TO MAKE YEAST FOR BREAD.
1716. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 oz. of hops, 3 quarts of water, 1 lb. of
bruised malt, 1/2 pint of yeast.
_Mode_.--Boil the hops in the water for 20 minutes; let it stand for
about 5 minutes, then add it to 1 lb. of bruised malt prepared as for
brewing. Let the mixture stand covered till about lukewarm; then put in
not quite 1/2 pint of yeast; keep it warm, and let it work 3 or 4 hours;
then put it into small 1/2-pint bottles (ginger-beer bottles are the
best for the purpose), cork them well, and tie them down. The yeast is
now ready for use; it will keep good for a few weeks, and 1 bottle will
be found sufficient for 18 lbs. of flour. When required for use, boil 3
lbs. of potatoes without salt, mash them in the same water in which they
were boiled, and rub them through a colander. Stir in about 1/2 lb. of
flour; then put in the yeast, pour it in the middle of the flour, and
let it stand warm on the hearth all night, and in the morning let it be
quite warm when it is kneaded. The bottles of yeast require very careful
opening, as it is generally exceedingly ripe.
_Time_.--20 minutes to boil the hops and water, the yeast to work 3 or 4
hours.
_Sufficient._--1/2 pint sufficient for 18 lbs. of flour.
KIRKLEATHAM YEAST.
1717. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of hops, 4 quarts of water, 1/2 lb. of flour,
1/2 pint of yeast.
_Mode_.--Boil the hops and water for 20 minutes; strain, and mix with
the liquid 1/2 lb. of flour and not quite 1/2 pint of yeast. Bottle it
up, and tie the corks down. When wanted for use, boil potatoes according
to the quantity of bread to be made (about 3 lbs. are sufficient for
about a peck of flour); mash them, add to them 1/2 lb. of flour, and mix
about 1/2 pint of the yeast with them; let this mixture stand all day,
and lay the bread to rise the night before it is wanted.
_Time_.--20 minutes to boil the hops and water.
_Sufficient_.--1/2 pint of this yeast sufficient for a peck of flour, or
rather more.
TO MAKE GOOD HOME-MADE BREAD.
(_Miss Acton's Recipe_.)
1718. INGREDIENTS.--1 quartern of flour, 1 large tablespoonful of solid
brewer's yeast, or nearly 1 oz. of fresh German yeast, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2
pint of warm milk-and-water.
[Illustration: COTTAGE LOAF.]
[Illustration: TIN BREAD.]
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a large earthenware bowl or deep pan; then,
with a strong metal or wooden spoon, hollow out the middle; but do not
clear it entirely away from the bottom of the pan, as, in that case, the
sponge (or leaven, as it was formerly termed) would stick to it, which
it ought not to do. Next take either a large tablespoonful of brewer's
yeast which has been rendered solid by mixing it with plenty of cold
water, and letting it afterwards stand to settle for a day and night; or
nearly an ounce of German yeast; put it into a large basin, and proceed
to mix it, so that it shall be as smooth as cream, with 3/4 pint of warm
milk-and-water, or with water only; though even a very little milk will
much improve the bread. Pour the yeast into the hole made in the flour,
and stir into it as much of that which lies round it as will make a
thick batter, in which there must be no lumps. Strew plenty of flour on
the top; throw a thick clean cloth over, and set it where the air is
warm; but do not place it upon the kitchen fender, for it will become
too much heated there. Look at it from time to time: when it has been
laid for nearly an hour, and when the yeast has risen and broken through
the flour, so that bubbles appear in it, you will know that it is ready
to be made up into dough. Then place the pan on a strong chair, or
dresser, or table, of convenient height; pour into the sponge the
remainder of the warm milk-and-water; stir into it as much of the flour
as you can with the spoon; then wipe it out clean with your fingers, and
lay it aside. Next take plenty of the remaining flour, throw it on the
top of the leaven, and begin, with the knuckles of both hands, to knead
it well. When the flour is nearly all kneaded in, begin to draw the
edges of the dough towards the middle, in order to mix the whole
thoroughly; and when it is free from flour and lumps and crumbs, and
does not stick to the hands when touched, it will be done, and may again
be covered with the cloth, and left to rise a second time. In 3/4 hour
look at it, and should it have swollen very much, and begin to crack, it
will be light enough to bake. Turn it then on to a paste-board or very
clean dresser, and with a large sharp knife divide it in two; make it up
quickly into loaves, and dispatch it to the oven: make one or two
incisions across the tops of the loaves, as they will rise more easily
if this be done. If baked in tins or pans, rub them with a tiny piece of
butter laid on a piece of clean paper, to prevent the dough from
sticking to them. All bread should be turned upside down, or on its
side, as soon as it is drawn from the oven: if this be neglected, the
under part of the loaves will become wet and blistered from the steam,
which cannot then escape from them. _To make the dough without setting a
sponge_, merely mix the yeast with the greater part of the warm
milk-and-water, and wet up the whole of the flour at once after a little
salt has been stirred in, proceeding exactly, in every other respect, as
in the directions just given. As the dough will _soften_ in the rising,
it should be made quite firm at first, or it will be too lithe by the
time it is ready for the oven.
