Experienced housekeepers agree that breakfast is difficult to cater
for. Even the appetite ordinarily easy to satisfy is likely to be
captious when approaching the first meal of the day. Every article of
food upon the breakfast-table, therefore, should be perfect—the coffee
as clear as amber, the bacon white and crisp, the biscuits flaky,
tender, delicious.
As a nation we approve of hot-breads, and most of all at the
breakfast-table. And while we eat and enjoy them, we have the
satisfaction of knowing that American methods and American cookery
have made them healthful as well as appetizing and nutritious.
And of all the breakfast foods, nothing is so appetizing, so
appetite-whetting, so always dependable, so satisfying, as the light,
flaky, hot biscuit, with a crisp, brown crust, just from the oven,
broken apart without use of knife, and spread with butter; or, to top
off the meal, with honey, jam, or marmalade.
The very simplicity of the methods of making and the familiar,
every-day use of this little hot bread-morsel have, however, sometimes
led to lack of care in its preparation, so that we too seldom find it
in perfection upon our tables.
It is the object of this chapter to stimulate an interest in and
awaken a love for this most healthful and economical of our purely
American foods, so that it will be found, as it deserves to be, a
prominent part of every day’s food in every household.
With a basis of flour, salt, and Royal Baking Powder, we can add other
ingredients to vary and enrich the cakes and biscuits generally known
to the housewife, and produce in almost endless variety breakfast and
luncheon foods that shall be dainty and delicious or substantial and
hearty.
Are eggs scarce and high, does too much shortening disagree with some
member of the family, Royal Baking Powder permits the lessening of
both or either of these ingredients, without impairing the delicacy or
digestibility of the finished biscuit.
Royal Baking Powder is pure and healthful, and its use in excess can
produce no harm; yet for cooking results it is best to be guided by
the quantity specified in the receipts. Baking powder could be added
until a dry, powdery biscuit resulted.
The mixing of the baking powder, flour, and other dry ingredients
should be thorough. This is imperative if a delicate, evenly leavened
biscuit is wanted. The other ingredients can then be added, following
the special directions as given in each receipt.
In using shortening for biscuits, especially through the winter
season, with some limitation, good, sweet home-made lard may take
the place of butter. Butter will color slightly yellow; lard will
whiten the biscuits. This substitution will not do when considerable
shortening is called for, as in cake; but in receipts where the
quantity does not exceed 2 ounces or tablespoons to the quart of
flour, butter may, in the majority of cases, be replaced by lard
without impairing the taste.
Biscuits are mixed to a soft dough, which is turned out, patted down
or rolled to a proper thickness, and then cut out and baked. From long
experience it has been found that the result is much better and the
food more digestible when the finished biscuit is small and not too
thick. The scientific reason for this is that the oven heat necessary
for biscuit, if they are made very large, will brown the outside
before the center is as thoroughly baked as it ought to be. The dough
should be rolled out until ½ inch thick; the biscuits should be of
medium size,—2 inches or less across,—and placed slightly apart in
the pans. A favorite cutter of expert biscuit-makers is the open end
(not the cover) of a ¼-pound Royal Baking Powder can. A good oven heat
will bake the biscuit perfectly in from 15 to 20 minutes, and even a
dyspeptic can eat them without fear of consequences. The biscuit may,
of course, be made thicker or thinner, as more or less of the soft
inside part may be preferred, but the time of baking must be regulated
accordingly.
The same directions will apply to hot baking powder breads made with a
batter. If baked in a sheet the batter should rarely be more than an
inch deep in the pan, sometimes less; if in cups or molds they should
not be more than ⅔ full. This allows the heat to penetrate the mixture
quickly; the moisture and heat start the baking powder into life; each
tiny grain of the powder acts on the materials surrounding it; the
dough or batter expands, then is stiffened by the heat, and all the
starch grains are thoroughly and evenly cooked.
=Royal Hot Biscuit.=—1 quart flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Royal
Baking Powder, 1 tablespoon lard or butter, 1 pint sweet milk, cold
(never use sour milk); use cold water when milk cannot be obtained.
