teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of
sugar. Mix with one egg, well beaten, and one cupful of milk. Bake in
buttered muffin-rings.
RYE CRISPS
One cupful of rye meal and one half cupful of white flour. Sift into a
bowl with one teaspoonful of baking powder and mix thoroughly with
one third of a cupful of finely minced beef suet. Add half a
teaspoonful of salt, and enough milk to make a soft dough that may be
easily handled with a spoon. Have well-buttered muffin-tins piping
hot. Fill them two-thirds full and bake quickly in a very hot oven.
They should be done in from twelve to fifteen minutes.
SALLY LUNN
Four cupfuls of sifted flour, four eggs, beaten separately, one cupful
of milk, one cupful of melted butter and lard, equal parts, one
teaspoonful of salt, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. Mix,
adding the whites the last thing. Bake in muffin-rings.
SCONES
Spread a rich biscuit or muffin dough in a well-buttered pan, mark
deeply into squares, brush with the yolk of an egg, and sprinkle with
sugar.
SNOW BALLS
Make a batter of one cupful of cream--the top of milk will do
nicely--two tablespoonfuls of sugar, the yolks of four eggs, a heaping
teaspoonful of baking powder, and flour enough to mix. Add the whites
of the eggs last, beaten to a stiff froth. Fill buttered cups two
thirds full, and bake in a hot oven.
SCOTCH SCONES
Four cupfuls of sifted flour, one cupful of buttermilk, one
tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of sugar, one half
teaspoonful of baking soda, and one half teaspoonful of salt. Rub the
butter into the flour, add the sugar and salt, stir the soda into the
buttermilk, and mix with the flour. Roll into a thin sheet, cut into
triangles, and bake about thirty-five minutes on a floured tin. Just
before they are done, rub a cloth dipped in milk over the tops and put
back into the oven to glaze.
* * * * *
Note.--Sour milk may be made from fresh by keeping the milk some hours
in a warm place, or, more quickly, by adding a little lemon-juice or
vinegar to the amount of milk required.
RAISED BREAKFAST BREADS
Although many recipes included in this section may seem, at first
glance, to be unsuitable for breakfast on account of the length of
time taken for rising, there are ways in which the time can be
considerably shortened.
A competent authority says that any mixture for rolls or muffins can
be made ready for its second rising at night, and kept over night in
any place where the dough will not freeze, or where the temperature is
not so high as to cause too rapid rising and consequent souring of the
dough.
Moreover, rolls or muffins may be baked in the afternoon until done
thoroughly, but not brown, wrapped in a cloth, and put away in a cool
place. In the morning, they need only to be rubbed with melted butter
and set into a hot oven for a very few moments. They will come out
crisp and flaky, and free from all objections on the score of
indigestibility. Bread twice baked is always much more digestible than
fresh bread.
Brioche, the most delicious of all hot breads, needs to stand in the
refrigerator over night, and the second process is a quick one when
the paste is once made. The paste will keep a week or more in a very
cold place, and be the better for it. It is a French dough, for which
many complicated recipes are given, but the following will be found
satisfactory, and not difficult after one or two trials.
BRIOCHE PASTE
One cake of compressed yeast, a pinch of salt, one and one fourth
cupfuls of butter, four cupfuls of flour, one tablespoonful of sugar,
two tablespoonfuls of warm water, and seven eggs. Dissolve the yeast
in the water, adding a little more water if necessary, and rubbing the
yeast cake with a spoon until thoroughly dissolved. Stir in enough
sifted flour to make a stiff dough, rolling and patting with the hands
until thoroughly mixed. Drop this ball of paste into a kettle of warm
water and let stand in a moderate temperature until it has a little
more than doubled in bulk. (Some recipes for Brioche say that the ball
of paste should be light enough to float.) Put the remainder of the
four cupfuls of flour into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, salt, and
butter, softened but not melted, and four of the eggs, unbeaten. With
the hand mix carefully to a paste, beat smooth, and add the rest of
the eggs, unbeaten, one at a time. Take the ball of paste, when
light, out of the warm water with a skimmer, and, still using the
hand, incorporate it carefully with the egg mixture, folding the two
together as lightly as possible. Let rise, in a moderate temperature,
until double in bulk. Then turn the paste on a floured board and pat
and fold with the hands until smooth in texture and inclined to stay
in shape. Let rise once more until very light, then put into the
refrigerator and let stand over night.
