into it a table spoonful of wine in which a rennet has been soaked; if
this does not flavor the milk sufficiently add some more wine without
the rennet; or, if the use of wine is an objection, the rennet may be
soaked in water. In warm weather one hour before it is to be served
will be the proper time to make it, as it is not good if the curd is
hard. As soon as the rennet is put into the milk stir it and pour it
in cups to coagulate. Or you may serve it in a glass bowl. It is to be
eaten with cream.
It may be made as above directed, without the sugar, and served with
sweetened cream and grated nutmeg.
APPLE CREAM.
325. Stew half a dozen tender apples, mash them to a pulp; whisk the
whites of six eggs till they are very light, and as soon as the apples
are cold add them to the eggs with five ounces of pulverized loaf
sugar. Whisk the whole till it will stand up when placed on a dish.
Serve it with sweetened cream flavored with lemon, vanilla, or wine.
TEA CAKE.
SHORT CAKES.
326. Half a pound of butter,
A pound of flour; cold water to form a dough.
Cut up the butter in the flour, and rub it until they are thoroughly
mixed. Roll the dough out in sheets, and cut the cakes with a cutter
or tumbler. Serve them hot, split them open, and eat them with butter.
MUFFINS.
327. Four eggs,
One quart of milk,
Two ounces of butter,
One gill of yeast,
Salt just to taste,
Enough flour to make a batter.
Warm the milk and butter, beat the eggs and stir in the milk, then add
flour enough to make a thick batter, add the yeast and set it to rise.
Butter your bake-iron and the inside of your muffin-rings, place the
rings on the iron and fill them three parts full of the batter. The
iron should not be too hot or they will not be done through. Split or
tear them open, butter them, and send them to the table hot.
HARD BISCUITS.
328. Four pounds of flour,
Three ounces of butter,
Four eggs,
Salt to taste,
Milk enough to form a dough.
Take out a tea cupful of the flour and set it aside. To the remainder
add the butter cut up small, the eggs well beaten, a little salt, and
milk enough to form a dough. Knead the dough well, then roll it out,
sprinkle over it a portion of the reserved flour, roll it out again and
sprinkle on more flour till all the flour is used. Roll it out thin,
cut out your cakes, and bake in a moderate oven.
YORKSHIRE BISCUITS.
329. Three pounds of flour,
One gill of yeast,
A quarter of a pound of butter,
Three eggs,
Milk enough to form a dough.
Rub the butter and flour together. Beat the eggs and add them, then the
yeast and milk to form a dough. Stand it away to rise, when light make
it out in biscuits, butter your tins, place the biscuits on them, let
them rise again and bake them.
POTATO ROLLS.
330. Four large potatoes boiled,
One table spoonful of butter,
Salt to the taste,
Half a pint of milk,
Half a tea cupful of yeast,
Flour sufficient to form a dough.
Boil the potatoes, peel and mash them, and while they are hot add the
butter and salt, then pour in the milk. When the mixture is lukewarm
add the yeast and flour. Knead the dough, set it away to rise, when it
is light mould out your rolls, place them on buttered tins, let them
rise and bake them.
BRENTFORD ROLLS.
331. Two pounds of flour,
Two ounces of powdered sugar,
A quarter of a pound of butter,
Two eggs,
One gill of yeast,
Milk enough to form a dough,
Salt to taste.
Rub the flour, butter and sugar together; beat the eggs and add with
the other ingredients. When light, mould the dough out in rolls, let
them rise again, and bake them on tins.
FRENCH ROLLS.
332. One ounce of butter,
One pound of flour,
One gill of home-made yeast,
One egg,
Milk enough to make a dough.
Rub the butter through the flour, beat the egg and stir in, then add
the yeast, milk, and a little salt. Knead the dough, when it is light
mould it out into large biscuits, and bake them on tins.
PARSNIP CAKE.
333. Boil your parsnips till perfectly soft; pass them through a
colander. To one tea cupful of mashed parsnip add one quart of warm
milk, with a quarter of a pound of butter dissolved in it, a little
salt, and one gill of yeast, with flour enough to make a thick batter.
