them in a narrow 2-gallon crock, and put on them about 1 lb. flour.
Boil 1 handful of hops in a gallon of water for 15 minutes, and strain
this while boiling on the flour and potatoes, stirring thoroughly until
smooth. When about milkwarm, or nearly cold in summer, add 1 gill of
good family yeast, stir well, and set in a moderately warm place. When
it has raised and fell about 1 inch, stir it well; it is then ready
for use. Set in a cool place; use 1 gill of this to ½ gallon milkwarm
water, or cold water in summer, to set sponge. Set the crock in a tub
of cold water to cool after the flour is scalded, in summer.
Pan Cakes.
Four heaping tablespoonfuls of flour, 4 eggs, a pinch of salt, sweet
milk enough to make a soft batter; stir this well, and have it thin and
smooth. Put a little lard in a skillet, and when it is hot put enough
of the batter to make a thin cake. Bake a nice light brown color on
both sides. Serve while hot.
Potato Cakes.
Take raw potatoes, pare and grate them, put in a very little flour, put
in 3 eggs to each ½ gallon grated potatoes, and a little salt. Fry in
hot lard until a nice brown on both sides. A little sweet cream may be
added to the mixture, if desired. Serve while hot.
ICE CREAM.
For making ice cream, the cream should be sweet and good. Fresh cream
makes a much better quality of ice cream than some that has been kept
three or four days. After having eaten a dish of cream made from old
cream, there will be a sort of buttery coating on the tongue and roof
of the mouth. This will not occur if the ice cream is made of fresh
cream, unless the ice cream is beaten too much. Ice cream should be
made and kept, if possible, in a cool, shady place. The tin cans,
when empty, should be well scalded and rinsed out; stand them up so
the water will run out, then wipe thoroughly dry and lay on a shelf,
keeping the lid off until well aired, then put the lid on. The cans
should be nicely arranged on shelves. When the “season” is over, grease
the cans inside and out before putting away. In about a week or two
before the season begins, get everything in readiness; thoroughly clean
the cans, have those that need mending taken away, be sure that none
of them leak. See also that the tubs are in good condition and do not
leak, and have good hoops, hinges and plugs. There are machines for
breaking ice; if you have none, get a large stamper made of hard wood,
or smaller if made of iron; have the ice cream tubs a little higher
than the cans; get some cheap blue paint, and give the tubs a coating
or two every spring. There should be a good deal of space between the
can and tub for the ice. Don’t mash the ice too fine; have a stout
wooden box made of thick hard plank for breaking the ice in, and
thoroughly put together, so that it will not come apart while breaking
the ice.
To each gallon of cream take 1½ lbs. white sugar and 3 eggs. The eggs
may be omitted, if desired. Beat up the eggs a little, pour on half the
cream and put in the sugar; strain this through a strainer into the ice
cream can. There will be a little sugar left in the strainer, pour the
rest of the cream on this and stir; then put on the lid and pack ice
around. Break up the ice, and sprinkle salt pretty thickly over it; any
kind of coarse salt will do. Mix the salt and ice thoroughly before
putting it around the can, with a strong scoop or shovel; after the ice
is packed around the can, turn the can about 10 minutes, then scrape
down the cream from the sides of the can with a pallet knife, and turn
again, and so on, scraping down every 10 minutes until the cream gets
pretty stiff; then let a little of the water out of the tub (have a
plug at the bottom of the tub with which to let off the water), and
pack more salted ice around the can, beat up with a paddle for about 20
minutes, put in the flavor, beat about 10 minutes longer, scrape off
the paddle _lightly_, and scrape the ice cream down from the sides of
the can, so as to have it level. If not wanted right away, let all the
water out of the tub, cover the can with salted ice. Ice cream is best
when it stands packed about an hour after being made.
One gallon of good cream will make 1½ gallons ice cream. If it is
beaten more than this, it becomes buttery. For flavoring with vanilla,
use 2 good-sized vanilla beans to 5 gallons ice cream, cut in small
pieces and put into a tin can, pour on about ¾ pint of water, let it
boil until very little water remains in the can, but be careful not to
burn it; have a lid on the can while boiling it. Strain this when cool
through a fine muslin rag into the ice cream. Put that which remains
in the rag into a bottle, and pour enough alcohol on to cover it, then
cork. This will make a good extract. Vanilla flavoring is generally
preferred. Remember always to put _salt_ on ice for making ice cream,
and be sure that the _tub does not leak_. Some ice cream makers allow
the cream to come to a boil before beginning to freeze it. Others use
_milk_ and scalded corn starch. Ice cream cans that have round iron
bottoms (“Manigle’s patent,” I believe) are the best when turning by
hand.
