will do, and the same proportion of yeast as for wheat flour; put in a
small piece of butter and a little salt. It should not be kneaded as
stiff as wheat flour, as it will be hard when baked; let it stand in the
pans, after it is moulded up, half an hour.
Brown Bread is made by mixing, Indian meal and Rye flour. The Indian
meal should be scalded; when cool, put in the rest of the ingredients,
in the same proportion as for plain rye bread. Bake it between two and
three hours.
117. _Rice Bread._
Boil a pint of rice till soft, then mix it with two quarts of rice
flour, a tea cup of yeast, two tea spoonsful of salt, and milk enough to
render it of the consistency of rye bread. When light bake it in small
loaves.
118. _French Rolls, or Twists._
Turn a pint of lukewarm milk, into a pint of flour, mix them well
together, then turn in a small tea cup of yeast, two tea spoonsful of
salt, and flour enough to make a thick batter. Set it in a warm place to
rise. When light, put in a piece of butter of the size of a hen's egg,
and half a tea cup of lukewarm water, the butter should be melted before
it is put in; knead in flour until stiff enough to roll out. Let it
stand till risen again, then roll it out, about half an inch thick, cut
it into narrow strips, braid and twist them a little, as you braid them.
Lay them on flat buttered tins, let them remain from twenty to thirty
minutes, then bake them slowly.
119. _Yeast._
Boil a small handful of hops, in two quarts of water, when all the
strength is obtained from them, strain the liquor, and put it back on
the fire, take a little of it, and mix smoothly with a couple of table
spoonsful of flour, mix it with the boiling liquor, when it has boiled
five or six minutes, take it from the fire, and when lukewarm, add a tea
cup of yeast, keep it in a warm place till risen, then stir in a table
spoonful of salt, turn it into a jar, and cover it up tight. Some people
keep yeast in bottles but they are very apt to burst. Yeast made in this
manner, will keep a fortnight in the warmest weather. If your yeast
appears to be sour, put a little saleratus in just before you put it
into your bread; if it does not foam well, it is too stale to use.
Another method of raising bread, which is very good, is to leave about
half a pound of dough, from one week's baking to another. It should be
rolled out thin and dried in the sun, about two hours before you wish to
bake your bread, turn a quart of warm water to it, and set it near the
fire till light, which will be in the course of an hour, then scald your
dough, and when lukewarm, stir in the yeast; it will raise the bread in
the course of an hour. This can only be used two or three times, without
having fresh yeast put to it.
120. _Yeast Cakes._
Stir into a pint of yeast, a table spoonful of salt, and Indian meal
sufficient to enable you to roll it out. When rolled thin, cut it into
cakes with a tumbler, and dry them in the wind; in hot weather, care
must be taken to keep them from the sun, or they will ferment; when
perfectly dry, tie them up in a bag, and keep them in a cool dry place.
To raise four or five loaves of bread, take one of these cakes, and put
it in half a pint of warm water, set it near the fire to rise, when
light use it to raise your dough.
121. _Biscuit._
Melt a cup of butter, and mix it with half a pint of lukewarm milk; if
you have not milk, water will do, add a tea cup of yeast, two tea
spoonsful of salt, and flour to render it sufficiently stiff to roll
out. Set it in a warm place, when light, roll it out about an inch
thick, cut it with a tumbler into cakes and let them stand half an hour
before baking them.
122. _Butter Milk Biscuit._
Dissolve a couple of tea spoonsful of saleratus, in a tea cup of milk,
sour is the best. Mix it with a pint of buttermilk, three tea spoonsful
of salt; a little cream improves it; knead in flour till stiff enough to
roll out. Mould it into small cakes, and bake them directly.