[Illustration: ITALIAN MILLET.]
_Time_.--To be left to rise an hour the first time, 3/4 hour the second
time; to be baked from 1 to 1-1/4 hour, or baked in one loaf from 1-1/2
to 2 hours.
ITALIAN MILLET, or Great Indian Millet, is cultivated in Egypt
and Nubia, where it is called _dhourra_, and is used as human
food, as well as for the fermentation of beer. It will grow on
poor soils, and is extremely productive. It has been introduced
into Italy, where they make a coarse bread from it; and it is
also employed in pastry and puddings: they also use it for
feeding horses and domestic fowls. It is the largest variety,
growing to the height of six feet; but it requires a warm
climate, and will not ripen in this country. A yellow variety,
called Golden Millet, is sold in the grocers' shops, for making
puddings, and is very delicate and wholesome.
TO MAKE A PECK OF GOOD BREAD.
1719. INGREDIENTS.--3 lbs. of potatoes, 6 pints of cold water, 1/2 pint
of good yeast, a peck of flour, 2 oz. of salt.
_Mode_.--Peel and boil the potatoes; beat them to a cream while warm;
then add 1 pint of cold water, strain through a colander, and add to it
1/2 pint of good yeast, which should have been put in water over-night,
to take off its bitterness. Stir all well together with a wooden spoon,
and pour the mixture into the centre of the flour; mix it to the
substance of cream, cover it over closely, and let it remain near the
fire for an hour; then add the 5 pints of water, milk-warm, with 2 oz.
of salt; pour this in, and mix the whole to a nice light dough. Let it
remain for about 2 hours; then make it into 7 loaves, and bake for about
1-1/2 hour in a good oven. When baked, the bread should weigh nearly 20
lbs.
_Time_.--About 1-1/2 hour.
THE RED VARIETIES OF WHEAT are generally hardier and more easily
grown than the white sorts, and, although of less value to the
miller, they are fully more profitable to the grower, in
consequence of the better crops which they produce. Another
advantage the red wheats possess is their comparative immunity
from the attacks of mildew and fly. The best English wheat comes
from the counties of Kent and Essex; the qualities under these
heads always bearing a higher price than others, as will be seen
by the periodical lists in the journals.
RICE BREAD.
1720. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of rice allow 4 lbs. of wheat flour,
nearly 3 tablespoonfuls of yeast, 1/4 oz. of salt. _Mode_.--Boil the
rice in water until it is quite tender; pour off the water, and put the
rice, before it is cold, to the flour. Mix these well together with the
yeast, salt, and sufficient warm water to make the whole into a smooth
dough; let it rise by the side of the fire, then form it into loaves,
and bake them from 1-1/2 to 2 hours, according to their size. If the
rice is boiled in milk instead of water, it makes very delicious bread
or cakes. When boiled in this manner, it may be mixed with the flour
without straining the liquid from it. _Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours.
INDIAN-CORN-FLOUR BREAD.
1721. INGREDIENTS.--To 4 lbs. of flour allow 2 lbs. of Indian-corn
flour, 2 tablespoonfuls of yeast, 3 pints of warm water, 1/4 oz. of
salt. _Mode_.--Mix the two flours well together, with the salt; make a
hole in the centre, and stir the yeast up well with 1/2 pint of the warm
water; put this into the middle of the flour, and mix enough of it with
the yeast to make a thin batter; throw a little flour over the surface
of this batter, cover the whole with a thick cloth, and set it to rise
in a warm place. When the batter has nicely risen, work the whole to a
nice smooth dough, adding the water as required; knead it well, and
mould the dough into loaves; let them rise for nearly 1/2 hour, then put
them into a well-heated oven. If made into 2 loaves, they will require
from 1-1/2 to 2 hours baking.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours.
