Unfermented Bread
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
In a basin, mix 1 lb. of flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of coarse sea salt.
Add enough water to form a light, firm dough (about ½ pint).
Shape and bake
Sprinkle flour on a board and turn the dough out onto it, keeping your hands floured to prevent sticking.
Knead the dough quickly and shape it into small loaves.
Place the loaves on a floured baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes.
To check if the bread is done, insert a clean knife; if it comes out clean, the bread is ready.
Cool
Remove the bread from the oven and stand each loaf on its side to cool.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Flour
- Forms the dough structure that holds the loaves together as they bake.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas during baking, helping the loaves rise without fermentation.
- Water
- Hydrates the flour so it forms a cohesive dough.
The step that matters
Shaping and kneading quickly. Overworking a dough made with baking powder can knock out the gas bubbles and make the loaves dense. Working briskly keeps the dough light and helps it hold its shape.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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