The Farm Table. 617 



daily diet, a matter which is of undoubted importance." — Bulletin No. 

 126, Oflice of Exp. Stations. 



3. THE LIQUIDS. 



The Hquids for mixing flour into a batter or dough are usually water 

 or milk, or a mixture of the two. Skim-milk may be used for this pur- 

 pose. ]\Iilk makes a more substantial bread than water. The crust of 

 a dough made with milk is browner and tenderer than of one made with 

 water. The measure of liquid is generally taken as the means of deter- 

 mining the number of loaves of bread to be made, because of the varia- 

 bility of the flour. Eggs supply liquid for mixing some cakes. Molasses 



Fig. 157. Fresh eggs are the cook's delight. 



in a dough must be counted on the side of liquids, though, being denser, 

 it will make a much stiffer dough than the same amount of water. 



One test for the strength of a flour is the amount of liquid it will take 

 up. Bread flours will absorb more than pastry flours. In bread making, 

 it usually requires four times as much pastry flour as liquid to make as 

 stiff a dough as would be secured with three measures of bread flour 

 to one of liquid. 



4. THE LIGHTENING. 



The agencies used to make doughs " light," to introduce air or gas 

 through a mixture of flour and liquid which would be solid and indi- 

 gestible, are few, but they differ so much in their characteristics that 

 they afford one of the best means of classifying our many recipes for 

 bread, muffins and cakes. Here we shall consider them in the order in 

 which they seem to have been discovered by the human race. 