Set it away to rise, which will require several hours. When light stir
in as much flour as will make a dough, knead it well and let it rise
again. Make it out in cakes about a quarter or half an inch thick,
butter your tins or pans, put them on and set them to rise. As soon as
they are light bake them in a very hot oven. When done wash over the
tops with a little water, and send them to the table hot.
These biscuits do not taste of the parsnips.
MARYLAND BISCUITS.
334. One pound of flour,
One ounce of butter,
As much luke-warm milk as will wet the flour,
Salt just to taste.
Rub the butter and flour together thoroughly, add the salt, and lastly
just enough milk to form a _very stiff_ dough; knead the dough, then
pound it with a rolling-pin. Break the dough in pieces, pound and knead
it again, and so on for two or three hours. It will be very smooth and
light when kneaded sufficiently.
Make it out in small biscuits and bake in a moderate oven.
WAFFLES.
335. Two eggs,
One pint of milk,
Half an ounce of butter,
Half a gill of yeast,
Salt just to taste,
As much flour as will form a thick batter.
Warm the milk and butter together; beat the eggs and add them by turns
with the flour; stir in the yeast and salt. When they are light, heat
your waffle-irons and butter them, pour in some of the batter and brown
them on both sides. Butter them and serve them with or without sugar
and cinnamon.
WAFFLES WITHOUT YEAST.
336. Three eggs,
One pint of milk,
One tea spoonful of butter,
As much flour as will make a batter.
Beat the yelks and whites separately. Melt the butter, and while
lukewarm stir it into the milk. Whisk the yelks very light, add to
them the milk and flour alternately, beat it well, lastly stir in the
whites, which must be whisked very dry. The batter should not be beaten
after the whites are in.
Grease your waffle-irons after having heated them, fill them nearly
full of the batter, close them and place them over the fire--turn the
irons so as to bake the waffle on both sides--when done take it out and
butter it.
These must be baked the moment they are mixed.
BUCKWHEAT CAKES.
337. One pint of buckwheat meal,
One quart of water,
Salt just to taste,
One gill of home-made yeast.
Mix the water (which should be lukewarm if the weather is cold,) with
the meal, add the salt and yeast, beat it well; when light bake them on
a griddle. Grease the griddle, pour on a little of the batter, spread
it so as to form a cake about the size of a breakfast plate. The cakes
should be very smooth at the edges. When they are done on one side turn
them, when brown on both sides, put some butter on the plate, place the
cake on it, butter the top, bake another and put on it, butter it and
send them to the table.
Buckwheat cakes are much better if they are sent to the table with only
one or two on a plate.
RYE BATTER CAKES
338. One pint of rye meal; to this add enough lukewarm milk to make a
thin batter, a little salt just to taste. Beat it well--add a gill of
home-made yeast.
When they are light, bake them on a griddle as buckwheat cakes.
GUERNSEY BUNS.
339. One pound of flour,
A quarter of a pound of butter,
One gill of yeast.
Cut up the butter in the flour and rub it well together. Then add the
yeast and as much milk as will form a dough. Let it rise, then make it
out in cakes, grease tins or pans, and lay the buns on them; as soon
as they rise again bake them in a quick oven.
TOTTENHAM MUFFINS.
340. One quart of flour,
Three eggs,
One gill of yeast,
A table spoonful of butter,
Salt to taste,
Milk sufficient to form a batter.
Place the butter near the fire where it may dissolve but not get hot.
Beat the eggs till they are thick, add them to the flour, with as much
milk as will make a thick batter; stir in the melted butter and salt.
Lastly a gill of yeast. Bake in muffin hoops.
CRUMPETS OR FLANNEL CAKES.
341. One pint of milk,
One egg,
A tea spoonful of butter,
Salt to taste,
Half a gill of yeast,
As much wheat flour as will form a batter.
Warm the milk and butter together; it should be lukewarm but not hot.
Beat up the egg and add to it with the salt, then flour enough to form
a batter; lastly the yeast. Set it to rise, and when light grease your
bake-iron and bake them like buckwheat cakes--butter them and serve
them hot.