Sift together flour, salt, and powder; rub in shortening; add milk;
form into smooth, consistent dough. Flour the board, turn out dough,
roll out to thickness of ½ inch, cut with small round cutter; lay
them close together on greased baking-tin; bake in good hot oven. Old
biscuit can be made fresh by moistening and placing in oven until
heated through.
=Breakfast Biscuit.=—Take 1 quart sweet milk, ½ cup melted butter, a
little salt, 2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, flour enough to make a
stiff batter; do not knead into dough, but drop into buttered tins
from a spoon; bake in a hot oven—unless it is hot they will not be
light and tender.
=Emergency Biscuit.=—2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Royal
Baking Powder; mix and sift; rub in 1 tablespoon butter. Mix to a
thick batter with milk, drop by small spoonfuls on greased pans, and
bake in quick oven.
=Egg Biscuit.=—Mix and sift well together 1 pint flour, ½ teaspoon
salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon Royal Baking Powder. Beat 1 egg,
add ½ cup milk, stir into dry mixture, adding more milk if necessary
to mix to soft dough. Turn out on board, knead for a moment, cut into
circles, place 1 inch apart on greased pans. Brush with little beaten
egg, and bake in very hot oven.
=Sandwich Biscuit.=—Sift together 1 pint flour, ⅓ teaspoon salt, 1
teaspoon Royal Baking Powder. Rub in 1 heaping tablespoon butter. Mix
to a soft dough with milk. Roll out ⅜ inch thick. Cut into rounds.
On ½ of the rounds spread a little soft butter, add a thick layer of
finely chopped and seasoned cold meat; cover with remaining rounds and
press together. Brush tops with milk, place 1 inch apart on greased
pans, and bake in hot oven.
=Nut Biscuit.=—Sift together 2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 heaping
teaspoon Royal Baking Powder. Rub in 1 heaping tablespoon butter, add
1 cup ground or very finely chopped nuts—English walnuts, hickory
nuts, or almonds—and 2 tablespoons sugar; mix to a soft dough with
milk. Mold with the hands into small balls, place well apart on
greased pans, brush each with milk, put a pinch of chopped nuts on
top, and bake in hot oven.
=Diamonds.=—Prepare dough as for Royal biscuit. Knead and roll out
½ inch thick. Cut in strips 2 inches wide, then cut strips into
diamonds; place on greased pans 1 inch apart, brush with milk, and
bake in very hot oven.
=Royal Muffins.=—Beat 3 eggs, add 1 pint milk, ½ teaspoon salt, 1
teaspoon sugar, and sufficient flour to make a drop batter—about 3
cups—into which has been thoroughly sifted 2 teaspoons Royal Baking
Powder. Beat hard for 1 minute, fill greased muffin-cups or -pans ⅔
full, bake in hot oven about 20 minutes.
=Boston Muffins.=—1½ pints flour, ½ pint Indian corn meal, 1
tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1
tablespoon butter, 3 eggs, and 1 pint (full measure) milk, 1 teaspoon
extract cinnamon (which may be omitted without detriment). Sift
together flour, corn meal, sugar, salt, and powder; rub in butter or
lard; add eggs, beaten, milk, and extract cinnamon. Mix into batter a
little stiffer than ordinary griddle cake batter. Have griddle heated
regularly all over; grease it, lay on it muffin-rings, also greased;
half fill them with batter. As soon as risen to tops of rings, turn
them over gently with cake-turner; bake nice brown on either side.
They should bake in 7 or 8 minutes.
=French Muffins.=—1½ pints flour, 1 cup honey, ½ teaspoon salt, 2
teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 2 tablespoons butter, 3 eggs, and
little over ½ pint milk or thin cream. Sift together flour, salt, and
powder; rub in butter, cold; add beaten eggs, milk or thin cream,
and honey. Mix smoothly into batter as for pound cake; about ½ fill
sponge-cake tins, cold and fully greased, and bake in good steady oven
7 or 8 minutes.
