Very early in the history of the world, it seems, grains and other substances, less nutritious, were ground between stones, mixed with water to a dough, and baked upon hot stones or before the fire.

An uncooked piece of dough, being left accidentally a sufficient length of time, would, by the natural process of fermentation, give rise to a light dough that might be baked in this condition. In some way like this the desirability of providing an article of food that was light and porous - and easily penetrated by the digestive fluids - was probably discovered, and in time, by means of artificial processes, other and less uncertain means of lightening dough were evolved.

Definitions Of Batters And Doughs

When meal or flour is mixed with liquid to such consistency that it may be beaten, the mixture is called a batter. When the batter is of such consistency that it may be poured from the vessel or spoon in a continuous stream, it is called a pour batter. When the batter is of such thickness that it breaks and drops in pouring, it is a drop batter. When a mixture cannot be beaten (beating is done by cutting down with a spoon or other utensil from the top to the bottom of a mixture, and bringing the spoon up to the surface, passing over and down again, and thus turning the mixture over and over), but needs be made smooth by tossing and cutting, with a knife, kneading with the hands, or beating with a rolling pin, the mixture becomes- a dough. The general proportions of flour and liquid to produce batter or dough are as follows: Equal measures of flour or meal and water make a pour batter; two measures of flour to one of liquid produce a drop batter, and three measures of flour to one of liquid produce a dough.

These proportions are subject to many modifications, owing to combination with other ingredients, as sugar, butter, eggs, etc. Allowance must also be made for the kind of liquid and for the difference in the thickening properties of different kinds and grades of flour or meal.