THE BAKERS GUIDE

the different degrees of stiffness. To the stiffer or harder samples add another c.c. or two to bring them to same consistency, and then calculate the percentage. (If you refer back to the Metric System, you will see that a c.c. of waier weighs i gram, and in these tests you have so many drams of flour and so many grams of water.)

Let the wet dough stand covered up twenty-four hours, the flatter it runs out the softer the flour. You will note that this mode adds more water to the stiffer dough,which is rather difficult. There is another and rather better mode, that of adding more flour to a given quantity of water ; this is easier to do. It is called the converse method, and is copyrighted by Mr. Williams, baker, Edenderry, Ireland, who will, upon application, give all particulars.

For weighing the flour in this test and the flour and gluten in the gluten test, you will require a small chemical balance and set of gram weights, and for measuring the water a 100 graduated c.c. pipette, with a piece of indiarubber tubing and a spring clip attached.

This is a simple, and if carefully conducted a reliable test fof the bread-making qualities of flours. Make your standard heat for testing, flour 6o°F., water ioo°F., and quantities always 21 ounces of flour, and 11 ounces of water to start with. (This quantity of water is a little over half the weight of the flour. All normal flour will require half its own weight in water to make it into a pliable dough, £ lb. water to every pound of flour.)

Small baking tests should always be baked in a tin, and as all such tests, to be of any value, must be for the purposes of comparison, they should always be baked in a tin the same size and the same shape exactly, and should be of a full size so as to prevent much of the loaf being above the top and spread- ing over, which, if it does, will make the measurement after baking uncertain.

Some flour will be drier than others, but by practice you will get very near to a standard of consistence for yourself if you start with the 1 1 ounces of water, and then add a little more if firmer than your standard.

To begin this testing it will be wise to start with all the flours you have in stock that you know the quality and be- haviour of.

To make these tests proceed as follows : Have ready as many basins or pans as you have tests ; stick a lable upon each corresponding to name of sample. Weigh 21 ounces of the sample, and put it into the basin. Put on the flour $ of art

How to make a Baking Test*