A recipe for bread that is sweet

This is the type of recipe that makes young people roll their eyes and say “duh” because they don’t realize cooking terminology has changed over the years. What they – and many people actually – don’t realize is that ovens didn’t always have a thermostat or different heat settings. In the early days of baking, a cook made her oven hotter or cooler by putting in more wood, letting the fire burn low, opening the door, and putting her baked goods closer or farther from the heat. Terms such as “hot oven” “moderate oven” and “quick hot” can be found on vintage recipe cards and in vintage cookbooks, but they mystify modern cooks. However, these and others were accepted terms that indicated a certain heat range. You will see in the chart below that there is a small temperature range between the descriptions, and it is possible that variations of altitude, humidity, and the individual cook’s sensitivity to the temperature could all affect the actual baking.

Very Slow Oven: Below 300F
Slow Oven: 300F
Moderately Slow Oven: 325F
Moderate Oven: 350F
Moderately Hot Oven: 375F
Quick Oven: 375-400F
Hot Oven: 400-425F
Very Hot Oven: 450-475F
Extremely Hot Oven: 500F or more

Sweet Bread

8 c flour

1/2 c butter

3/4 c sugar

2 c milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 cake yeast (7¢)

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1/2 c water – heat lukewarm

Knead for about 1/2 hr, let raise in warm place, then punch down. Let raise again. Pan and bake in hot oven* for about 3/4 hr. or until brown. Grease pans well. Butter top of loaves before they cool.

* 400-425 F