Bread

The making of yeast bread is not the difficult process which the uninitiated are wont to consider it, and the satisfaction experienced in being able to serve a family excellent home made bread and rolls of various kinds is well worth the effort. I use a bread-mixer and a good bread flour, and try to conduct the whole process in a warm atmosphere, say around 80 degrees. Into the bread-mixer put two cups of sweet milk which have been scalded, two tablespoons of sugar, one tablespoon of salt, one heaping tablespoon of butter or lard, two cups of water, and one cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in part of the water, being careful to have the mixture warm and not hot enough to scald the yeast. Then add twelve cups of flour and stir until a smooth ball is formed, cover and place where it will be warm over night. In the morning, uncover and turn the rod a few time to let the gas escape from the dough, cover and let rise again. After breakfast, take the dough out onto the molding board, cut into four equal parts, form into loaves and put into well buttered pans, put in a moderately warm place to rise until double the original size. Bake in a moderate oven about forty-five minutes. Many interesting variations may be made by taking a lump of the light dough, kneading butter into it, and cutting or shaping into rolls. Or, roll thin and spread with a mixture of butter, sugar, cinnamon, and pecans, roll up and cut into slices, which should be placed on a buttered pan and covered. Keep in a warm place until very light. Then bake in a moderate ove until delicately brown.