123. _Hard Biscuit._
Weigh out four pounds of sifted flour; take out about a quarter of a
pound of it, rub the remainder with four ounces of butter, two tea
spoonsful of salt, and four eggs. Wet up the whole with milk, pound it
out flat with a rolling pin, sprinkle a little of the reserved flour
over it lightly, roll it up and pound it out thin again, sprinkle on
more of the flour, roll it up, this operation continue to repeat, until
you get in all the reserved flour. Then mould it up into small cakes,
lay them on flat buttered tins, flatten and cover them, with a damp
cloth as you lay them on the tins, to prevent their drying too fast.
Bake them in a quick oven.
124. _York Biscuit._
Rub together six ounces of butter, two pounds and three quarters of
flour, dissolve a couple of tea spoonsful of saleratus in a little milk,
and mix it with the flour, add a tea spoonful of salt, and milk
sufficient to enable you to roll it out. Pound it out thin and cut it
into cakes, bake them till a light brown.
125. _Rice Cakes._
Mix a pint of soft boiled rice, with a pint of milk, or water, a tea
spoonful of salt and a couple of beaten eggs. Stir in rice or wheat
flour, till of the right consistency to roll out. Cut them into cakes
and bake them.
126. _Rice Ruffs._
To a pint of rice flour, put a pint of boiling water, a tea spoonful of
salt, and four eggs, beaten to a froth. Drop this mixture into boiling
fat, by large spoonsful.
127. _Buck Wheat Cakes._
Mix a quart of buck wheat flour, with a pint and a half of warm milk,
(water will do but is not quite as good) and a tea cup of yeast, then
set it in a warm place to rise. When light (which will be in the course
of ten or twelve hours,) add a tea spoonful of salt, if sour the same
quantity of saleratus, dissolved in milk, and strained, thin them with a
little milk. Fry them in just fat enough to prevent their sticking to
the griddle or pan. Salt pork rinds, beef fat, or lard, are good to fry
them in.
128. _Economy Cakes._
Soak dry pieces of bread in water, till soft enough to mash fine,
squeeze out all the water, and to three pints of the bread pulp, put a
couple of table spoonsful of flour, one beaten egg, half a tea spoonful
of salt, the same quantity of saleratus, dissolved in a cup of milk and
strained. If not thin enough stir in a little more milk. Cook them in
the same manner as buck wheat cakes.
129. _Green Corn Cakes._
Mix a pint of grated green corn, with three table spoonsful of milk, a
tea cup of flour, half a cup of melted butter, one egg, a tea spoonful
of salt, half a tea spoonful of pepper. Drop this mixture by the
spoonful into hot butter, and fry it eight or ten minutes. These cakes
are nice served up with meat for dinner.
130. _Corn Cake._
To a quart of milk put three beaten eggs, a tea spoonful of salt, mix it
with sifted Indian meal enough to make a thin batter. Bake it in a bake
pan about one hour. Buttermilk or sour milk with a tea spoonful of
saleratus, is better to mix with the Indian meal, than sweet milk and
eggs.
131. _Indian Slap Jacks._
Mix a quart of milk with a pint of Indian meal, four table spoonsful of
flour, three beaten eggs, a tea spoonful of salt. A table spoonful of
molasses or a little stewed pumpkin is thought by many people to improve
them. Fry them in lard. Another way which is very good, is to scald a
quart of Indian meal and half a pint of wheat flour with milk, (water
will do but is not as good) stir in a small tea cup of yeast and set
them in a warm place to rise. When light fry them, in just fat enough to
prevent their sticking to the griddle.
132. _Johnny Cakes._
Scald sifted Indian meal, put in a little salt, mould it with the hand
into cakes, of the size of biscuit. In order to mould them up,
considerable flour must be rubbed on the hands. Fry them in fat enough
to cover them. When cooked split and butter them.
133. _Hoe Cakes._
Stir up Indian meal, with cold water sufficient to make a batter, of the
consistency of buck wheat cakes, add a tea spoonful of salt, a table
spoonful of melted butter. Butter your bakepan and turn this mixture
into it and bake it about an hour. Indian meal wet up in this manner is
good fried.
