How to Make Fancy Yeast Bread (VRP 151)

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Fancy Yeast Bread is a classic and versatile recipe perfect for bakers looking to create a light, fluffy, and flavorful bread at home. This recipe, featuring Gold Medal Flour, is from the vintage archives, and it showcases traditional bread-making techniques. It uses simple ingredients such as milk, butter, eggs, and yeast to produce a loaf that’s perfect for slicing and serving with butter, jams, or as the base for sandwiches. By following the steps carefully, you can achieve a soft, airy bread that’s perfect for any meal.

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Fancy Yeast Bread

Food History

Yeast bread has been a staple in human diets for thousands of years, with records dating back to ancient Egypt, where bakers first discovered how to use wild yeast to leaven bread. In the United States, yeast bread recipes became more refined and popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries as commercial yeast became available. Before that, bakers often relied on natural starters, like sourdough, or used yeast left over from brewing beer.

The compressed yeast cakes used in this recipe gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a convenient and consistent leavening option. Commercially produced yeast allowed home bakers to achieve reliable results with their bread recipes. Brands like Gold Medal Flour also emerged around this time, ensuring a consistent and high-quality product for bread baking.

Scalding milk was once a common step in bread recipes, as it neutralized enzymes in the milk that could weaken gluten formation. This step isn’t always necessary with today’s pasteurization methods, but it remains a traditional practice in vintage recipes. This recipe’s use of butter and eggs enriches the dough, resulting in a soft, tender bread that’s slightly sweet and perfect for both sweet and savory uses.

Timeline

• Ancient Egypt: The earliest records of leavened bread using wild yeast date back over 5,000 years.
• Late 19th Century: Compressed yeast cakes become widely available, revolutionizing home bread baking.
• Early 20th Century: Brands like Gold Medal Flour provide consistent flour quality, improving bread-baking success for home cooks.
• Mid-20th Century: The Good Housekeeping Institute and similar entities test and publish recipes like Fancy Yeast Bread, promoting reliable methods and ingredients for home baking.

Recipe Discussion

Fancy Yeast Bread uses traditional ingredients that are staples in many classic bread recipes. Here’s a breakdown of each component and its role in the dough:

• Gold Medal Flour: This all-purpose flour is the base of the bread. Sifting it helps incorporate air, which leads to a lighter dough. This vintage brand was known for its consistent quality, making it a trusted choice for bakers.
• Compressed Yeast Cakes: This type of yeast was a common leavening agent in early bread recipes. It must be dissolved in lukewarm liquid to activate. If you prefer to use active dry yeast instead, substitute with 2 ¼ teaspoons per cake of compressed yeast, and proof it in the warm milk with a pinch of sugar.
• Milk (scalded and cooled): Scalding milk was once done to deactivate enzymes that could interfere with yeast and gluten development. Today, pasteurized milk doesn’t require scalding, but the recipe stays true to its vintage roots by including this step.
• Butter: The butter enriches the dough, making it soft and flavorful. Melt the butter before mixing it into the dough to ensure it blends evenly.
• Sugar: Sugar feeds the yeast, helping the dough rise while adding a subtle sweetness that balances the savory elements.
• Eggs: Eggs enrich the dough, giving it a softer texture and a golden color once baked. Make sure to beat the eggs before incorporating them into the mixture.
• Salt: Salt is essential for flavor and controls yeast activity, ensuring the dough rises at the right rate. Be sure not to omit it, as it balances the sweetness and richness of the other ingredients.

Preparation Tips

• Activate the Yeast Correctly: If using compressed yeast cakes, make sure the milk is lukewarm (around 100°F) to properly activate the yeast without killing it. For modern substitutions like active dry yeast, proof the yeast with a pinch of sugar to ensure it’s active before adding it to the dough.
• Kneading: Knead the dough on a floured surface until it becomes smooth and elastic, which usually takes about 8-10 minutes. This develops the gluten, which is key to achieving a light and airy texture in the bread.
• First Rise: Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about two hours or until it doubles in size. Covering the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap prevents the dough from drying out.
• Second Rise: After kneading the dough again, let it rise for another 45 minutes. This step improves the bread’s texture and ensures a fluffy final product.
• Shaping: For this vintage recipe, you may need to shape the dough into loaves, rolls, or another desired form. Shape and bake according to your preference, referencing other vintage cards if needed.
• Baking: If baking loaves, preheat the oven to the recommended temperature (typically around 375-425°F, depending on the size of the bread) and bake until golden brown. Tap the bottom of the loaf to check if it sounds hollow, which indicates it is done.

Recommended Kitchen Products

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• Stand Mixer: A stand mixer with a dough hook attachment can save time and effort when kneading the dough, ensuring a smooth, elastic consistency.
• Thermometer: An instant-read thermometer helps verify the temperature of the milk when proofing the yeast, preventing it from being too hot or too cold.
• Proofing Basket: These baskets allow for even rising and create a beautiful pattern on the loaf, perfect for more advanced bakers wanting to shape their dough professionally.
• Bread Lame: If you plan to bake loaves, a bread lame helps create controlled slashes for even baking and a beautiful finish.

Serving Suggestions

• Breakfast Toast: Slice the bread and toast it for breakfast, adding butter, jam, or honey for a delicious start to the day.
• Sandwiches: This bread makes an excellent base for sandwiches, whether you prefer classic ham and cheese or a more elaborate grilled panini.
• Dinner Rolls: If shaping into rolls, serve them warm with butter alongside soups, stews, or roasted meats for a comforting meal.
• Bruschetta: Use slices of this bread as a base for bruschetta. Top with fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a simple yet flavorful appetizer.
• French Toast: Stale slices of Fancy Yeast Bread are perfect for making French toast. Dip them in a mixture of eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla, then cook until golden brown for a sweet treat.
• Bread Pudding: This bread works wonderfully in bread pudding recipes. The richness from the eggs and butter adds extra flavor, making it ideal for transforming into a dessert.

The Classic Comfort of Homemade Bread

Fancy Yeast Bread is more than just a recipe—it’s a connection to the past, reflecting the time-honored traditions of homemade baking. Whether you’re making it for a special occasion or simply to enjoy fresh bread, this recipe offers the flexibility and satisfaction of creating something from scratch. By following the steps and tips, you’ll achieve a loaf that’s light, flavorful, and sure to impress. Dive into the joy of vintage baking and share this warm, comforting treat with family and friends.

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Fancy Yeast Bread Recipe