BRIOCHE ROLLS
Roll a large lump of Brioche dough into a thin sheet on a floured
board or pastry slab, working lightly and quickly, spread with
softened butter, and fold so that the paste will be in three layers.
Cut in strips an inch wide and twist, working from the ends, and
arrange in circles on a baking-sheet, the ends of the strips pointing
inward. The rolls should be very close together in the pan. Beat the
yolk of an egg, dilute it with as much milk, and brush the rolls with
the mixture. Let them rise a few minutes, then bake about half an hour
in a moderate oven. A little sugar and water may be spread over the
tops if desired.
BRIOCHE BUNS
Shape the chilled paste into small balls, and put a bit of citron or a
few raisins on the top of each one. Let rise a few moments and bake
half an hour in a moderate oven.
BRIOCHE BREAKFAST CAKE
Butter a round cake-tin which has a tube in the centre, fill it half
full of chilled Brioche paste, and let rise till the pan is two thirds
full. Bake in a moderate oven and turn out. It should be torn apart
with the fingers--not cut.
BATH BUNS
Dissolve a cake of yeast in two cupfuls of warm water. Add enough
flour to make a moderately stiff sponge, let rise about two hours.
Cream together one half cupful each of butter and sugar, add one
cupful of lukewarm milk, a pinch of salt, and two eggs, well beaten.
Mix with the sponge, let rise an hour longer, then knead, shape into
buns, arrange close together in a baking-pan, and let rise till very
light. Bake in a moderate oven.
"_Bath Bunny, Currant Bunny, sang a comic song,
Bath Bunny, Currant Bunny, sang it loud and long;
When his friends had told him that he gave them all a pain,
Bath Bunny, Currant Bunny, sang it twice again._"
Louis Wain.
ENGLISH BATH BUNS
Dissolve half a cake of compressed yeast in one cupful of milk, and
add two cupfuls of flour, or enough to make a sponge. Let rise until
light, then add two thirds of a cupful of melted butter and four eggs,
well beaten. Knead and let rise again for about an hour. Make into
balls the size of a small apple and press into each one some currants
and bits of candied peel. Let rise ten or fifteen minutes in a warm
place, sprinkle with sugar, and bake.
HOT CROSS BUNS
Rub one half cupful of butter into eight cupfuls of sifted flour, then
add half a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in three cupfuls of
scalded milk. Let rise two hours. Work into the sponge one cupful of
sugar, one cupful of cleaned currants, and half a nutmeg grated.
Knead, shape into buns, arrange in pans, score deeply with a cross,
brush with butter, and let rise fifteen minutes. Bake forty-five
minutes in a brisk oven. This is the genuine English recipe, and the
buns are good at any time, but the cross is made only on Good Friday,
or for Easter.
RISEN MUSH MUFFINS
One cupful of hominy, cerealine, corn-meal mush, oatmeal, rice, or
other left-over cooked cereal, one teaspoonful of butter, one
tablespoonful of sugar, one pinch of salt, one fourth of a cake of
yeast (compressed) dissolved in one cupful of scalded milk, and two
cupfuls of sifted flour. Mix thoroughly and let rise over night. In
the morning, beat well and fill well-buttered muffin-pans half full.
Let rise until double in bulk, then bake half an hour.