134. _Muffins._
Mix a pint of lukewarm milk, with the same quantity of flour, a tea
spoonful of salt, a piece of butter, of the size of a hen's egg. When
light beat a couple of eggs and put in; butter muffin rings, and put
them in a buttered pie pan, turn in the mixture and bake them till of a
light brown.
135. _Flour Waffles._
Gradually turn a quart of milk or water on to a quart of flour, stirring
it well as you turn it in, so that it may not be lumpy, add a tea cup of
yeast, a tea spoonful of salt, a table spoonful of melted butter, a
couple of eggs, improve them, but they can be dispensed with very well.
When light bake them in waffle irons, well heated and greased with lard,
before each one is poured in. Bake them on hot coals; when they have
been on the fire about two minutes, turn the irons, and let them brown
on the other side.
136. _Quick Waffles._
Into a quart of flour stir slowly a quart of milk or water, beat five
eggs and put in, together with a tea spoonful of salt and a table
spoonful of melted butter. They are cooked in the same manner as other
waffles. A quarter of a pound of sugar, stirred into the mixture
improves it.
137. _Rice Waffles._
Mix a quart of milk with a tea cup of boiled rice, and a pint and a half
of rice or wheat flour. Beat three eggs to a froth, and stir in,
together with a tea spoonful of salt.
138. _Rice Wafers._
Rub a pound of rice flour, with quarter of a pound of butter, put in a
little salt, a wine glass of wine, two eggs, and milk sufficient to
enable you to roll them out. When rolled thin, cut them with a wine
glass into small cakes and bake them.
139. _Observations respecting Sweet Cakes._
If you wish your cake to be good, it must be made of nice materials. The
butter, eggs, and flour should not be stale, and the sugar should be
dry, and of a light color. Brown sugar answers for most kinds of cakes,
if rolled free from lumps, and stirred with the butter, until it is a
very light color. The flour should be sifted and if damp, it should be
dried perfectly, or it will make the cake heavy. Where sifted flour for
cake is measured, it should be shaken down in the measure to be
accurate; if there is not flour enough in cake, it will not be light.
The eggs should be beaten to a froth, on a shallow plate, and for very
nice cake the whites and yolks, should be beaten separately. Where
saleratus is used, it should be thoroughly dissolved and strained.
Raisins for cake, should have the seeds taken out, and Zante currants
should be carefully washed and rubbed in a cloth, to get out the sticks;
they should be perfectly dried before they are put into the cake. All
kinds of cake that has not yeast in it, should be stirred till it goes
into the oven. It should not be moved while in the oven, if it can be
avoided. The quicker most kinds of cake are baked, without burning, the
better they will be. It is impossible to give any exact rules as to the
time for baking cake, as so much depends on the heat of the oven; it
should be narrowly watched and if likely to burn covered with a thick
paper. To ascertain when rich cake is sufficiently baked, stick a clean
broom splinter through the thickest part, and if none of the cake
adheres to it, it is baked enough. When cake that is baked on flat tins,
moves easily on them it is sufficiently done.
140. _Gingerbread._
Melt a piece of butter, of the size of a hen's egg and put it with a
pint of molasses, stir in a little flour, and a heaping table spoonful
of ginger. Dissolve a large table spoonful of saleratus, in half a pint
of water, strain and mix it with the rest of the ingredients, together
with flour enough to enable you to roll it out easily. Roll it about
half an inch thick, and lay it on flat buttered tins; bake it as soon as
rolled out in a quick oven a few moments. Gingerbread to be very nice,
should be made of good molasses, and baked very quick. Some people use
only a tea spoonful of saleratus, to a pint of molasses, but it is much
better with more, appearing in point of lightness like sponge cake.
141. _Soft Gingerbread._
Melt a cup of butter and mix it with a pint of molasses, a table
spoonful of ginger and a little flour, dissolve three tea spoonsful of
saleratus, in a tea cup of water, and stir it into the cake, together
with flour enough to render it of the consistency of pound cake. Bake it
in deep cake pans, about thirty minutes. A couple of eggs improve the
cake.