This recipe is for making ice cream with the common can, hand or steam
freezer. Remember that the ice cream should not be beaten until _rather
stiff_. There are also porcelain cans and porcelain-lined cans for
keeping ice cream. Always attend to ice cream, so that it does not get
soft, putting salted ice around it, and beating smooth with the paddle.
Should it get soft and full of lumps, strain it and freeze as before.
Strawberry Ice Cream.
Take 1 qt. strawberries, mash them and put them in 1 gallon of ice
cream, and beat up thoroughly; a little red coloring may be added, if
it is desired to have it of a fine red color. Made in this way, no
one will complain that the ice cream is not made with the fruit. Or,
to 3 qts. good fresh cream add 2 lbs. sugar, stir it well, and then
put in 1 qt. strawberry juice that has been obtained from “dead ripe”
strawberries. Freeze in the usual way.
Chocolate Ice Cream.
Scrape down some cocoa, put into a clean pan with a little water, set
on the stove or in the oven, and work with a spoon until smooth; then
strain through a sieve into the ice cream. Flavor to suit the taste.
Lemon Ice Cream.
Flavor with oil of lemon.
Pine Apple Ice Cream.
Cut up a pine apple into fine pieces, sprinkle sugar thickly over it,
and mash it well with a wooden stamper; then strain into 1 gallon ice
cream that has been made by using 2 lbs. of sugar to 1 gallon of cream.
Orange Water Ice.
One doz. oranges, 1 gallon water; grate the _yellow_ rind from 6 of
the oranges, add a little of the grated rind, and strain it through a
fine muslin cloth into the balance of the water; add 2 lbs. sugar, and
freeze the same as ice cream. It does not require to be beaten like ice
cream; just stir with the paddle until smooth.
Pine Apple Water Ice
Is made in the same manner as the ice cream, using water instead of
cream, and adding ½ lb. more sugar.
Gum Paste for a Pyramid.
Take 4 oz. picked gum tragacanth, pour on about 1¼ pints water. Do
this in the evening, and let it stand until the next morning; then
strain through a clean coarse cloth into a large bowl, add lozenge
sugar until pretty thick, stir well with the spatula; then put in more
sugar until rather stiff. Throw out on a clean marble slab or table,
and work with the hands. Tie up a little corn starch in a clean white
rag, and dust the slab or bench with this. This paste may be colored
to suit the fancy. Roll out with the rolling pin, and cut after any
desired pattern. Put in a warm place to dry. Then set together and
ornament with icing; a very nice ornament can thus be made for the
supper table or show window. This quantity is sufficient to make a very
large pyramid, and will keep a long time if put in a crock and covered
tightly. Keep in a cool place. When it is desired to keep it, put
sufficient sugar into the strained gum to make it pretty thick, but not
stiff; then when wanted for use, a little may be taken out, and more
sugar worked in until stiff enough.
Red “Sugar Sand.”
Take clean granulated sugar, and put into a bowl, add some carmine
that has been dissolved in a little alcohol, or use a little prepared
cochineal. Rub the sugar between the hands, and a fine red or pink
color may be obtained in this way. Set in a warm place, and while
drying rub between the hands occasionally, so it will not form into
lumps.
Any color of “sugar sand” may be made in this manner by using colors
that are not poisonous, always being careful to dry on a shady place
with a very moderate heat.
To Open Cocoanuts.
Have a hard wooden block; it should have a hollow, so the cocoanut will
lay in a little. Take a sharp hatchet, and with the corner chip off a
piece of the shell at the ends where the holes are, when the balance of
the shell may be easily taken off by chipping off in small pieces. Turn
the nut occasionally while chipping off. Then wash the hands clean and
pare off the fine skin with a sharp knife or “spoke shave.”
To Prevent Windows Being Frosted.
Wash with brandy or alcohol.
Taffy.