[Illustration: MAIZE PLANT.]
[Illustration: EAR OF MAIZE.]
MAIZE.--Next to wheat and rice, maize is the grain most used in
the nourishment of man. In Asia, Africa, and America, it is the
principal daily food of a large portion of the population,
especially of the colonists. In some of the provinces of France,
too, it is consumed in large quantities. There are eight
varieties of the maize; the most productive is the maize of
Cusco. The flour of maize is yellow, and it contains an oily
matter, which, when fresh, gives it an agreeable flavour and
odour; but the action of the air on it soon develops rancidity.
If carried any distance, it should be stored away in air-tight
vessels. An excellent soup is prepared with meat and
maize-flour. The inhabitants of some countries, where wheat is
scarce, make, with maize and water, or milk and salt, a kind of
biscuit, which is pleasant in taste, but indigestible. Some of
the preparations of maize-flour are very good, and, when
partaken in moderation, suitable food for almost everybody.
SODA BREAD.
1722. INGREDIENTS.--To every 2 lbs. of flour allow 1 teaspoonful of
tartaric acid, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of
soda, 2 breakfast-cupfuls of cold milk.
_Mode_.--Let the tartaric acid and salt be reduced to the finest
possible powder; then mix them well with the flour. Dissolve the soda in
the milk, and pour it several times from one basin to another, before
adding it to the flour. Work the whole quickly into a light dough,
divide it into 2 loaves, and put them into a well-heated oven
immediately, and bake for an hour. Sour milk or buttermilk may be used,
but then a little less acid will be needed.
_Time_.--1 hour.
POLISH AND POMERANIAN WHEAT are accounted by authorities most
excellent. Large raft-like barges convey this grain down the
rivers, from the interior of the country to the seaports. This
corn is described as being white, hard, and thin-skinned; and it
yields a large quantity of flour, having a small proportion of
bran.
EXCELLENT ROLLS.
1723. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 1 oz. of butter, 1/4
pint of milk, 1 large teaspoonful of yeast, a little salt.
[Illustration: ROLLS.]
_Mode_.--Warm the butter in the milk, add to it the yeast and salt, and
mix these ingredients well together. Put the flour into a pan, stir in
the above ingredients, and let the dough rise, covered in a warm place.
Knead it well, make it into rolls, let them rise again for a few
minutes, and bake in a quick oven. Richer rolls may be made by adding 1
or 2 eggs and a larger proportion of butter, and their appearance
improved by brushing the tops over with yolk of egg or a little milk.
_Time_--1 lb. of flour, divided into 6 rolls, from 15 to 20 minutes.
HOT ROLLS.
1724. This dish, although very unwholesome and indigestible, is
nevertheless a great favourite, and eaten by many persons. As soon as
the rolls come from the baker's, they should be put into the oven,
which, in the early part of the morning, is sure not to be very hot; and
the rolls must not be buttered until wanted. When they are quite hot,
divide them lengthwise into three; put some thin flakes of good butter
between the slices, press the rolls together, and put them in the oven
for a minute or two, but not longer, or the butter would oil; take them
out of the oven, spread the butter equally over, divide the rolls in
half, and put them on to a very hot clean dish, and send them instantly
to table.
TO MAKE DRY TOAST.
1725. To make dry toast properly, a great deal of attention is required;
much more, indeed, than people generally suppose. Never use new bread
for making any kind of toast, as it eats heavy, and, besides, is very
extravagant. Procure a loaf of household bread about two days old; cut
off as many slices as may be required, not quite 1/4 inch in thickness;
trim off the crusts and ragged edges, put the bread on a toasting-fork,
and hold it before a very clear fire. Move it backwards and forwards
until the bread is nicely coloured; then turn it and toast the other
side, and do not place it so near the fire that it blackens. Dry toast
should be more gradually made than buttered toast, as its great beauty
consists in its crispness, and this cannot be attained unless the
process is slow and the bread is allowed gradually to colour. It should
never be made long before it is wanted, as it soon becomes tough, unless
placed on the fender in front of the fire. As soon as each piece is
ready, it should be put into a rack, or stood upon its edges, and sent
quickly to table.
TO MAKE HOT BUTTERED TOAST.