142. _Ginger Snaps._
Mix half a tea cup of melted butter, with a tea cup of sugar, half a tea
cup of molasses, and a table spoonful of ginger. Dissolve a tea spoonful
of saleratus, in half a tea cup of water and strain it into the cake,
knead in flour till quite stiff. Roll it out very thin, and cut it into
cakes, with a wine glass. Lay them on buttered tins, and bake them a few
moments, in a very moderate oven. A tea spoonful of allspice, the same
quantity of cinnamon, mace, and coriander seed, together with a tea
spoonful of ginger instead of a table spoonful, put into this cake will
convert it into spice snaps.
143. _Cider Cake._
Rub together three quarters of a pound of sugar, and half a pound of
butter. Dissolve two tea spoonsful of saleratus in half a tea cup of
water, turn it into the cake, together with half a pint of cider, stir
in two pounds of flour and a grated nutmeg. Bake it about half an hour.
This cake should be eaten in the course of two or three days after it is
made, as it gets dry very quick.
144. _Cookies._
Stir together one cup of butter, two of sugar. Dissolve a tea spoonful
of saleratus in a cup of milk, (water will do but the cake will not be
as rich,) stir it into the cake, together with a table spoonful of
caraway seed, and one egg beaten to a froth, knead in flour till of the
right consistency to roll out easily. Lay the cake on a moulding board,
and if you cannot roll it out without its sticking to the rolling pin,
more flour should be added. Stamp and cut it into cakes, lay them on
flat tins well buttered, bake them in a quick oven.
145. _New Year's Cookies._
Mix one pound of butter, a pound and three quarters of sugar, dissolve a
couple of tea spoonsful of saleratus, in a pint of milk, and turn it on
to the butter and sugar when well mixed, beat three eggs to a froth and
stir them into the cake, with a grated nutmeg, and three heaping table
spoonsful of caraway seed. Sift three pounds of flour and work into the
cake with the hand. Roll them half an inch thick, and bake them
immediately in a quick oven.
146. _Plain Tea Cakes._
Stir together half a tea cup of butter, two of sugar, turn in a tea cup
of milk with a tea spoonful of saleratus dissolved in it, add one half
of a grated nutmeg, and flour enough to enable you to roll it out, cut
it into small cakes.
147. _Shrewsbury Cake._
Mix a pound of butter, with twelve ounces of sugar, add five eggs beaten
to a froth, a little rosewater, or essence of lemon, and a pound of
flour, roll the cake out thin, and stamp and cut it into cakes, and bake
them in a quick oven.
148. _Tunbridge Cake._
Stir six ounces of butter with the same quantity of sugar, beat a couple
of eggs and put in, together with a table spoonful of cream, and a
little orange flower water, or essence of lemon; add three quarters of a
pound of flour, roll it out thin and cut it into cakes.
149. _Jumbles._
Mix half a pound of sugar, with the same quantity of butter, five beaten
eggs, a little essence of lemon; add a pound of flour when well mixed.
Roll it about half an inch thick, cut it into narrow strips of equal
length, join the ends together so as to form rings. Bake them on flat
tins.
150. _Simbals._
Rub together half a pound of sugar, quarter of a pound of butter;
dissolve a tea spoonful of saleratus, in half a cup of milk, put it into
the cake, with a couple of beaten eggs, a little mace or nutmeg. Then
add flour enough to render it sufficiently stiff, to roll out. It should
be rolled in pounded white sugar, cut into strips, and the ends joined
in the form of rings.
151. _Sugar Gingerbread._
Mix a pound of sugar with six ounces of butter, dissolve a tea spoonful
of saleratus, in half a tumbler of milk, and stir in, together with four
beaten eggs, three tea spoonsful of ginger; when well mixed, add a pound
and a half of flour, and roll it out about an inch thick, run a jagging
iron across it, in parallel lines, an inch apart. Bake it on flat
buttered tins, in a quick oven.
