_Ingredients._—To every quart of milk allow 1½ oz. of German yeast, a
little salt; flour. _Mode._—Warm the milk, add to it the yeast, and mix
these well together; put them into a pan, and stir in sufficient flour
to make the whole into a dough of rather a soft consistence; cover it
over with a cloth, and place it in a warm place to rise, and, when
light and nicely risen, divide the dough into pieces, and round them to
the proper shape with the hands; place them in a layer of flour about
two inches thick, on wooden trays, and let them rise again: when this
is effected, they each will exhibit a semi-globular shape. Then place
them carefully on a hot plate or stove, and bake them until they are
slightly browned, turning them when they are done on one side. Muffins
are not easily made, and are more generally purchased than manufactured
at home. _To toast them_, divide the edge of the muffin all round, by
pulling it open to the depth of about an inch, with the fingers. Put
it on a toasting-fork, and hold it before a very clear fire until one
side is nicely browned, but not burnt; turn, and toast it on the other.
Do not toast them too quickly, as, if this be done, the middle of the
muffin will not be warmed through. When done, divide them by pulling
them open; butter them slightly on both sides, put them together again,
and cut them into halves: when sufficient are toasted and buttered,
pile them on a very hot dish, and send them very quickly to table.
_Time._—From 20 minutes to ½ hour to bake them. _Sufficient._—Allow 1
muffin to each person.
[Illustration: MUFFINS.]
MULBERRIES, Preserved.
_Ingredients._—To 2 lbs. of fruit and 1 pint of juice allow 2½ lbs. of
loaf sugar. _Mode._—Put some of the fruit into a preserving pan, and
simmer it gently until the juice is well drawn. Strain it through a
bag, measure it, and to every pint allow the above proportion of sugar
and fruit. Put the sugar into the preserving-pan, moisten it with the
juice, boil it up, skim well, and then add the mulberries, which should
be ripe, but not soft enough to break to a pulp. Let them stand in the
syrup till warm through, then set them on the fire to boil gently;
when half done, turn them carefully into an earthen pan, and let them
remain till the next day; then boil them as before, and when the syrup
is thick, and becomes firm when cold, put the preserve into pots. In
making this, care should be taken not to break the mulberries: this
may be avoided by very gentle stirring, and by simmering the fruit
very slowly. _Time._—¾ hour to extract the juice; ¼ hour to boil the
mulberries the first time, ¼ hour the second time. _Seasonable_ in
August and September.