Prince Edward Island - Toutons and White Bread

[Olga Drozd]

Toutons and White Bread

On baking days, many a Newfoundlander awakened to the sweet aroma of simmering molasses and batches of toutons sizzling on a hot pan.  Even late sleepers would usually forgo the comfort of their feather beds for these tasty morsels of fried bread dough..easily and quickly prepared by cutting pieces from the dough which had risen overnight.  The only drawback to these early morning appetites was the possibility that there may not be enough dough left for Mom's delicious homemade bread!

2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups milk, scalded
1 cup cold water
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter or shortening
9-12 cups flour, all purpose (the amount will vary)

TOUTONS:

1/4 to 1/2 pound salt pork, diced
Molasses, heated

Add yeast to 1 cup of lukewarm water in which 2 teaspoons sugar have been dissolved.  let stand in warm place for 10-15 minutes or until frothy.

Scald milk; add butter and stir until melted, then add water, salt and sugar; cool to lukewarm.  Stir dissolved yeast and add to lukewarm milk mixture, then quickly and half of flour and beat with wooden spoon until smooth.

Gradually add remaining flour until too stiff to knead in a bowl.  Turn out onto a floured board and knead.  Add flour until a moist dough, which no longer ticks to the board, is obtained. Throw the dough onto the board for about 20 times.

Knead dough a further 10 minutes until surface is smooth and elastic.  Place in oiled bowl and oil surface of dough; cover with a clean damp dishtowel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours.)

Punch down dough and shape into bread loaves or toutons.

TO MAKE BREAD: Shape dough into three loaves; place in greased loaf pans and let rise until doubled (1 to 2 hours).  Bake at 400º F. for 35-40 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

TO MAKE TOUTONS: Fry salt pork until brown and crisp.  Remove pork scraps.

Break of small pieces of dough the size of an egg; flatten dough (either in a circular or triangular shape) in palms of hands until 1/2 inch thick.  Fry bread dough in pork fat (on medium heat) until browned on both sides.

Serve with warm molasses, butter, applesauce, golden syrup or marmalade.  Makes 3 loaves (or 2 loaves and toutons)

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Rising Time: 3 to 3 1/2 hours
Baking Time: 40 minutes