FINGER ROLLS
Mix one cupful of scalded milk with one tablespoonful of butter. When
cool, add a teaspoonful of sugar, a pinch of salt, and one half cake
of yeast dissolved in half a cupful of warm water. Add enough flour to
make a soft dough--about three cupfuls. Mix thoroughly, knead for
fifteen minutes, and set to rise in a warm place for three or four
hours. When light, knead again, shape into balls, and roll into
cylinders on a floured board, pointing the ends. Arrange in a shallow
pan, and let rise until double in size--about an hour--glaze with
beaten egg, and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven.
SOUTHERN ROLLS
Six cupfuls of flour, two eggs, one cake of compressed yeast, one
cupful of milk, two tablespoonfuls of lard, melted, and a teaspoonful
of salt. Mix as other sponges, let rise five hours, knead, shape into
rolls, let rise two hours longer, and bake about twenty minutes.
FRENCH ROLLS
Eight cupfuls of flour, four eggs, four teaspoonfuls of sugar, one
tablespoonful of butter, one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in two
cupfuls of milk. Mix like other sponges, let rise until light, knead,
shape, let rise the second time, and bake in a moderate oven.
KENTUCKY ROLLS
Four cupfuls of flour, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of
salt, two eggs, half a cupful of lard, and half a cake of compressed
yeast. Mix the lard, sugar, and flour, then stir in the other
ingredients, the yeast being dissolved in a little water, and add
enough milk or warm water to make a thin batter. Let rise in a warm
place, then add enough flour to make a stiff dough, and let rise
again. When light, knead, shape, and put to rise for a third time.
Bake in a quick oven.
ALABAMA ROLLS
Rub two hot baked potatoes through a colander. Stir in one cupful of
melted butter, two eggs well beaten, half a cake of compressed yeast,
dissolved, and mixed with one cupful of sifted flour. Work with the
hand into a smooth sponge, and let rise three hours. Then work into
the sponge two cupfuls of sifted flour and let rise five hours longer.
Knead, make into roll shape, set to rise two hours more, and bake.
CORN ROLLS
To four cupfuls of well-salted hot corn-meal mush add one cupful of
mixed butter and lard and half a cupful of sugar. When cool, add one
cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a little warm water, and set to
rise in a warm place. When light, work in enough sifted flour to make
a stiff dough, knead thoroughly, and let rise again. Late at night,
knead again and set in a cool place over night. In the morning, roll
and cut out like biscuit. Spread half of each circle with softened
butter and roll the other half over it. Let rise a few moments and
bake. If the weather is very warm, add a teaspoonful of soda,
dissolved in a little warm water, to the sponge.
PARKER HOUSE ROLLS
Dissolve one cake of compressed yeast in one cupful of lukewarm water,
and add enough flour to make a thin batter. Put this sponge in a warm
place to rise. Add one tablespoonful of lard, one tablespoonful of
butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one teaspoonful of salt to
two cupfuls of milk, and bring to the boil. Take from the fire and let
cool. When the sponge is light stir in the milk, and add enough sifted
flour to make a dough, usually about eight cupfuls, though the
thickening qualities of various brands of flour vary greatly. Knead
for fifteen or twenty minutes, then set to rise until very light.
Shape, place in a baking-pan, let rise once more, and when light bake
in a quick oven.
WHOLE WHEAT ROLLS
One teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar, one tablespoonful
of butter, one cake of compressed yeast, one cupful of scalded milk,
and three cupfuls of whole wheat flour. Add the salt, sugar, and
butter to the scalded milk. Dissolve the yeast in two tablespoonfuls
of warm water and add to the milk when it has cooled. Add half of the
flour and beat hard for ten minutes, then work in the rest of the
flour. Set it to rise for two hours. Roll out into a sheet an inch
thick and cut into small rolls. Place close together in a
well-buttered baking-pan, and let rise from fifteen to thirty minutes.
Bake fifteen or twenty minutes in a quick oven. Brush with an
egg-white beaten with a little milk if a glossy surface is desired.
