606 WATER TAKEN UP BY FLOUR IN BAKING. 



So that wheaten bread one day old contains about 44, and two days oid» 

 about 43 per cent, of water. Something, however, will depend upon 

 the size of the loaves. 



This proportion is almost exactly the same as that contained in the 

 white bread of Paris. According to Dumas, the water in th«; common 

 white bread of Paris amounts to — 



Hours baked. Water per cent. 



2 45-7 



4i 45-3 



10 43-0 



24 43-5 



We may assume, therefore, 44 per cent, as very nearly the average 

 quantity of water contained in good white bread both in England and in 

 France. Bread baked for public establishments contains more water, — 

 not being generally so well fired, or being baked in the form of many 

 loaves stuck together, instead of in separate tins, as is done with home- 

 made bread. Such is the case with the soldiers' bread of our own 

 country, and the barrack bread of Paris (pain de munition) which con- 

 tains about 51 per cent, of water. 



We have already seen (p. 499) that English wheaten flour contains, on 

 an average, about 16 per cent, of water. If, therefore, the bread baked 

 from it, as it comes from the mill, contain 44 per cent., every hundred 

 pounds consist of — 



Dry flour . . . . . ^^ l 661 

 Water in the flour (naturally) . 10^ J 2 



Water added by the baker .... 33i 



100 

 Or, the flour, in baking, takes up half its weight of water. A hundred 

 pounds of flour, therefore, as it comes from the mill, will give very 

 nearly 150 pounds of bread. Thus — 



Flour contains Bread contains 



Dry flour .... 84 84 



Natural water ... 16 16 



Water added . . 50 



100 



Weight of bread 150 

 A sack of flour, therefore, or 280 lbs., ought to give about 420 lbs. of 

 well baked bread. Something must be deducted from this for the loss 

 by fermentation, and for the dryness of the crusts. Allowing 5 percent, 

 for these, a sack of flour should give 400 lbs. of bread of the best quality,* 

 or 100 quartern loaves. The cost of fine white bread, therefore, com- 

 ]>ared with that of corn and flour, ought to be very nearly as follows : — 

 Cost of Flour, Cost of Bread, Market price of 



per sack. per stone. per quartern loaf. Grain per qr.t 



35s. Is. 9d. 4]d. 47s. 



40s. 2s. Od. 4id. • 52s. 



' Unmixed with potatoes, which are employed by many bakers in considerable quantity 

 Mixed witn the yeast they are said to make the bread lijrhter. 



t This column has been calculated for me, from the price of the flour, ^y my friend Mr. 

 John Robson, miller, in Durham. Tlie practical rule is, that 6 bushels ot corn should give 

 one sack of flour, and that the miller should have the offal for his trouble. 



