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.

SALT

Salt controls the action of the yeast.  It also retards or delays the proper fermentation if too large an amount of it is used.  Then again, if not enough salt is added to the mix, the yeast becomes too active and thus produces an overlight loaf of bread.  One ounce of salt to each quart of liquid in summer, and three-fourths of an ounce in winter will give the best results to the home baker.

BAKING THE BREAD

Now turn on a moulding board and cut into five parts or loaves.  Allow about nineteen ounces to each loaf.  Take the dough up between the hands and work into a round ball.  Place on the moulding board and cover for ten minutes.  Now with the palm of the hand flatten out the dough and then fold halfway over, pounding well with the hand.  Now, take the dough between the hands and stretch out, knocking it against the moulding board, fold in the ends and shape into loaves.  Place in well-greased pans and brush the top of each loaf with shortening.  Cover and let raise for 45 minutes.  Bake in a hot oven for 45 minutes and brush with shortening when removing from the oven.  Let cool and then the bread is ready to use.

SPONGE METHOD

Generally speaking, the sponge method produces a lighter and whiter loaf than the bread made by the straight dough method.  Bread made by the straight dough method has the advantage over bread made by the sponge method in flavor, texture and keeping qualities.

SPONGE METHOD

  One quart of water or half water and half milk, 80 degrees
          Fahrenheit. 
  Two yeast cakes,
  Two and one-half quarts or two and one-half pounds of flour,
  One ounce of sugar.

Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the water and add the flour.  Beat to thoroughly blend and then set aside to raise for three hours, then add

  One ounce of salt,
  One and one-half ounces of shortening,
  One and one-half quarts or one and one-half pounds of flour.

Work to a smooth elastic dough.  This takes usually about ten minutes, after the flour is worked into the dough.  Place in a greased bowl and then turn over the dough to coat with shortening.  This prevents a crust from forming on the dough.  Set aside to raise for two hours and then pull the sides down to the centre of the dough and punch down.  Turn the dough over and let raise for one and one-quarter hours.