152. _Rusk._
Melt six ounces of butter, and mix it with half a pound of sugar, turn
in half a pint of lukewarm milk, half a tea cup of yeast, (brewer's is
the best,) add three tea spoonsful of cinnamon, and flour to make them
stiff enough to mould up. Set them in a warm place to rise. When light
mould them up into small cakes, lay them on tins well buttered, let them
remain till very light, before baking them.
153. _Whigs._
Mix three quarters of a pound of sugar, with half a pound of butter;
when white, beat two eggs, and put in, together with half a pint of
milk, half a tea cup of yeast, a tea spoonful of rosewater or nutmeg,
and two pounds of flour. When very light bake them in cups.
154. _Hot Cream Cakes._
Rub together three quarters of a pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of
butter, and half a tea spoonful of salt; beat four eggs to a froth, and
put in, together with a tea cup of cream; drop this mixture into
buttered muffin hoops, placed in a buttered bake pan; when brown take
them up, split and butter them.
155. _Cross Buns._
Mix a tumbler of lukewarm milk, with a pint of flour, a tea cup of
yeast, a tea spoonful of salt, the same quantity of allspice, mace, and
three tea spoonsful of cinnamon, set it in a warm place; when light, add
half a pound of sugar, the same quantity of melted butter, (it should
not be hot,) and flour enough to render it sufficiently stiff to roll
out. Put them in a warm place to rise again, when risen mould them up
into cakes, of the size of an egg, lay them on buttered tins several
inches apart; press on them a mould in the form of a cross, let them
remain an hour before baking them.
156. _Nut Cakes._
Melt a tea cup of lard, and mix it with four tea cups of rolled sugar,
three eggs well beaten, three tea spoonsful of cinnamon, or a little
rosewater, add a pint of lukewarm milk, half a pint of yeast, and flour
to make it stiff enough to roll out. Put it in a warm place to rise,
(the oven is the best place to raise them in, several hours after you
have baked in it.) When so light as to appear like a sponge in the
middle, roll it out about an inch thick, and cut it into cakes about
three inches long and two wide; let them stand twenty or thirty minutes
before boiling them. Fry them in a kettle, with about two pounds of hot
lard; the fat should boil up as they are put in, and not more than seven
or eight boiled at once; the kettle should be over a brisk fire and
shaken constantly while frying. The same lard will answer to fry several
batches of nut cakes in, if not burnt, with the addition of a little
more fat.
157. _Crollers._
Melt your lard in a frying pan, to fry your crollers in; take four table
spoonsful of it when melted, and mix with five heaping table spoonsful
of rolled sugar, half a tea spoonful of salt, four beaten eggs, and a
little essence of lemon, or rosewater. Dissolve a tea spoonful of
saleratus, in half a tea cup of milk, and turn it in, together with
flour sufficient to enable you to roll it out easily. Roll it half an
inch thick, cut it with a jagging iron, or knife, into strips about half
an inch wide, twist them into any shape you please. Heat your fat in
your frying pan till it boils up, as the cakes are laid in. There should
be fat enough, to cover them, watch them narrowly, when brown on the
under side, turn them carefully and let them brown on the other.
158. _Molasses Dough Cake._
Into three tea cups of raised dough, work with the hand half a tea cup
of melted butter, a tea cup of molasses, and a couple of eggs, beaten to
a froth, chop the rind of a fresh lemon very fine, and put it in,
together with the juice, and a tea spoonful of cinnamon; work it with
the hand eight or ten minutes, then put it into cake pans well buttered,
and set it in a warm place, about twenty minutes before baking it.
159. _Sugar Dough Cake._
Dissolve a tea spoonful of saleratus in half a tumbler of milk, strain
it on three cups of raised dough, a tea cup of melted butter, two eggs,
two tea cups of rolled sugar, and two tea spoonsful of cinnamon. Work it
with the hand, for ten or twelve minutes, put it in deep pans, set it in
a warm place for fifteen minutes before you put it in the oven.
