Yeast Making

In the comment section on my bread making post, I was asked by someone to share my yeast recipe. This recipe comes from the opened book that is pictured above. The book is entitled, “Buckeye Cookery with Hints on Practical Housekeeping” which belonged to my great-great-great grandmother. The copy that I have is a first edition published in 1885, which is a hoot to read. (There is a second edition of this book available online at Google books if you are interested in reading more.). Since the copyright has expired, I feel fairly certain that it is okay for me to share the recipe. I did though, change the recipe to show the modern day measurements.

This recipe is how I was taught to make yeast, but there are many more ways of doing it with getting the same result. I will list at the bottom of this post, links to other recipes for making yeast from apples, raisins, and so on. Please make sure to check them out. While I have never tried those recipes, they do sound interesting. If you make yeast in another way, please let me know how you did it.

Shirley's notes:

• Hops here mean when the blossom on the vine is fully opened and still has its pollen in it.
• Hops can be bought at either a health food store or where ever supplies for beer making are sold.
• It is best to use non-chlorinated water. Chloride is hostel to the process of making yeast. Bottled water is best.
• It is important to use whole wheat flour and not white flour. White flour has been bleached and processed which makes it harder for fermentation to take place.
• Once you have set the yeast in a warm place to foam, it is best if it is not moved until it foams.
• If you happen to have a yeast cake, you can add it to the mixture before you place it to foam. It will aid in the speed of fermentation of the mixture. If you don't have it, don't worry, but it will be a slower process.

Homemade Hop Yeast Recipe

2 handfuls of hops

2 medium sized potatoes

3 pints of non chlorinated water

1 tablespoon of sugar

3 tablespoons of whole wheat flour

Additional whole wheat flour (amount will depend on humidity)

Cheesecloth

Wash and peel the potatoes and place in a pan with the non chlorinated water. Place hops in cheesecloth , tie closed, and place into water with the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes and hops until the potatoes are soft. Discard the hops. Mash the potatoes in the water; add the sugar and whole wheat flour. Set a warm place until it foams. After it foams, good and light, thicken with more whole wheat flour to make a light dough. Spread the mixture out onto a surface and cut into cakes about twice the size of the yeast cakes that you normally buy from the store. Keep yeast in a cool, dry place until needed. To use, soften cake in warm, but not hot, water and use it like store bought yeast.

Links to other yeast making recipes:

• Yeast water made from fruit 
• Yeast from raisins 
• Sourdough starter
  
  

  

   

  Just as a side note, the second book shown in the picture above was my great-great grandmothers cookbook. The Housekeeper's Handy Book of, Domestic Science Cyclopedia, of Valuable Information, was printed in 1915. That one is hoot to read too.

  
  

  Thanks for visiting my blog. :-)

Need to Knead??

I had someone ask me on a post that I made the other day for my bread recipe. There is a video on YouTube of my new favorite bread recipe called Peasant Bread that is baked on top of a wood stove. It is a very versatile recipe and so far I have made 6 different varieties of the bread using that recipe. Under normal circumstances, I would just post a link or embed the video so you could see how it was done, but since I added/changed so much, I feel I should get the author of the video's permission first before posting.

My second favorite bread recipe is the one that I made the other day. It is whole wheat bread that is slightly sweet, but not to sweet. Perfect for a sandwich bread or for toast. Pictured above is the bread...well...sort of. In the picture above, I had modified the recipe so I could make it in my bread machine since today I was out of state for most of today. But mostly it is the recipe that I used to make the bread that I had mentioned making the other day.

Shirley's Notes:

• You do not need a thermometer to determine 110° F.. Put your pinky (please make sure you have clean hands first) in the liquid, swish it around as you slowly count to 10. If the liquid is comfortably warm, but not cool or on par with your body temperature, it is 110° F..
• I grind my own wheat for my whole wheat flour. I was raised on a farm that grew winter wheat so I know all about what comes out of the combine and goes into the wagons. By grinding it myself, I make very sure all the dead grasshoppers and bits of chewed up field mice are not in my flour...but I have been told before that I worry too much about things like that. <LOL> If you are interested in trying your hand at grinding your own wheat, this video explains it perfectly: Making Flour from Grain 
• I also make my own yeast. It isn't nearly as complicated as what it sounds and I enjoy making it. However, store bought yeast is just as good and works the same as homemade.
• I've had this recipe like forever and cannot remember where I got it from. So, I am unable to give credit where credit is due. If you are the owner of this recipe and are able to prove that, please contact me.

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Yield: 2 loaves

2 tsp yeast

¼ cup lukewarm water at 110° F

1 ½ cup of HOT water

1/3 cup of brown sugar

3 TBS. Shortening

2 tsp. salt

2 c. whole wheat flour

3 cups white all-purpose flour

Steps:

1. Dissolve the yeast in the 110° F water
2. Combine in mixing bowl the hot water, brown sugar, shortening, and salt. Stir to dissolve. Cool to lukewarm ( 110° F)
3. Stir the wheat flour plus 1 cup of white flour into the mixing bowl and beat well.
4. Mix in the yeast then add enough remaining white flour to make a medium stiff dough.
5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. To test for proper kneading, press dough lightly with your index finger. The dough should feel elastic and spring back leaving only a faint dent.
6. Shape dough into a smooth ball and place it in a large greased bowl, turn the dough over to grease the top; cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap then a towel. Set in a warm place free from drafts.
7. Let the dough rise until doubled in volume about 1½ hours. To tell if the dough has doubled, quickly and lightly press two finger tips into the dough; if the dent remains, it has doubled.
8. Punch down the dough and divide into two balls. Cover the divided dough with plastic wrap and a towel/ let rest on a lightly floured board for 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Shape each ball into loaves by using a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12X8 inch rectangle, roll out any air bubbles to the outer edge.
10. Beginning at the short side, roll the dough up rightly just as your would a jelly roll.
11. Seal the two outer ridges by placing the loaf seam-side down on a surface, use the sides of your hands to firmly squish the two outer edges, then fold them under.
12. Place the loaf , seam side down in a greased loaf pan. Let rise 2^nd time for about 1¼ hours.
13. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.
14. After removing from oven, brush crust on all sides with butter to keep the crust soft.

Enjoy and thanks for visiting my blog. :-D