SCOTCH CRUMPETS.
342. Two eggs,
One pint of milk,
A tea spoonful of butter,
Half a gill of yeast,
Salt to taste,
As much oatmeal or unbolted flour as will make a batter.
Warm the butter in the milk--it must be merely lukewarm when the eggs
are put in. Beat the eggs very light, stir them into the milk, and add
as much oatmeal or unbolted flour (the latter is preferable,) as will
form a batter, add the salt and yeast, beat it well, and stand it away
to rise.
Bake them like buckwheat cakes, butter them and serve hot.
INDIAN FRITTERS.
343. Two tea cupsful of Indian meal,
Half a tea-cup of wheat flour,
Salt just to taste,
Three eggs,
Milk enough to form a thick batter.
Mix the Indian meal and salt, stir into this as much milk as will make
a thick batter. Whisk the yelks very thick and light and stir into the
Indian; then beat the whites to a stiff dry froth, and stir them into
the mixture alternately with the flour. Do not beat it after the white
is in as that will make it tough.
Have a pan with some hot lard, drop a spoonful of the batter into it,
and bake a light brown on both sides. They should be baked as soon as
they are mixed, as if suffered to stand they will be heavy.
With a sweet sauce these may be eaten as dessert.
INDIAN SLAPPERS.
344. One pint of Indian meal,
One gill of boiling milk,
One tea spoonful of butter,
Salt just to taste,
One gill of wheat flour,
Two eggs,
One gill of yeast,
Milk sufficient to make a batter.
Cut up the butter in the Indian meal, and add the salt, then stir into
it the gill of boiling milk. Beat the eggs, and when the meal is cool
add them and the wheat flour to it, with as much milk as will form
a batter. Then add the yeast. When the batter is light grease your
griddle, and bake them as buckwheat cakes.
INDIAN PONE.
345. Put on one quart of water in a pot, as soon as it boils stir in as
much Indian meal as will make a _very thin_ batter. Beat it frequently
whilst it is boiling, which will require ten minutes. Then take it off,
pour it in a pan, and add one ounce of butter, and salt to the taste.
When the batter is lukewarm stir in as much Indian meal as will make it
quite thick.
Set it away to rise in the evening; in the morning make it out in small
cakes, butter your tins and bake in a moderate oven. Or the more common
way is to butter pans, fill them three parts full, and bake them.
This cake requires no yeast.
JOHNNY OR JOURNEY CAKE.
346. One quart of Indian meal, add to this salt to taste, and pour over
it as much boiling water as will form a dough.
Take the dough, roll it into balls, press it on a board to form the
cake--it should be about the eighth of an inch in thickness. Place the
board in front of the fire so as the heat may brown the cakes, turn
them, and when brown on both sides, send them to the table.
INDIAN LIGHT CAKE.
347. One pint of Indian meal,
One pint of milk,
Two eggs,
One tea spoonful of butter,
Salt to the taste,
One tea spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus.
Mix the butter and salt with the meal; boil half the milk, add the
_dissolved_ salæratus and the eggs, after they have been well beaten,
to the remaining half of cold milk. Pour the boiling milk over the meal
and let it cool. Then add the cold milk and salæratus. Bake it in a
shallow pan.
INDIAN MUFFINS, No. 1.
348. One pint of Indian meal,
One pint of wheat meal,
Two eggs,
One gill of yeast,
Salt to the taste,
As much milk as will make a batter.
Pour as much boiling milk over the Indian meal as will wet it. Beat the
eggs very light and add them alternately with the cold milk and flour.
Lastly stir in the yeast and salt.
They may be baked in pans or rings, as soon as they rise.
INDIAN MUFFINS, No. 2.
349. One quart of corn meal,
Half a gill of yeast,
Two eggs,
Salt to the taste,
Half an ounce of butter.
Cut up the butter into the meal, and pour on it enough boiling milk to
form a thick batter; set it away to cool. Whisk the eggs very light and
add to the batter, then the yeast and salt.
Butter square tins, fill them three parts full, and bake in a quick
oven. Or they may be baked in rings as wheat muffins.