Take 1 gal. N. O. molasses, 2½ lbs. white sugar, ½ lb. fresh butter;
boil, and when it gets thick, stir to prevent burning. Boil to a
crack, which may be known by taking out a little on the end of the
stick, previously dipping the end of the stick in water, then dip in
right cold water again. If it cracks while attempting to squeeze it in
the hand, it has boiled sufficient. Pour this upon a marble slab that
has been previously cleaned and _slightly_ greased. There should be
square iron or steel rods laid around the edges, to prevent the mass
running off the slab. Do not handle it until the edges of the mass
commence to harden; then with both hands lay each side of the taffy to
the middle of the mass. Let it remain in this manner until it is cool
enough to be handled; then pull it until light. Have a little flour
at hand, and flour the hands to prevent the mass from sticking. Pull
the taffy on a large iron hook fastened well to a post, and known as a
“candy hook;” grease the hook _very lightly_. If the mass is handled
or stirred much before it is ready to pull, it is liable to “grain.”
When ready to pull, do so briskly for a short time. If it should appear
to “fall to pieces” when put on the hook, the slab has been greased
too heavy. In this case keep pulling the mass for a short time, no
difference if it does appear to be rotten, and it will be all right.
If the taffy is intended to be made into sticks, boil until the mass
will not stick to the teeth while chewing. If it is desired to have it
striped, let a little of the mass lie on the slab until the others are
pulled, roll that which has been pulled to a short stick, and lay the
other on this in long strips, an even distance apart. Now take hold of
one end of the roll with the right hand, and pull it out lengthwise
until the desired thickness is obtained, then pinch or cut it off,
twist the stick a little and roll until round, and so continue on with
the rest, rolling those that have been pulled first, to keep them in
a round shape; sprinkle a little pulverized sugar on the bench before
rolling out; for a small quantity a pan may be used instead of a marble
slab, when the slab is not to be had. This taffy will not keep well in
summer.
Apple Jelly.
Take tart apples, wash them clean, and cut each apple in three or four
pieces; put them into a kettle with only sufficient water to cover
them. When they have boiled right soft, throw them into a close willow
basket, and allow the juice to drain through into a clean tub or other
vessel. Boil the apples in the evening, and let them drain through
until next morning. To each quart of juice take 1½ lbs. best white
sugar, put into a clean copper or porcelain-lined kettle, and boil
until it jellies, which may be known by putting a little in a saucer
and setting on ice or cold water. While boiling, skim the jelly with a
skimmer. It may also be colored a brilliant red or yellow.
A great amount of the jelly now sold in tumblers for currant,
raspberry, quince, orange, &c., is nothing but apple jelly colored and
flavored with the various extracts.
Currant Jelly.
Take currants that are right ripe; to each pint of juice use 1 lb. best
white sugar, boil briskly, and skim while boiling. It should not boil
longer than about twenty minutes, or it will become _stringy_. Wash the
kettle out clean before boiling again. When making jellies be careful
not to allow them to boil over. If not red enough, aniline coloring
may be used, but care should be taken not to use too much, as it is
poisonous.
Virgin Yeast, No. 1.
Fill a clean candy jar half full of stock yeast, put it on a shelf
near the ceiling where it is moderately warm, and where it will not be
disturbed, cover air tight and allow it to stand three days, when it
is ready for use. (Put into the jar just after the malt is put in and
before the stock yeast is in.)
Virgin Yeast, No. 2.
Two oz. hops, 1½ lbs. flour, 1½ gall. water; let the hops boil in the
water fifteen minutes; scald the flour with some of the hop water and
make a soft, smooth paste, stirring it well, then strain on the balance
of the hop water; when milkwarm put in a heaping tablespoonful of salt
and 1 of brown sugar; stir well; put in a crock, set in a moderately
warm place and allow it to set three days. Boil 2 lbs. pared potatoes,
mash and add them, and let stand another day.
Aniline Coloring.
Put aniline in alcohol, shake well, and allow it to stand a few days.
Care should be taken in using this, as it is poisonous.
Yellow Coloring.
Mix gamboge with a little water in a saucer. This is also said to be
poisonous, but when used in small quantities will do no harm.
Prepared colors made especially for bakers and confectioners, are
generally to be had in a confectioners’ furnishing store.
Macaroons.
Two lbs. almonds that have been blanched and dried, 4 lbs. dry white
sugar, about 23 whites of eggs. Rub the almonds and whites of eggs in a
stone mortar, then work in the sugar well, run out on brown paper laid
on a pan and bake in a very cool oven.