=Rice Muffins.=—2 cups cold boiled rice, 1 pint flour, 1 teaspoon
salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1½ teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, ½ pint
milk, 3 eggs. Dilute rice, made free from lumps, with milk and beaten
eggs; sift together flour, sugar, salt, and powder; add to rice
preparation, mix into smooth, rather firm batter; muffin-pans (fig.
VII) to be cold and well greased, then fill ⅔; bake in hot oven 15
minutes.
=Hominy Muffins.=—Same as rice muffins, substituting 1 cup boiled
hominy for the rice.
=Royal Sally-Lunn Muffins.=—1 quart flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1
teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1 tablespoon butter
or lard, 1 egg, 1¼ pints milk. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, and
powder; rub in shortening; add egg, beaten, and milk; mix into rather
firm batter; muffin-pans to be cold and well greased, then fill ⅔.
Bake in hot oven 15 minutes.
=Rye Muffins.=—1 pint rye flour, ½ pint corn meal, ½ pint flour, 1
teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1
tablespoon butter, 2 eggs, 1 pint milk. Sift together rye flour, corn
meal, flour, sugar, salt, and powder; rub in butter; add beaten eggs,
and milk; mix into smooth, rather firm batter; muffin-pans to be cold
and well greased, then fill ⅔. Bake in hot oven 15 minutes.
=Royal Corn Muffins.=—1 pint Indian corn meal, 1 pint flour, 1
tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder,
1 tablespoon butter or lard, 2 eggs, 1 pint milk. Sift together corn
meal, flour, sugar, salt, and powder; rub in the shortening, add
eggs, beaten, and milk; mix into batter of consistence of cup cake;
muffin-pans to be cold and well greased, then fill ⅔. Bake in hot oven
15 minutes.
=English Muffins.=—1 quart flour, ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt,
2 large teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1¼ pints milk. Sift together
flour, sugar, salt, and powder; add milk, and mix into smooth batter
trifle stiffer than for griddle cakes. Have griddle heated regularly
all over, grease it, and lay on muffin-rings (fig. XVII); half fill
them, and when risen well up to top of rings, turn over gently with
cake-turner. They should not be too brown—just a buff color. When all
cooked, pull each open in half, toast delicately, butter well, serve
on folded napkin, piled high and very hot.
=Mountain Muffins.=—Pour 1¼ cups scalding milk on 1 cup white Indian
corn meal; cover; let stand 10 minutes; add 1 cup cold boiled rice;
mix; add 1 cup flour mixed with 3 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 2
tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 well-beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons
melted butter. Beat hard; bake in greased muffin-pans in hot oven.
=Berry Muffins.=—1 pint flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons melted
butter, ¼ cup sugar, 2 small teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1 egg, 1
cup milk, 1 cup berries. Mix as for plain muffins; add berries last,
dusting them with a little flour. Bake in muffin-pans in hot oven.
=Graham Muffins.=—1 quart Graham flour, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1
teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1 egg, 1 pint milk.
Sift together Graham flour, sugar, salt, and powder; add beaten egg
and milk; mix into batter like pound cake; muffin-pans (fig. VII),
well greased, ⅔ full; bake in hot oven 15 minutes.
=Oatmeal Muffins.=—1 cup oatmeal, 1½ pints flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2
teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1 tablespoon lard, 2 eggs, 1 pint milk.
Sift together oatmeal, flour, salt, and powder; rub in lard cold, add
beaten eggs and milk; mix smoothly into batter rather thinner than cup
cake; fill muffin-pans (fig. VII) ⅔ full; bake in good hot oven 15
minutes.
=Potato Muffins.=—Boil and mash 3 potatoes; add 1 teaspoon salt, 1
tablespoon butter; beat well. Add 2 beaten eggs, ½ cup milk, flour to
make a drop batter, and 1 teaspoon Royal Baking Powder. Bake on hot
greased griddle in greased rings.
