Home Bread-Bakers v099.n066.15
[Advanced]

German-type breads

Andie Paysinger <asenji@earthlink.net>
Sun, 05 Dec 1999 07:51:11 -0800
v099.n066.15
My mother owned a bakery in a little town in Wisconsin and most of the 
people in the area were of German extraction so we made German-type breads, 
water rolls (hard rolls).
(After having been born and raised in the South with my grandparents, I 
went to live with my mother and stepfather in the early 50s.  It was quite 
a different life).
The bread contained (my first regular job in the bakery was loading the big 
bread mixer) Flour, Water, Sugar, Salt, Lard, Milk Powder, Yeast (fresh in 
1-pound blocks -not the dry stuff).  After it was thoroughly mixed, and 
kneaded once, it was allowed to rest for a short time, then the kneading 
was finished and the dough turned out into a dough trough which was like an 
open tank on wheels with a heavy removable top.  The dough was allowed to 
rise once, punched down and also cut with a long knife, lengthwise and 
crosswise.  It was allowed to rise again, then was removed from the trough 
(by hand in sections - one person grabbing an armful and the other person 
cutting the piece away from the main mass with that long sharp knife and 
helping lift it onto the bench
(6 feet wide by 18 feet long).
Once all the dough was on the bench, we cut and scaled it by hand into 1 
1/2 pounds pieces which were tossed to one end of the bench and 
floured.  as soon as all the dough was scaled, the first ones had risen 
enough to be put through the roller machine which rolled the dough flat 
then rolled it into a cylinder.  At the other end we put the loaves 
into  baking pans (4 joined together in a rack with 1 inch separating the 
pans) and as they were filled placed the racks onto a rolling rack which 
was then rolled into a "proof box" which simply contained a gas burner and 
a pot of water to produce steam.
After the final rise, the racks were rolled to the ovens and the pans were 
slid onto the oven trays-(This was a Peterson 16-tray oven with 2 - 6 foot 
doors - the oven trays revolved around a central burner like a Ferris wheel.
Now, here is the difference.  These breads were baked at a much higher 
temperature, usually 500-550  degrees for a shorter time than one could 
achieve in a home oven.  The higher temperature arrests the rise in the 
oven more quickly and makes a thicker, more rustic crust.
The temperature was reduced for baking the sweet rolls and Danish, 
hamburger buns (all of which were shaped and rolled by hand and this is a 
"trick" I still use).
This was all done at night.  while I was still in high school, I worked 
from 6 p.m. to midnight.  After I was out of school I worked from 9 p.m. to 
7 a.m. with a 2 hour break from 1 to 3 when I took a nap or just read and 
rested.
I would give anything if I could duplicate the flavors and textures of 
those breads.   Lord knows I have tried. Particularly the water rolls which 
were essentially  a wonderfully flavored crust.  Perhaps it was the flour, 
the yeast, or some intangible which I have not yet discovered that gave 
that wonderful flavor.  Or it may have just been that my taste buds had 
more range back in those days.
Later on my mother sent me to baking school to learn pastry work, cake 
decorating, etc.
I still know how to make "pulled sugar" and "spun sugar" decorations which 
is an art one never forgets (particularly the scorched hands).

--
Andie Paysinger & the PENDRAGON Basenjis,Teafer,Cheesy,Singer & Player
asenji@earthlink.net    So. Calif. USA   "In the face of adversity, be
patient, in the face of a basenji, be prudent, be canny, be on your
guard!"
http://home.earthlink.net/~asenji/