Recipe Manuscript

Pan De Caja

Name: Pan De Caja
Prep time: PTPT25M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 kilogram wheat flour (all-purpose or bread flour); 30 grams fresh yeast (or substitute with 10 grams active dry yeast); 1 tablespoon (about 15 grams) granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon (about 15 grams) salt; Lukewarm water (about 500–600 ml, as needed); Extra flour and fat (lard or vegetable oil) for greasing pans

"Sandwich Bread"

1914

From the treasured pages of Libro para Recetas no 2

Written by Irazoqui, Susana de Sánchez

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Breakfast Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1914

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Pan De Caja

"1 kilo de harina 30 gramos de levadura 1 cucharada de azucar 1 cucharada de sal se toma la mitad de la harina y se mescla la levadura disuelta en agua y una cucharada de azucar se amasa con el agua que nesesite dejandola mas bien aguada que espesa y se deja en una casuela durante 1/2 horas se le añade entonses el otro medio kilo de harina se amasa con agua tibia durante un 1/4 de hora y se deja otra media hora para que suelte. Puesto ya en los moldes engrasados y tapados, en el mismo cuarto en el que se van a coser. luego se meten al horno muy caliente donde estaran media hora sin abrirle para nada."

English Translation

"1 kilo of flour, 30 grams of yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of salt. Take half of the flour and mix the yeast dissolved in water and a tablespoon of sugar. Knead with the amount of water needed, making it rather more wet than thick, and leave it in a pot for half an hour. Then add the other half kilo of flour, knead with warm water for about 15 minutes, and leave it for another half hour to rise. Place the dough in greased and covered molds, in the same room where they will be baked. Then, put them in a very hot oven, where they will stay for half an hour without opening the oven at all."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe, like many from early 20th-century Mexican manuscripts, uses colloquial language, minimal measurements, and relies on observation and touch ('más bien aguada que espesa' – more watery than thick) rather than precise science. Spelling and grammar reflect everyday usage of the time – note the historical spellings like 'mescla' (now 'mezcla'), 'coser' (an older regional variation for 'cocer,' meaning 'to bake'), and 'entonses' ('entonces'). Recipes assumed knowledge of rising, kneading, and baking techniques passed down orally; ovens ran hot, yeast was fresh and considered a specialty item, and ingredients were measured with kitchen spoons and bowls rather than scales. This recipe embodies the blend of tradition and transition – from hand to pen to home, a perfect slice of culinary history.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Libro para Recetas no 2 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Libro para Recetas no 2 (1914)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Irazoqui, Susana de Sánchez

Era

1914

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful handwritten compendium of traditional home recipes, this volume offers a charming glimpse into early 20th century Mexican cookery as practiced by women in Durango during a period of transformation.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from a 1914 Mexican household manuscript, one of a collection written by several generations of women from Durango, Northern Mexico. These manuscripts provide a window into the daily lives and kitchens of upper middle-class and elite Mexican families during a time when the country was shaken by revolution and profound social change. At the time, pan de caja (sandwich bread, or box bread) signified a move toward more refined, European-influenced baking, contrasting with traditional Mexican pan dulce and indigenous maize-based breads. Access to wheat flour, boxed yeast, and domestic ovens reflected a certain level of comfort and adaptation to changing foods and technologies.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1914, mixing would have been done in deep ceramic or metal bowls using wooden spoons or hands. Kneading took place on a large wooden table or even a clean stone slab. Dough was left to rise inside a protected, warm place – often a lidded clay or metal pot, sometimes wrapped with towels for insulation, and always free from drafts. Loaf shapes were achieved using rectangular, heavy cast-iron or tin-plated molds, greased with lard or oil. Baking was done in a wood- or coal-fired oven, pre-heated until very hot. Temperature control was imprecise; skill and experience determined when it was 'just right.'

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

8 cups wheat flour (all-purpose or bread flour)
1 ounce fresh yeast (or substitute with 0.35 ounce active dry yeast)
1 tablespoon (about 0.5 ounce) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (about 0.5 ounce) salt
Lukewarm water (about 2 to 2.5 cups, as needed)
Extra flour and fat (lard or vegetable oil) for greasing pans

Instructions

Start by dissolving 1 ounce of fresh yeast in a bit of lukewarm water, along with one tablespoon of sugar.
In a large bowl, combine this mixture with 4 cups of the flour, mixing it into a rather loose dough – it should be softer than you might expect.
Cover the bowl and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
Next, add the remaining 4 cups of flour and a tablespoon of salt to the bowl.
Add enough warm water (approximately 1 to 1¼ cups, though adjust as needed – you want a dough that's smooth and slightly sticky) and knead for about 15 minutes, until the dough becomes elastic and cohesive.
Cover and let it rise again for 30 minutes, allowing it to become airy and light.
Shape the dough into loaves and place them in well-greased loaf pans.
Cover the pans and let the loaves rise in a warm room – ideally, the same room where they will be baked.
Bake in a very hot preheated oven (about 430°F) for 30 minutes, without opening the oven door during baking.
Let the bread cool before slicing.

Estimated Calories

120 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 30 minutes to bake the bread, and about 25 minutes to prepare and knead the dough. The total recipe makes two loaves, each serving about 12 slices. Each slice contains around 120 calories.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.