This should be done about ten minutes before taking out of the oven.
SWEDISH ROLLS
Use any plain roll mixture. When shaping for the last rising, roll the
dough very thin, spread with softened butter, sprinkle with sugar and
cinnamon, and add a few cleaned currants, bits of citron, and stoned
raisins. Roll the dough like jelly cake, cut in half-inch slices from
the ends, arrange flat in a well-buttered pan, let rise until double
in bulk, and bake as usual.
PARIS ROLLS
Four cupfuls of milk, one half cake of compressed yeast, six cupfuls
of flour, and the yolks of two eggs, well beaten. Mix thoroughly and
set the sponge to rise. When it is very light, work into it two
tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one whole egg, well beaten, one
teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of baking soda dissolved
in hot water, one tablespoonful of white sugar, and enough sifted
flour to make a soft dough. Let rise five hours. Roll out, shape into
balls, score each one deeply crosswise with a sharp knife, and arrange
close together in a well-buttered baking-pan. Let rise for an hour or
more and bake about half an hour. This recipe makes a large number of
rolls. They may be taken from the oven when beginning to turn brown
and wrapped in a cloth. Five minutes in a hot oven, if brushed first
with melted butter, will render them crisp, flaky, and very
digestible.
RUSK
Two cupfuls of flour, two cupfuls of sugar, one cupful of melted lard,
half a cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in a little warm water, and
three cupfuls of lukewarm water. Make into a batter, let rise all day
in a warm place. At night work into the sponge six cupfuls of sifted
flour and two eggs, well beaten. Let rise over night in a moderately
cool place. In the morning, shape the dough into rolls, let rise a few
minutes in a warm place, and bake. The dough should be soft. These
rolls may be sprinkled with sugar and spice.
GEORGIA RUSK
One cupful of milk, scalded and cooled, one tablespoonful of sugar,
one teaspoonful of salt, one quarter of a cake of compressed yeast,
dissolved in the milk, and two cupfuls of sifted flour. Set the
sponge, and, when light, work into it half a cupful of melted butter,
half a cupful of sugar, and one well-beaten egg. When very light,
shape into small pointed rolls and let rise again. Brush with milk and
egg and sprinkle with sugar just before baking.
SOUTHERN SALLY LUNN
Four cupfuls of flour, three eggs, one teaspoonful of butter, one cake
of compressed yeast, and two cupfuls of milk. Beat the yolks of the
eggs until very light. Stir in the butter, flour, and milk, the yeast
being dissolved in the milk. Beat the whites to a stiff froth and add
last. Set to rise, and when light bake in well-buttered muffin-tins.
SOUTHERN SALLY LUNN--II
Four cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, two cupfuls of milk,
one half cupful of sugar, and one cake of compressed yeast, dissolved
in the milk. Make a batter and let rise in a warm place about three
hours. Then work into it gradually five eggs, beaten separately, and
one half cupful of melted butter. Add flour enough to make a stiff
batter, fill buttered muffin-tins two thirds full, let rise, and bake.
SOUTHERN SALLY LUNN--III
Three cupfuls of flour, three eggs, one cake of compressed yeast
dissolved in two cupfuls of milk, one half cupful of melted butter,
and one tablespoonful of sugar. Beat well together into a stiff batter
and let rise five or six hours. Then add a little warm water in which
half a teaspoonful of baking soda has been dissolved, and pour the
batter into a well-buttered cake-pan having a tube in the centre. Bake
about three quarters of an hour and serve hot. It should be torn
apart, not cut.