INDIAN MEAL BREAKFAST CAKES.
350. One quart of Indian meal,
Two eggs,
A tea spoonful of dissolved salæratus,
Half an ounce of butter,
Salt to taste,
Milk sufficient to make a thick batter.
Beat the eggs very thick and light. Cut up the butter in the meal,
then pour over it enough boiling water to wet it. When it is cool add
the eggs and salt; pour the dissolved salæratus into the milk, and add
as much milk as will make it into a thick batter.
Butter square tin pans, fill them but about two-thirds and bake in a
quick oven. When done cut them into squares and serve hot.
MILK BISCUITS.
351. A quarter of a pound of butter,
One quart of milk,
One gill of yeast,
As much flour as will form the dough,
A little salt.
Stir flour into the milk so as to form a very thick batter, and add the
yeast, this is called a sponge. This should be done in the evening; in
the morning cut up the butter, and set it near the fire where it will
dissolve but not get hot; pour the melted butter into the sponge, then
stir in enough flour to form a dough, knead it well and stand it away
to rise. As soon as it is perfectly light, butter your tins, make out
the dough in small cakes, and let them rise. When they are light bake
them in a _very_ quick oven, take them out, wash the tops over with
water and send them to the table hot.
SALLY LUNN, No. 1.
352. Two pounds of flour,
Half a pound of butter,
Three eggs,
One pint of milk,
Half a gill of yeast,
Salt to taste.
Cut up the butter in the flour, and with your hands rub it well
together. Beat the eggs and add them gradually to the flour alternately
with the milk. Stir in the yeast and salt.
Bake it in an earthen mould or iron pan one hour.
SALLY LUNN, No. 2.
353. A quarter of a pound of butter,
A pound of flour,
Two eggs,
Salt to taste,
Half a gill of yeast,
Milk to make a soft dough.
Cut up the butter and warm it in a little milk; when the milk is
lukewarm stir it into the flour with the eggs beaten light, and the
yeast. Butter your cake mould, and set it near the fire to rise. When
perfectly light bake it in a moderate oven.
It is always eaten hot.
WATER TOAST.
354. Toast some slices of bread, pound the crust to soften it, butter
it well on both sides: have a vessel of boiling water with a little
salt in it. On each slice of bread put one table spoonful of the
boiling water. Serve it hot.
MILK TOAST.
355. Slice some bread, toast it of a nice light brown on both sides.
Boil a pint of milk; mix together two tea spoonsful of flour in a
little cold water; stir this into the boiling milk. Let it boil about
one minute, then add a little salt and stir into it two ounces of
butter. Dip the toast in the milk, place it on a dish, and pour the
remainder of the milk over it.
The toast may be made much richer by increasing the quantity of butter.
MUSH CAKES.
356. One quart of milk,
A quarter of a pound of butter,
Half a pint of yeast,
Salt to taste,
Indian meal sufficient to thicken the milk,
Flour enough to make a dough.
Boil the milk, and stir into it as much Indian meal mixed with cold
milk as will make a mush as thick as batter, add the butter and salt
while the mush is hot. As soon as it becomes lukewarm stir in the yeast
and as much flour as will form a dough; cover it and stand it to rise.
When light make it out into biscuits, put them in buttered pans, and as
soon as they rise again bake them in a hot oven. These cakes are very
nice.
RICE WAFFLES.
357. One gill of rice,
Three gills of flour,
Salt just to taste,
One ounce of butter,
Three eggs,
As much milk as will make it a thick batter.
Boil the rice in very little water until it is soft; drain it and mash
it fine. Then add the butter to the rice whilst it is warm; whisk the
eggs very light, the yelks and whites separately, add the yelks to the
rice, and as much milk as will form a batter. Beat the whole very hard,
then stir the whites of the eggs gently into the mixture. Grease your
waffle-irons and bake them. If the batter should be too thin, add a
little more flour.
BUTTERMILK CAKES.