Small Charlotte Russe.
Beat up a pound mixture as mentioned for sponge cakes. Spread about ¼
or ½ thick on a sheet of brown paper laid on a pan, bake it light; when
cool cut out, and line small tin cups with this, and join with icing.
Allow it to dry in the cups, then take out and fill with whipped cream.
Have the best of cream; put it into a tin bucket, and set the bucket on
some broken ice, putting a little salt on the ice first, and stirring
it well. Beat up the cream with the egg beater, and add sufficient
pulverized sugar to sweeten. Flavor with extract of vanilla. This
should be made shortly before it is wanted.
* * * * *
It is my purpose at some future time to enlarge this work. I would
therefore be thankful to any person disposed to give me useful
information in regard to baking, &c.
Respectfully,
THE AUTHOR.
INDEX.
PAGE.
Almond Puffs, 43
Aniline Coloring, 61
Apple Cake, 17
Apple Pie, 48
Apple Jelly, 61
Articles and Utensils--where to procure, 19
Bakeshop, the, 7
Baking with Fleischmann’s Compressed Yeast, 18
Bread, 8
Brown Scotch, No. 1, 31
Brown Scotch, No. 2, 31
Brown Jumbles, 32
Buns, 15
Candy Ornaments, for Macaroon Pyramid, 42
Chocolate Sponge Drop, 34
Chocolate Ice Cream, 57
Cinnamon Cake, 16
Citron Cake, 39
Cocoanut Custard Pie, 50
Cranberry Pie, 48
Cream Puffs, 29
Crullers, 38
Cup Cake, 31
Currant Cake, 39
Currant Jelly, 61
Custard for Cream Puffs, 30
Doughnuts, 17
Drop Cake, 26
Family Baking, 51
Family Yeast, 53
Ferment, 11
Ferment, without Stock Yeast, 18
Ferment for Family Baking, 52
French Bread, 14
Fruit Cake, 23
Ginger Cakes, 39
Ginger Snaps, 37
Ginger S’s, 38
Graham Bread, 14
Gum Paste for a Pyramid, 58
Hints on Making Cakes, 19
Ice Cream, 54
Icing, 43
Jelly Cake, 26
Jelly Roll, 36
Jenny Lind Cakes, 35
Lady Cake, 22
Lady Fingers, 27
Large Sponge Cake, 26
Lemon Ice Cream, 57
Lemon Pie, No. 1, 49
Lemon Pie, No. 2, 50
Lemon Cake, 28
Macaroons, 63
Macaroon Pyramid, 40
Making Dough, 12
Making Dough, Family Baking, 53
Mince Pie, 49
Molasses Cup Cake, 33
Molasses Pound Cake, 36
Mountain Cake, 23
Orange Water Ice, 58
Pan Cakes, 54
Paris Cakes, 25
Pie Crust, 47
Pine Apple Ice Cream, 57
Pine Apple Water Ice, 58
Potato Cake, 54
Pound Cake, 21
Puff Paste, 40
Pumpkin Custard Pie, 50
Red “Sugar Sand”, 59
Remarks, 5
Rolls, 16
Rough and Readys, 37
Rusks or Light Cakes, 15
Rye Bread, 13
Scrap Cake, 39
Setting Sponge, 53
Small Charlotte Russe, 63
Small Sponge Cake, 30
Soda Biscuit, No. 1, 46
Strawberry Ice Cream, 57
Stock Yeast, 9
Sponge Biscuit, 29
Sugar Cake, 39
Substitute for Whites of Eggs in making Icing, 45
Taffy, 59
Tarts, 47
Taylor Cakes, No. 1, 34
Taylor Cakes, No. 2, 34
To Open Cocoanuts, 59
To Prevent Windows being Frosted, 59
To Set Sponge, 11
To Make an Egg Beater, 42
Twist, 15
Virgin Yeast, No. 1, 61
Virgin Yeast, No. 2, 61
Wash to impart a Gloss to Buns, Rolls, &c., 17
Water Icing, 45
White Jumbles, 31
White Scotch Cakes, 33
Wine Cake, 33
Yellow Coloring, 61
Transcriber's Notes:
Italics are shown thus: _sloping_.
Variations in spelling and hyphenation are retained.
Perceived typographical errors have been changed.