160. _Measure Cake._
Stir together till of a light color, a tea cup of butter, with two of
sugar, beat four eggs and put in, together with a grated nutmeg, and a
pint of flour. Stir it till just before it goes into the oven, bake it
in deep tins about twenty minutes.
161. _Cup Cake._
Mix three cups of sugar, with one and a half of butter. Beat three eggs
and put in, together with a little essence of lemon, or rosewater.
Dissolve a tea spoonful of saleratus, in a tea cup of milk, and strain
it into the cake. Stir in six cups of sifted flour, and bake it either
in cups or deep pans.
162. _French Loaf._
Stir together one pound of sugar, three quarters of butter. When white,
mix a gill of wine, one of rose or French brandy, half a gill of milk
and stir it into the cake, together with eight eggs beaten to a froth,
the whites and yolks separate, put in a pound and a half of sifted
flour, just before it goes into the oven; add a grated nutmeg, a quarter
of a pound of citron, or pounded almonds, and three quarters of a pound
of Zante currants or stoned raisins.
163. _Washington Cake._
Dissolve a tea spoonful of saleratus in a wine glass of milk, and put it
with half a pound of butter and a pound of sugar previously stirred
white, add a wine glass of wine, four eggs, and a pound and a half of
flour, put in rosewater or essence of lemon, to the taste.
164. _Plain Cream Cake._
Mix a tea cup of cream, two of sugar, a couple of beaten eggs, and a
wine glass of milk, with a tea spoonful of saleratus dissolved in it.
Stir in flour to render it of the consistency of pound cake.
165. _Rich Cream Cake._
Stir till white, half a pound of butter, with three quarters of sugar,
then add a wine glass of brandy, seven eggs beaten to a froth, the
whites and yolks separate. Stir in a pound and a half of sifted flour,
and mace to your taste. Just before it goes into the oven stir in half a
pint of cream, and three quarters of a pound of fruit.
166. _Shelah or quick Loaf Cake._
Melt half a pound of butter, when cool work it into a pound and a half
of raised dough. Beat four eggs, with three quarters of a pound of
rolled sugar, and put it into the cake together with a tea spoonful of
saleratus, dissolved in a tea cup of milk, add a wine glass of brandy, a
little mace and cinnamon. Work the whole with the hand for a quarter of
an hour, add a pound of raisins; then put it into cake pans, let it
remain twenty five or thirty minutes, before baking it.
167. _Loaf Cake._
Into two pounds of flour, stir a pound of lukewarm melted butter and a
tea cup of yeast, put it in a warm place to rise, but care must be taken
not to get it too warm, as the yeast will get scalded, and prevent its
rising. When perfectly light, beat four eggs with a pound and a quarter
of sugar, and work them into the sponge, with a wine glass of wine, and
one of brandy, three tea spoonsful of cinnamon, a little mace, or
nutmeg. Work the whole well with the hand for ten minutes, then set it
where it will rise again. When risen the second time, work it with the
hand for fifteen minutes, then stir in gradually a pound of stoned
raisins, and quarter of a pound of citron cut into small strips, fill
your cake pans about half full, put them near the fire for half an hour,
to rise again in the pans. Bake the cake in a quick (but not a furious
oven,) for about an hour and twenty minutes.
168. _Rice Cake._
Mix ten ounces of ground rice, three of wheat flour, eight ounces of
powdered sugar, sift them by degrees into eight yolks and six whites of
eggs previously beaten to a froth, grate in the peel of a lemon, and
bake it in deep pans, about twenty minutes.
169. _Diet Bread._
Sift a pound of flour, and put it with a pound of sugar and eight eggs
well beaten, add a little rosewater or essence of lemon, bake it fifteen
or twenty minutes.
170. _Scotch or Lemon Cake._
Stir together till white, a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter; then
put in eight eggs, beaten to a froth, with the grated peel of a couple
of lemons, and the juice. Sift a pound of flour and stir it in.
171. _Pound Cake._