While satisfactory bread can be made with water, that made with whole milk, skim milk, or even half milk and half water will be a little more nutritious, more tender, better flavored, and creamier in color.

When the liquid used is milk, or part milk, scald it and cool until lukewarm. When water is used, heat until lukewarm. To this warm liquid add the fat, syrup or sugar, and salt, then lightly break in the yeast, allowing to stand two or three minutes until yeast softens. Add the flour and knead until the dough is smooth and velvety, and does not stick to the fingers.

When baking several loaves much time can be saved by weighing instead of measuring the flour. Place the pan or mixer containing liquid on scales and sift flour directly into it, avoiding the use of extra utensil.

When using a bread-mixer all the flour should be added at once; when trying a new brand however, it is better to scant the measurement at first and add more later than to have the dough too stiff. But accurate account should be kept of all flour used so that in after bakings it can all be added at one time.

Dough mixed seven minutes in a bread-mixer will produce as fine a loaf as that kneaded forty-seven minutes by hand, altho the dough will not look as smooth when mixing is first finished.

Do not grease the kneaded dough, as a kneaded surface will not mix well and often leaves a crack in the finished loaf, but cover the dough with a snugly fitting lid or plate to exclude the air. If the dough is covered only with a cloth, a heavy crust will be formed which will produce a dark streak wherever it is worked into the loaf. Do not place on a heated surface to rise. Remember always that a room that is comfortable for you is warm enough for your bread.

When dough has doubled in bulk, pinch off piece size of loaf desired, lay in ungreased bread-pan, pressing well into comers and around edges so that center is a little higher than sides.

Cover (this time a cloth may be used, for if crust is formed it will not spoil the crust of the baked loaf), and let rise until doubled in bulk. Bake one hour, commencing with a temperature of about 350°, increasing to about 400°, and decreasing the last fifteen minutes of the hour. The bread should not begin to brown until it has been in the oven ten minutes. When baked remove from pan and place on bread cooler or crosswise on the pan until thoroughly cooled, then put, without cloth or paper, into clean bread box.

Do not grease the crust upon removing from the oven. A greased crust will be soft and tough, while one that is not greased will be deliriously crisp.

Syrup has been used in most receipts instead of sugar, but when sugar is plentiful it may be substituted for the syrup if desired.

The fat preferred is a vegetable oil or fat, altho any kind may be used.

Hard wheat flour should always be used for yeast doughs, soft wheat for baking powder and soda mixtures, and for pastries.

"About" is used in flour measurements because flours vary so greatly that definite quantities cannot be specified. Enough should be used to make the dough just stiff enough to be handled without sticking to the fingers. If dough is of this consistency and well baked, it will not stick if baked in an ungreased pan.