose flour (about) Cut the dough into strips i inch wide. 2 eggs Place five to eight strips one on top of I teaspoon grated lemon rind or another. Cut into pieces about one and % teaspoon lemon extract (if desired) one-half inches long. Place each short Soften the yeast in lukewarm water. pile on end in greased muffin cups. Scald the milk and add sugar, salt, Parker House: Roll or pat the dough and oil or shortening. Cool to luke- about one-half inch thick. Brush the warm. top with soft butter or other fat and cut Basic Breads 453 the dough with a cutter. Fold mixture. Pour the batter into prepared each circle over, fat side in, to form a pans after it has risen the first time in a half circle. Press the outer edges to- bowl. Let rise about 50 minutes. Bake gether firmly and place on a greased at 350^ baking sheet. Sesame seed bread: Brush the top of the batter in each 8x8x2 inch pan No-KNEAD BATTER BREAD with one and one-fourth teaspoons of I package yeast melted butter. Sprinkle with one- ji cup lukewarm water fourth cup of sesame seeds, and allow I cup milk, % cup sugar, i egg to rise about 50 minutes. Bake at 350°. I teaspoon salt Crumble squares: % cup oil or soft shortening % cup flour 3}^ cups sifted all-purpose flour }i cup breadcrumbs Soften the yeast in warm water. 2 tablespoons sugar Add scalded milk to sugar, salt, and % teaspoon cinnamon oil or soft shortening. Cool to luke- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine warm. Combine the flour, crumbs, sugar, Add 2 cups of flour. and cinnamon. Cut or rub in butter Beat well with a spoon or mix i or margarine until the mixture is minute on medium-low speed of mixer. crumbly. Spread evenly over the Add softened yeast and egg. Beat batter in an 8 x 8 x 2 inch pan. Divide well again with a spoon or i minute on into nine squares by pressing lines medium-low speed of mixer. deep into the batter with floured finger Add remaining flour to make a thick tips. Let rise 50 minutes. Bake at 350°. batter. Beat until smooth. Sugar crumb topping: Cover and let rise in a warm place Yi cup flour 80"^ to 85"^ until doubled. Yi cup sugar (white or brown or part Stir down and smooth into two of each) greased 8x8x2 inch pans. 1 teaspoon cinnamon Topping, if used, is added here. 2 tablespoons butter or margarine Cover and let rise until almost YA cup chopped nuts (if desired) doubled (about 50 minutes). Bake 25 Mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. to 35 minutes at 375°. Cut in margarine or butter until the When you use topping, the baking mixture is crumbly. Stir in nuts. time is usually about 35 minutes. Sprinkle over top of no-knead bread. Let rise in the pan about 50 minutes. VARIATIONS Bake at 350°. Coconut pineapple cofl*eecake: Melt Approximate fermentation times in 3 tablespoons margarine or butter in minutes for high altitudes: Bowl fer- an 8x8x2 inch pan. Spread evenly mentation—50 at 5 thousand feet, 40 over the bottom of the pan 2 table- at 7,500 feet, and 35 at 10 thousand spoons dark-brown sugar and one-half feet; pan fermentation—30 at 5 thou- cup shredded coconut. Arrange one- sand feet, 25 at 7,500 feet, and 20 at 10 third cup pineapple tidbits on the thousand feet. sugar-coconut mixture. After it has risen in the bowl, turn the batter into MUFFINS the pan. Let rise about 50 minutes. 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour Bake at 350°. 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar Orange cofí'eecake: Melt 3 table- 2Y2 teaspoons baking powder spoons margarine or butter in a pan % teaspoon salt 8x8x2 inches. Spread one-fourth cup 2 to 4 tablespoons melted shortening dark-brown sugar evenly over the or cooking oil bottom of the pan. Arrange sections of I tgg^ well beaten mandarin orange on the sugar-butter I cup milk 454 The Yearbook of Agriculture 1965 Sift dry ingredients together into a Cut with floured biscuit cutter and mixing bowl. Combine the beaten egg^ place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake milk, and cooled melted shortening or at 450^ for 12 to 15 minutes or until oil. Make a well in the dry ingredients. golden brown. Add the liquid mixture and stir just Yield: About 16 biscuits cut % inch enough to combine. The mixture thick and 2 inches in diameter. should have a rough appearance. Fill No changes are required for prepara- greased muffin pans two-thirds full. tion at altitudes up to 10 thousand Bake at 400^ to 425^ until golden feet. brown (about 20 to 30 minutes). No changes are required for preparation VARIATIONS at altitudes up to 10 thousand feet. Cheese biscuits: Add one-half cup Approximate yield : 12 muffins. grated Cheddar cheese to the sifted dry ingredients. VARIATIONS Orange biscuits: Add one and one- Bacon muffins: Substitute bacon fat half teaspoons grated orange rind and for melted shortening or oil. Add one- substitute orange juice for the liquid. fourth to one-half cup chopped cooked Whole-wheat biscuits: Substitute bacon to dry ingredients. one-half cup whole-wheat flour for Blueberry muffins: Use one-fourth one-half cup of all-purpose flour. cup sugar and one-fourth cup short- (FERNE BOWMAN) ening. Add three-fourths to i cup of frozen or well-drained, canned blue- berries to the batter and stir in care- fully. Cheese muffins: Add i cup grated Cheddar cheese and one-fourth cup milk. Date-nut muffins: Add one-half cup Vegetables chopped dates, one-half cup chopped nuts, and one tablespoon milk. Whole-wheat muffins: Substitute two-thirds cup whole-wheat flour for AMONG the many attributes of vege- two-thirds cup all-purpose flour. tables is one you may not have thought of—the ability of their dififerent colors, BAKING POWDER BISCUITS flavors, textures, shapes, and tempera- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour tures to brighten meals. 2% teaspoons baking powder A meal looks better and maybe tastes K teaspoon salt better if it has a variety of colors—not, ji cup shortening for example, a yellow omelet, yellow % cup milk (about) corn, and yellow pineapple. Sift the dry ingredients into mixing Instead, try combining vegetables so bowl. Cut the shortening into dry that you have at least two of these color ingredients until the mixture looks like groups: White, green, red, and yellow coarse cornmeal. or orange. Make a well in the center. Add milk Be careful not to have more than one and stir quickly and lightly until well food in the same color group in the blended. The mixture should be soft same meal—such as beets and toma^^ but not sticky. Turn onto a lightly toes or carrots and corn. floured board or pastry cloth. Knead Consider also the color of the serving lightly about 10 to 15 strokes. dish. Choose colors that complement Pat or roll out to desired thickness the food—^for instance, put sliced to- (one-fourth inch for crusty biscuits; matoes on a pale yellow or white plate. one-half inch for soft biscuits). Sliced tomatoes on a violet plate—no.