18260 on the Art of Bakhg Bread. S7^ 



There have now been detailed a few of the modes, in which 

 much delay and trouble may be saved to the manufacturer, by 

 his employing the mutual action of an acid and of an alkaline 

 carbonate, which shall take a speedy effect, and generate a due 

 supply of carbonic acid gas within the dough, after it is made* 

 It is only, however, the first mentioned substitute for the present 

 noxious ingredients of carbonate of potash and alum which can 



• The bread obtained in both these trials proved extremely porous and light ; fully 

 equal, in this respect, to the best ordinary gingerbread. It had also a taste slightly^ 

 but not disagreeably sour. 



4. — Flour. ,,^., 4 ounces. 



Treacle *.. 3 ounces. 



I Butter ,,.,.,....... ^ ounce. 



' Sulphuric acid.. 24 grains. 



: Carbonate of potada (common). 40 grains. 



The dough was prepared, in the usual manner, with treacle and butter, and the sul- 

 phuric acid was sufficiently diluted with water : it was next hastily kneaded with thd 

 carbonate of potash, which had been previously brought to the state of an impalpable 

 powder, and was then baked in the oven. The expansion was sufficiently favourable^ 

 though rather less than is the case with ordinary dough j but the bread had a bitterish 

 taste, wliich was quite disagreeable. 



5. — Flour , 4 ounces. 



Treacle Bounces. 



Butter jounce. 



. Carbonate of magnesia 60 grains. 



*- ^e ebject of this trial was to compare the efficacy of carbonate of magnesia witftt 

 that of carbonate of potash, as an agent in producing expansion. The dough was made 

 into'bread, both immediately upon its preparation, and also after an interval of several 

 days. The expansion in both cases was considerable, especially in the latter, but still 

 rather inferior in this respect to that of ordinary gingerbread. 



6. — Flour ..,.i.,., 4 ounces. 



Treacle 4 Ounces. 



Butter jounce. 



Carbonate of magnesia. , ^ ounce. 



Flour 4 ounces. 



Treacle 5 ounces. 



Butter jounce. 



Carbonate of magnesia | ounce. 



. These mixtures were made with a view to ascertain the extent to which the appear, 

 ance and taste of the bread would be influenced, by introducing into the system of the 

 dough a very large excess of carbonate of magnesia. The doughs in both cases rose 

 re;narkably well in the process of baking ; fully as well indeed as ordinary gingerbread 

 dough. The bread also ate very pleasantly ; and even in the second mixture, the pre- 

 sence of the magnesia was scarcely, if at all, discernible. 



Upon this account, it may prove a matter not unworthy of the physician's attention, 

 how far the method of baking up magnesia along with parliament cakes, may not be an 

 advisable mode of exhibiting that medicine. The quantity used in the last-mentioned 

 preparation was rather more than one-twentieth of the whole compound, yet its presence 

 was far from very palpable in the cake, and it seemed that even had it been used in a 

 considerably greater proportion, it would not have made the bread unpalatable. A dose 

 of that medicine might thus have been easily conveyed into the stomach, to no inconsi- 

 derai)le extent, especially in the case of children, who are well known to have often an 

 extreme repugnance to the vapid flavour of magnesia, which besides always feels 

 unpleasantly gritty when taken by itself . ■ ■ — ■ , . • ■ ' 