ZWIEBACK
One cake of compressed yeast dissolved in one cupful of scalded milk,
a pinch of salt, and enough sifted flour to make a soft dough. Let
rise until very light, then stir in one fourth of a cupful of melted
butter, one fourth of a cupful of sugar, and one unbeaten egg. Mix
thoroughly, and sift in enough more flour to make a smooth, elastic
dough. Shape into a loaf and let rise until very light. A Russian-iron
bread-pan holding one loaf is best for Zwieback. Let it rise once more
until very light, then bake in a quick oven. Glaze with sugar
dissolved in milk just before taking from the oven. When the loaf is
cold, cut in half-inch slices and place in an open oven until
golden-brown, dry, and crisp.
PANCAKES
The edible varieties of pancakes are readily distinguished from the
poisonous growths. The harmless ones are healthful and nutritious and
grow in private kitchens. The dark, soggy, leaden varieties are
usually to be found in restaurants, but have been known to flourish in
private kitchens also.
Batter for pancakes should be thoroughly beaten. A soapstone griddle
is best, but an iron one will do, and many a savory pancake has come
from a humble frying-pan. A pancake turner is essential, and no
pancake should be turned more than once, as twice turning makes a
soggy pancake from the most promising batter. In the following
recipes, where exact proportions are given, they are not arbitrary as
regards flour. The thickening properties of various brands of flour
vary so much that no exact rule can be given. A perfect pancake batter
will be smooth, light in texture, seem somewhat elastic to the touch
of the mixing spoon, and will keep its shape on a griddle. Batter
enough for one pancake should be dipped from the bowl with a cup or
large spoon, as adding uncooked batter to that on the griddle even an
instant after it has begun to cook will work disaster to the
pancake--and the hapless mortal who eats it.
Maple syrup is the syrup _par excellence_ for pancakes and waffles,
but alas, it is difficult to procure. Much of it is made from corn
cobs and molasses, sealed in tin cans bearing gaudy labels, and,
sailing under false colors, is sold to the trusting consumer at a high
price.
Even the bricks of maple sugar are not wholly trustworthy, though, as
a rule, a better quality of syrup can be obtained by making it at home
from the bricks. The ordinary adulterants cannot so readily be added
to a crystallized as to a liquid product, though promising maple
bricks are often made of brown sugar flavored with a little maple
syrup.
Other syrups can be made easily and may possibly give welcome variety
even to those fortunates who can secure the real maple syrup.
Maraschino, noyeau, kirsch, and other cordials, orange-flower water,
grated orange- and lemon-peel, and the fruit juices left from canned
and preserved fruits, can all be used to advantage in flavoring a
simple syrup made of sugar and water boiled till it hairs from the
spoon. Always add flavoring to syrup just before taking it from the
fire, and do not allow it to boil.
SOUTHERN BUCKWHEAT CAKES
Four cupfuls of buckwheat flour, sifted, one half cake of compressed
yeast dissolved in a little lukewarm water, one teaspoonful of salt,
and one tablespoonful of molasses. Mix with enough warm water to make
a thin batter and set to rise over night. If the batter is sour in the
morning add a bit of baking soda.
QUICK BUCKWHEAT CAKES
Three cupfuls of buckwheat flour and one cupful of white flour, one
cupful each of milk and water, three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking
powder, one teaspoonful of salt, and one tablespoonful of molasses.
Sift the dry ingredients together, mix, and fry as usual.
KENTUCKY BUCKWHEAT CAKES
One cupful of flour, two cupfuls of buckwheat flour, one teaspoonful
of salt, one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in lukewarm water, and
one tablespoonful of molasses. Beat well together and let stand over
night. Fry on a soapstone griddle greased with suet, salt pork, or
bacon. A bit of suet or salt pork tied in a bit of cloth was the
old-fashioned method of greasing a griddle for buckwheat cakes.
BUCKWHEAT CAKES WITH SOUR MILK
Take two cupfuls of thick sour milk, add a teaspoonful of salt, and
enough buckwheat flour to make a thin batter. Let stand over night. In
the morning add a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls
of lukewarm water and beat thoroughly. Fry at once.