=Royal Egg Muffins.=—1 quart flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon
salt, 1 large tablespoon butter, 2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 3
eggs, 1¼ pints milk. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, and powder; rub
in the butter; add the beaten eggs and milk; mix quickly into a smooth
batter, a little firmer than for griddle cakes; ⅔ fill cold, carefully
greased muffin-pans (fig. VII); bake in hot oven 15 minutes.
=Sweet Muffins.=—1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 pint
sweet milk, 3 cups flour, 2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1 teaspoon
salt. Mix and sift dry ingredients; add milk and beaten egg and
butter. Beat hard, bake in greased muffin-pans.
=Butter Cakes.=—Mix 1 quart flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Royal
Baking Powder. Rub in 3 tablespoons butter. Mix to a soft dough with
milk, roll out ¾ inch thick, cut in round cakes. Lay on a moderately
hot greased griddle, and when pale brown turn and brown on other side.
Tear open, butter liberally, and send to table.
=Gems.=—1 pint flour, 1 teaspoon Royal Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon salt,
1 teaspoon sugar, 3 teaspoons melted butter, 1 cup milk, 3 eggs,
whites and yolks beaten separately. Mix as for muffins, adding beaten
whites last; bake in hot, well-greased iron gem-pans.
=Royal Graham Gems.=—1½ pints Graham flour, ½ pint Indian corn meal,
1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1¼ pints milk. Sift
together Graham flour, corn meal, salt, and powder. Add the milk, and
mix into a moderately stiff batter. ½ fill cold gem-pans (fig. X),
well greased. Bake in a solid hot oven 10 to 12 minutes.
=Rice Gems.=—1 egg, 1 cup milk, 1 cup cold boiled rice, 1 cup flour,
1 teaspoon Royal Baking Powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon melted
butter. Mix as for plain gems, and bake in hot oven in gem-pans.
=Apple Gems.=—Chop fine 4 sour apples, add 1 beaten egg, 2 tablespoons
molasses, 1½ cups Indian corn meal, 1½ cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 2
teaspoons Royal Baking Powder. Add sufficient milk to make thick drop
batter, and bake in hot greased gem-pans.
=Crumpets.=—Melt 1 heaping tablespoon lard; add 2 beaten eggs and
1½ cups milk. Beat well, add 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons sugar, 3
teaspoons Royal Baking Powder sifted with 2½ cups flour. Crumpet-rings
are larger than muffin-rings. Put greased rings on hot greased
griddle; fill ⅔ full with batter. Turn when half done.
=London Crumpets.=—1½ pints flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar,
2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1 egg, nearly a pint milk and cream
in equal parts, 1 teaspoon extract cinnamon. Sift together flour,
salt, sugar, and powder; add beaten egg, milk, cream, and extract; mix
into rather firm batter; half fill large greased muffin-rings (fig.
XVII) on hot, well-greased griddle. Bake on one side of them only.
Serve hot with cottage cheese.
=Rice Crumpets.=—3 eggs, 1½ cups milk, 1 cup cold boiled rice, 1
tablespoon melted butter, 1 cup Indian corn meal, ½ cup flour, 2
teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon salt. Mix in order named,
and bake in crumpet-rings on hot greased griddle.
=Hominy Crumpets.=—1 scant cup boiled hominy, 2 cups milk, 1
tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons melted butter, enough
flour to make thin drop batter, with 2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder
sifted into the first cup. Bake as directed for plain crumpets.
=Bannocks.=—Scald 2 cups Indian corn meal with just enough boiling
water to moisten. Cover; let stand 30 minutes; add 4 beaten eggs, 2
cups milk, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 cup flour,
1 teaspoon Royal Baking Powder. Bake in greased shallow pans in hot
oven.
=Slappers.=—Put 2 cups Indian corn meal in bowl with ½ teaspoon salt
and 2 tablespoons butter. Pour on slowly sufficient boiling water
to thoroughly moisten without being sloppy. Cover; let stand for
some hours or overnight. Add 3 well-beaten eggs, 1 cup milk, and 1
cup wheat flour, the first half-cupful of flour being mixed with 2
teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, to make a very thick drop batter. Drop
by spoonfuls on a hot greased griddle, cook slowly till brown, turn
and brown other side.