358. Take one pint of buttermilk and stir into it as much flour as
will form a dough, with one table spoonful of dissolved carbonate of
ammonia. Roll the dough out in sheets, cut the cakes, and bake them in
a moderate oven. The carbonate of ammonia may be obtained at any of the
druggists; it is the common smelling-salts, without any of the aromatic
drugs. It never imparts any taste to the food, as the heat disengages
the carbonic acid gas and the ammonia.
INDIAN METLAND.
359. One pint of milk,
The yelk of one egg and whites of two,
Half an ounce of butter,
Salt to the taste,
Indian meal enough to make a batter.
Warm the milk and butter together, beat the yelk of the egg, stir it
into the milk, then add the meal. Lastly whisk the whites till they are
very dry, and stir them in gently. Butter a square pan, pour in the
batter, and bake in a moderate oven. When done cut it in squares and
serve hot.
CREAM OF TARTAR CAKES.
360. One pint of milk,
One ounce of butter,
Three pints of flour,
Three tea spoonsful of cream of tartar,
One tea spoonful of carbonate of soda or salæratus.
Rub the butter in the flour, add the cream of tartar; dissolve the
salæratus in the milk and add it to the flour. Roll out the dough, cut
it in cakes and bake them on tins in a moderately hot oven.
CAKES.
In the manufacture of cakes it is of very great importance that the
materials be of a good quality. It is better to make a plain cake of
good materials than a richer one of those of an inferior quality.
Eggs should be beaten in a broad pan until they are _thick_, the yelks
when whisked alone will be as thick as batter. The whites when beaten
by themselves, should be dry and frothy, and appear full of small white
grains. For most cakes the fine white pulverized sugar is best.
The flour should always be sifted, as it renders the cakes lighter.
Never warm butter in the pan it is to be beaten in, as it will be
likely to make your cake heavy. If the weather is cold let the butter
stand in the warm kitchen some time and it will be soft enough, the
action of beating the butter and sugar, and the friction produced,
softens the butter sufficiently.
Never beat cakes with your hand, the warmth of the hand will make them
streaked. Always use a wooden ladle for butter and sugar, or batter,
and rods or switches for eggs.
FRUIT OR PLUM CAKE, No. 1.
361. One pound of flour,
One pound of butter,
One pound of sugar,
Twelve eggs,
One pound of citron,
Two pounds of dried currants, picked and washed,
One pound of seeded raisins,
One table spoonful of ground cinnamon,
Two large nutmegs grated,
One wine-glass of brandy,
One wine-glass of wine.
Sift the flour, prepare the spice, wash, pick and dry the currants, and
seed the raisins.
With a wooden ladle beat the butter and sugar together in a deep pan.
When it is smooth and light, beat the eggs. They should be whisked till
they are thick, as the lightness of the cake depends in a great measure
upon its being well beaten. Stir in a portion of the egg and flour into
the butter and sugar, then a little more, till all is in and thoroughly
incorporated. Add the liquor and spice gradually, and lastly the fruit,
which must be well floured. Beat the whole fifteen minutes. Butter
your pan, line it with two thicknesses of paper well buttered, pour in
the batter, and bake about five hours.
Instead of the liquor, rose-water or lemon may be added to suit the
taste.
FRUIT OR PLUM CAKE, No. 2.
362. One pound of flour,
One pound of sugar,
One pound of butter,
Ten eggs,
Two pounds of dried currants, washed, picked and wiped dry,
Two pounds of raisins, washed, picked and stoned,
A quarter of a pound of citron, cut in small slices,
A tea spoonful of ground cinnamon,
One nutmeg,
A wine-glass of brandy, and one of wine.
Stir the butter and sugar together till it is very smooth and light.
Whisk the eggs till they are as thick as batter, and stir them into the
butter and sugar alternately with the flour. Add the spice and liquor
very gradually, then the fruit, which must be floured before it is put
in, or it will settle at the bottom of the cake and burn. Beat the
whole very hard for fifteen minutes.
If it is baked in a tin or iron pan, butter the pan, line the bottom
and sides with very thick white or brown paper, butter the paper well,
and pour in the mixture. Bake in a moderate oven five hours.
