Bread in a Bottle

*Find your favorite recipe: cake, sweet breads, regular breads and rolls,

*Make according to directions with only one change: Replace each egg called for with one teaspoon of prepared, clear gelatin.
*Take clean, sterile jars, and wipe with shortening this is important, if you use butter or sprays, they will go rancid--but shortening will last much longer! Of course, the breads shrink as they cool and are so moist that they probably would be fine without anything.
*Place the jars on a cookie sheet, well spaced by 4-5 inches.
*Fill each jar half full--they will probably still rise over the top, but you will just have to cut it off when it comes out of the oven.

* Bake for required time in recipe.
*Remove from oven, cut off tops slightly below rims of jars. Wipe off any residue around and immediately place sterilized lids and rings on the jars.
*Jars should seal within minutes and will last for years to come on the shelf or make for great snacks in the middle of winter, when out camping, or fun to give away as gifts!!

INFORMATION FROM WENDY DEWITT (Food Storage Specialist):
Jar cakes & breads: This method of baking has been done for years, but there has been some discussion as to its safety. Because the eggs were exchanged with unflavored gelatin in all of these recipes, it is unlikely that the ingredients used could support bacteria if prepared and cooked properly. If you feel at all uncomfortable with this method, don’t use it.


Jar cakes are great for food storage and the solar oven, but you must be sure to sanitize all your jars and lids to be sure they are free from bacteria. Foods such as breads, cakes, muffins, cornbread, brownies, cookies and cinnamon rolls are cooked and sealed in mason jars and can be kept on the shelf for several weeks. Using a pastry brush, grease the inside of your jar with shortening (no Pam or Baker’s Secret) and fill it ½ to 2/3 full with batter or dough and bake. No lid is used at this time. Let your breads rise in the jars and then bake. If it bakes too high, cut the top of your bread or cake off before sealing the jar. Just be sure your jar edge is clean and your lids are hot. Immediately after the food is cooked, place a heated lid on the hot jar and tighten with the ring (Use hot pads). Within a few minutes, the lid will “plink” and the food will be sealed. The food will slip out of the jars easily if you use the straight sided “jelly jars” but any kind of mason jar will work. With this method, you can do your baking on your bright sunny days and have fully cooked baked goods waiting on your shelves for that rainy day.