Ms. Stafford’s Homemade Bread

This homemade bread recipe is from 1904 and made with simple ingredients.  The recipe is large and makes four loaves of bread.  It would be easy to cut the recipe in half and only make two loaves if needed.  It does require to planning ahead because the bread rises overnight.  I have estimated the handful of salt measurement at 1/4 cup for the whole recipe.  For help with conversions, visit my measurement conversion page.

Homemade Bread Recipe

For 4 loaves of bread, sift 3 quarts of flour 4 times; add a good handful of salt, mixed thoroughly.  Rub through the flour 1 tablespoonful of lard.  In a pint bowl dissolve 1 Fleishmann’s compressed yeast cake and 3 tablespoonfuls of sugar in 1 pint of lukewarm water.  Cover and let stand until the yeast rises to the top of the water.  Then with a hand mix until every particle of sugar and yeast is dissolved.  With 1 quart of lukewarm water add your bowl of yeast, stir well with large spoon and 3 minutes, then knead well for 20 minutes, cover and put in a warm place.  In the morning put in pans and let rise to the tops of the pans, prick each loaf twice with a fork.  Bake in a well regulated oven 3/4 of an hour.

May Stafford, Lowell – Boston Post – 28 Feb 1904

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Homemade Bread by Ms. Stafford

Bread recipe from 1904

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Prep Time 12 hours

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 loaves

Ingredients

• 12 cups flour
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1 tbsp lard or butter
• 9 tsp yeast 4 packets
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 6 cups water lukewarm

Instructions

1. Sift 3 quarts (12 cups) of flour 4 times; add a good handful of salt (1/4 cup), mixed thoroughly. Rub through the flour 1 tablespoonful of lard.

2. In a pint bowl dissolve 1 Fleishmann's compressed yeast cake (4 packets) and 3 tablespoonfuls of sugar in 1 pint (2 cups) of lukewarm water.  Cover and let stand until the yeast rises to the top of the water. 

3. Then with a hand mix until every particle of sugar and yeast is dissolved. With 1 quart (4 cups) of lukewarm water add your bowl of yeast, stir well with large spoon and 3 minutes, then knead well for 20 minutes, cover and put in a warm place.

4. In the morning put in pans and let rise to the tops of the pans, prick each loaf twice with a fork.  Bake in a well regulated oven 3/4 of an hour.