An old-fashioned way of testing the heat of the oven was to hold the hand in the oven while counting thirty.

Should one be unable to bear the heat of oven a longer time, then the temperature was correct for baking bread.

Should one be able to allow the hand to remain in the oven a longer time, the heat of the oven should be increased.
As a result of carefully following these minute directions, even an inexperienced housewife should have sweet, wholesome bread.
Frau Schmidt insisted that rolling portions of dough separately before combining in a loaf, as for braided loaves, caused the bread to have a finer texture than if just shaped into round loaves.
AN "OATMEAL LOAF" For a loaf of oatmeal bread, place 1 cup of crushed oats, or common oatmeal, in a bowl, pour over 1/2 cup of hot milk.

When luke warm, add 1 cup of sponge, or batter, reserved from that raised over night for making loaves of white bread; 1 teaspoonful butter, 1 teaspoonful sugar and 1/2 teaspoonful salt, and about 2 scant cups of white flour.
Knead a few minutes, set to rise in a warm place, closely covered, about one hour or until doubled in bulk.

Then knead down and form into a shapely loaf, place in a pan, brush melted butter over lop (this improves crust), and when raised, doubled in bulk (in about one hour), place in a moderately hot oven and bake from 40 to 45 minutes.