As many object to the use of wine and brandy, this cake may be finely
flavored with a glass of rose-water instead; or a little lemon juice
and a portion of the rind of the lemon grated in it.
NEW YORK PLUM CAKE.
363. One pound of butter,
One pound of sugar,
One pound of flour,
One pound of citron, cut in small thin slices,
Eight eggs,
Two pounds of raisins, seeded,
Two pounds of currants,
A quarter of an ounce of ground cinnamon,
A quarter of an ounce of ground cloves,
A quarter of an ounce of ground mace,
A quarter of an ounce of grated nutmeg,
One wine-glassful of brandy.
Slice the citron, pick, wash and dry the currants, seed the raisins
and mix the fruit together, and dredge over it as much flour as will
adhere to it. Prepare the spice. Stir the butter and sugar till it
is smooth and light. Beat the eggs very light and stir them into the
butter and sugar. Add the flour and fruit gradually; beat the batter
till the fruit is thoroughly mixed with it, then add slowly the spice
and liquor. Beat the mixture very hard for ten or fifteen minutes. Line
your pans with two thicknesses of stout white paper, which should be
well buttered, pour in the batter, and bake from four to five hours.
Rose-water and lemon may be used to flavor it instead of the liquor. A
wine-glass of rose-water and as much lemon as to give it a taste.
POUND CAKE, No. 1.
364. One pound of flour,
One pound of sugar,
One pound and a quarter of butter,
Ten eggs,
One nutmeg grated,
One wine-glass of rose-water.
Beat the butter and sugar together; when it is perfectly light stir
in the eggs, which must have been whisked to a thick froth; add the
flour, then the nutmeg and rose-water. Beat the whole for a quarter
of an hour. Butter your pan, line it with paper, which should be
well buttered, and pour in the mixture. Bake it for three hours in a
moderate oven. When the edges of the cake appear to shrink from the
sides of the pan the cake will be done.
POUND CAKE, No. 2.
365. One pound of butter,
One pound of flour,
One pound of sugar,
Ten eggs,
One nutmeg grated,
One glass of rose-water and brandy mixed.
Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, whisk the eggs till they are
very light, then add them to the butter and sugar alternately with the
flour. Stir in the spice and liquor, and beat the whole very hard for
ten or fifteen minutes. Line your pan with two or three thicknesses of
paper well buttered, pour in the mixture, and bake it in a moderate
oven for about three hours.
Two pounds of dried currants may be added to this cake if you choose.
COMMON POUND CAKE.
366. One pound of flour,
One pound of sugar,
Three-quarters of butter,
Ten eggs,
Two tea spoonsful of ground cinnamon,
Two tea spoonsful of grated nutmeg,
A wine-glass of brandy.
Beat the butter and sugar till light and creamy; whisk the eggs till
they are thick. Stir the eggs into the butter and sugar, by degrees,
alternately with the flour. Add gradually the spice and liquor. Beat
the whole very hard for fifteen minutes. Line your pan with paper well
buttered; pour in the mixture and bake it in a moderate oven for about
three hours. When the edges appear to leave the sides of the pan the
cake is nearly done.
This cake is very good, but the spice gives it a dark color. Leave out
the spice if you would have your cake a handsome color.
COCOA-NUT POUND CAKE.
367. One pound of butter,
One pound of flour,
One pound of sugar,
One pound of cocoa-nut,
One wine-glass of rose-water,
Ten eggs.
Peel the brown skin off the cocoa-nut and grate it. Beat the butter and
sugar to a cream, whisk the eggs and add to it, and stir in the flour.
Add gradually the grated nut and rose-water. Beat the mixture very hard
for ten or fifteen minutes; butter your pan, line the sides with thick
paper, which should be well buttered, pour in the mixture and bake it
in a moderate oven for about three hours.
INDIAN POUND CAKE.
368. Three-quarters of a pound of sugar,
Nine ounces of Indian meal,
A quarter of a pound of wheat flour,
Half a pound of butter,
One nutmeg grated,
One tea spoonful of ground cinnamon,
Eight eggs,
Four table spoonsful of brandy.