CRUMB BUCKWHEAT CAKES
Two cupfuls of buckwheat flour, two and one half cupfuls of warm
water, one cupful of dried bread crumbs, one cupful of milk, one
tablespoonful of salt and half a cake of compressed yeast. Dissolve
the yeast in the water and mix with the buckwheat flour. Add the salt,
beat until well mixed, then cover and let stand over night in a warm
place. Put the dried crumbs into the milk and let soak over night in a
cool place. In the morning, mash the soaked crumbs and toss with a
fork until light and dry, then mix with the risen buckwheat batter and
fry as usual.
BLUEBERRY PANCAKES
Stir one cupful of blueberries into the batter for strawberry pancakes
and fry as other pancakes.
CORN-MEAL PANCAKES
One cupful of corn-meal, one cupful of flour, four cupfuls of milk,
one tablespoonful of melted butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one
teaspoonful of salt, and three eggs. Add the melted butter to the
corn-meal, boil the milk and pour it, scalding hot, over the
corn-meal. Sift the dry ingredients together, and after the meal and
milk have cooled stir the dry mixture into it. Add the well-beaten
eggs last, beat hard, and bake like other griddle cakes.
CORN-MEAL PANCAKES--II
Two cupfuls of corn-meal, one cupful of flour, one tablespoonful of
sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, one
tablespoonful of melted butter, three eggs, and sour milk to thin the
batter. Scald the meal with enough boiling water to mix it, then add
the sugar and melted butter. Sift the flour and salt together and add
to the meal. Add the eggs, beaten separately, the whites to a stiff
froth, and the soda dissolved in a teaspoonful of warm water. Thin the
batter with enough sour milk to make it of the right consistency and
bake like other pancakes.
CORN-MEAL FLAPJACKS
Two cupfuls of corn-meal, one cupful of buttermilk, half a teaspoonful
of salt, half a teaspoonful of soda, half a cupful of boiling water,
and one egg, well beaten. Mix the salt with the meal, pour over the
boiling water, mix thoroughly and let cool. Add the buttermilk, in
which the soda is dissolved, and the eggs, well beaten. If too thin
add a very little sifted flour. Fry in butter or in equal parts of
butter and lard.
CRUMB PANCAKES
Two cupfuls of bread crumbs soaked in milk until very soft. Add a
pinch of salt, one cupful each of sweet milk and buttermilk, one
teaspoonful of soda and one egg beaten separately, the white to a
stiff froth. Beat hard and add enough sifted flour to make a good
batter--probably about a heaping tablespoonful. Fry in butter on a
griddle.
GREEN CORN GRIDDLE CAKES
One cupful of milk, one cupful of grated green corn, a pinch of salt,
half a teaspoonful of baking powder, one egg, beaten separately, and
enough sifted flour to make a thin batter. Butter the cakes while hot
and serve at once.
DANISH PANCAKES
One cupful of flour, three eggs beaten separately, one pinch each of
salt and soda dissolved in a teaspoonful of vinegar, and enough milk
to make a thin batter.
FLANNEL CAKES
Beat two eggs thoroughly. Add one teaspoonful of salt, one
tablespoonful of sugar, three cupfuls of milk, and enough flour,
sifted in with one teaspoonful of cream tartar and half a teaspoonful
of soda, to make a thin batter. Bake on a greased griddle, butter, and
serve very hot.
FRENCH PANCAKES
One and one half cupfuls of flour, one and one half cupfuls of milk,
one teaspoonful each of salt and melted butter, two teaspoonfuls of
brandy, and four eggs. Beat the yolks of the eggs till light-colored
and creamy, add the other ingredients gradually and fold in the
stiffly beaten whites last. Fry in a very hot frying-pan, using equal
parts of lard and butter to fry in. Bake in small cakes, and after
taking up spread very thinly with marmalade, honey, or jam, and roll
up like a jelly roll. Sift powdered sugar over the rolls and serve at
once, without butter or syrup.
FEATHER PANCAKES