3?l Dr. Colqukoun's Mssai/ [Oct. 



Such is the mode of preparing a well-raised gingerbread^ 

 which, out of a variety of trials, seemed by far the most success- 

 ful, and the most advantageous, both to the manufacturer and 

 to the consumer. But there are various other ingredients 

 which may be eflectually enough employed for the same end, 

 and some of which deserve to be mentioned, as tending to throw 

 light upon the rationale of the process, which is, in principle, 

 the same in every case. 



Thus, for example, the bitartrate of potash, instead of tartaric 

 acid, may be employed, along with the carbonate of magnesia. 

 When this substance is used, there is a degree of sourness, just 

 perceptible to the palate, in the flavour of the bread, and which 

 it is not impossible that some tastes might regard in the hght of 

 an improvement. Another method, and quite an effectual one, 

 is to use the carbonate of magnesia alone, without any acid 

 admixture, only to an extent doubly or trebly greater than when 

 it is conjoined with tartaric acid ; and the result will be that the 

 dough becomes as speedily fit for being baked, and yields as 

 spongy and as light a bread. If again the carbonate of potash, 

 along with an equivalent quantity of sulphuric acid, be inter- 

 mixed with dough, it has the effect of fitting it for the oven as 

 speedily as any of the other methods above-mentioned. But it 

 communicates to the bread a taste decidedly bitter.^* 



♦ The following is a note of the proportions of the several compounds employed in 

 these trials, and of the most interesting characters of each experiment. 



1, — Flour ....1 4 ounces. 



Treacle 3 ounces. 



Butter , J .... . i ounce. 



Carbonate of ammonia .......... 60 grains. 



Rose nearly, but not quite S6 well, as ordinary gingerbread dough. Flavour, deci- 

 dedly more pleasant than that of gingerbread, prepared with potashes. The cake had 

 also a darker colour On the outer surface than is the case with ordinary gingerbread. 



2.— Flour 4 ounces. 



Treacle 3 ounces. 



Butter jounce. 



Cream of tartar 1 60 grains. 



Carbonate of ammonia 53 grains. 



Expansion, similar in extent with that in last experiment. But it happened here, 

 probably because the tartrate of ammonia had undergone decomposition during the pro- 

 cess of baking, that the bread had an excessive flavour of sourness or bitterness. 



3.— Flour 4 ounces. 



Treacle .ii,iit.«»i 3 ounces. 



Butter innt,'f,'m,.ti i ounce. 



Cream of tartar ;..»..... ..... 160 grains. 



Carbon ate of m agnesia 60 grain s. 



Flour 4 ounces. 



Treacle 3 ounces. 



Butter i ounce. 



Cream of tartar 160 grains. 



Common crystallized curbmate ) . an OTains 