=Scotch Scones.=—1 quart flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt,
2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 1 large tablespoon lard, 2 eggs,
nearly 1 pint milk. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, and powder; rub
in lard cold; add beaten eggs and milk; mix into dough smooth and
just consistent enough to handle. Flour the board, turn out dough,
give it one or two quick kneadings to complete its smoothness; roll
it out with rolling-pin to ⅛ inch in thickness, cut with sharp knife
into squares larger than soda crackers, fold each in half to form
three-cornered pieces. Bake on hot griddle 8 or 10 minutes; brown on
both sides.
=Hot Cross Buns.=—Sift together 1 quart flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup
sugar, 3 scant teaspoons Royal Baking Powder. Rub in ½ cup butter,
then add ½ pound cleaned currants, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ pound cut
citron, ¼ pound seeded raisins, ½ teaspoon allspice. Beat 2 eggs, add
½ cup milk, and stir into the dry mixture, adding enough more milk
to mix to a firm dough. Mold into round buns, lay 2 inches apart on
greased pans, brush with milk. Cut cross on each, sprinkle cut with
granulated sugar, bake in hot oven.
=German Coffee Cake.=—Sift together 3 cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 3
tablespoons sugar, 2 scant teaspoons Royal Baking Powder. Rub in 2
heaping tablespoons butter. Beat 2 eggs, add ⅔ cup milk, stir into
dry mixture, adding more milk if necessary to mix to very stiff
batter. Spread ⅔ inch thick in well-buttered shallow pan. Mix together
2 tablespoons flour, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 heaping
tablespoon cinnamon. Rub in 2 tablespoons butter until it is crumbly.
Spread thickly over top of dough, bake about ½ hour in moderate oven.
=Drop Cakes.=—1 pint flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, 1
teaspoon Royal Baking Powder sifted together. Rub in ½ tablespoon
lard. Mix with milk to a thick batter. Drop by spoonfuls on greased
pans, and bake in a very hot oven.
=Yorkshire Breakfast Cake.=—Sift together 3 cups flour, ½ teaspoon
salt, 3 level teaspoons Royal Baking Powder. Rub in 1 heaping
tablespoon butter. Mix to a soft dough with milk. Roll out ½ inch
thick. Place without cutting on hot greased griddle, and cover. Place
on moderate fire, cook about 10 minutes. Slip off on board, turn
without breaking, return to griddle and cook 10 minutes longer. Break
into pieces and serve with butter.
=Royal Sally Lunns.=—Sift together 1 pint flour, 1½ teaspoons Royal
Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in the beaten yolks of 2 eggs
mixed with ½ cup milk and ½ cup melted butter. Beat hard, add the
whites whipped to a stiff froth. Bake in well-greased muffin-pans in a
hot oven.
=Rusks.=—1½ pints flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2
teaspoons Royal Baking Powder, 2 tablespoons butter, 3 eggs, 1
teaspoon each extract nutmeg and cinnamon, ¾ pint milk. Sift together
flour, salt, sugar, and powder; rub in butter; add milk, beaten eggs,
and extracts. Mix into dough soft enough to handle; flour the board,
turn out dough, give it quick turn or two to complete its smoothness.
Roll under the hands into round balls size of a small egg; lay them
on greased shallow cake-pan (fig. XIII), put very close together,
sprinkle a little sugar over, bake in moderately heated oven about 30
minutes.
=Yankee Puffs.=—Mix together 1½ cups flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, scant
teaspoon Royal Baking Powder, 1 tablespoon sugar. Cream 1 tablespoon
butter, add the beaten yolks of 2 eggs, then alternately the dry
mixture and 1½ cups milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla, whipped whites of 2
eggs. Bake in hot greased muffin-pans in a hot oven.
=German Puffs.=—1 pint flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons Royal
Baking Powder, 3 tablespoons butter, 4 eggs, 1 cup cream. Cream butter
and sugar; add beaten eggs, then, alternately, the cream and dry
ingredients sifted together. Bake in well-greased cups in hot oven.