1726. A loaf of household bread about two days old answers for making
toast better than cottage bread, the latter not being a good shape, and
too crusty for the purpose. Cut as many nice even slices as may be
required, rather more than 1/4 inch in thickness, and toast them before
a very bright fire, without allowing the bread to blacken, which spoils
the appearance and flavour of all toast. When of a nice colour on both
sides, put it on a hot plate; divide some good butter into small pieces,
place them on the toast, set this before the fire, and when the butter
is just beginning to melt, spread it lightly over the toast. Trim off
the crust and ragged edges, divide each round into 4 pieces, and send
the toast quickly to table. Some persons cut the slices of toast across
from corner to corner, so making the pieces of a three-cornered shape.
Soyer recommends that each slice should be cut into pieces as soon as it
is buttered, and when all are ready, that they should be piled lightly
on the dish they are intended to be served on. He says that by cutting
through 4 or 5 slices at a time, all the butter is squeezed out of the
upper ones, while the bottom one is swimming in fat liquid. It is highly
essential to use good butter for making this dish.
MUFFINS.
1727. INGREDIENTS.--To every quart of milk allow 1-1/2 oz. of German
yeast, a little salt; flour.
[Illustration: MUFFINS.]
_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 is 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 1/2 hour to bake them.
_Sufficient_.--Allow 1 muffin to each person.
CRUMPETS.
[Illustration: CRUMPETS.]
1728. These are made in the same manner as muffins; only, in making the
mixture, let it be more like batter than dough. Let it rise for about
1/2 hour; pour it into iron rings, which should be ready on a hot-plate;
bake them, and when one side appears done, turn them quickly on the
other. _To toast them_, have ready a very _bright clear_ fire; put the
crumpet on a toasting-fork, and hold it before the fire, _not too
close_, until it is nicely brown on one side, but do not allow it to
blacken. Turn it, and brown the other side; then spread it with good
butter, cut it in half, and, when all are done, pile them on a hot dish,
and send them quickly to table. Muffins and crumpets should always be
served on separate dishes, and both toasted and served as expeditiously
as possible.
_Time_.--From 10 to 15 minutes to bake them.
_Sufficient_.--Allow 2 crumpets to each person.
PLAIN BUNS.
1729. INGREDIENTS.--To every 2 lbs. of flour allow 6 oz. of moist sugar,
1/2 gill of yeast, 1/2 pint of milk, 1/2 lb. of butter, warm milk.
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a basin, mix the sugar well with it, make a
hole in the centre, and stir in the yeast and milk (which should be
lukewarm), with enough of the flour to make it the thickness of cream.
Cover the basin over with a cloth, and let the sponge rise in a warm
place, which will be accomplished in about 1-1/2 hour. Melt the butter,
but do not allow it to oil; stir it into the other ingredients, with
enough warm milk to make the whole into a soft dough; then mould it into
buns about the size of an egg; lay them in rows quite 3 inches apart;
set them again in a warm place, until they have risen to double their
size; then put them into a good brisk oven, and just before they are
done, wash them over with a little milk. From 15 to 20 minutes will be
required to bake them nicely. These buns may be varied by adding a few
currants, candied peel, or caraway seeds to the other ingredients; and
the above mixture answers for hot cross buns, by putting in a little
ground allspice; and by pressing a tin mould in the form of a cross in
the centre of the bun.
_Time_.--15 to 20 minutes. _Average cost_, 1d. each.
_Sufficient_ to make 18 buns.
TO MAKE GOOD PLAIN BUNS.
1730. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 6 oz. of good butter, 1/4 lb. of
sugar, 1 egg, nearly 1/4 pint of milk, 2 small teaspoonfuls of
baking-powder, a few drops of essence of lemon.
_Mode_.--Warm the butter, without oiling it; beat it with a wooden
spoon; stir the flour in gradually with the sugar, and mix these
ingredients well together. Make the milk lukewarm, beat up with it the
yolk of the egg and the essence of lemon, and stir these to the flour,
&c. Add the baking-powder, beat the dough well for about 10 minutes,
divide it into 24 pieces, put them into buttered tins or cups, and bake
in a brisk oven from 20 to 30 minutes.
_Time_.--20 to 30 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s.
_Sufficient_ to make 12 buns. _Seasonable_ at any time.
LIGHT BUNS.
[Illustration: BUNS.]
1731. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 teaspoonful of tartaric acid, 1/2 teaspoonful of
bicarbonate of soda, 1 lb. of flour, 2 oz. of butter, 2 oz. of loaf
sugar, 1/4 lb. of currants or raisins,--when liked, a few caraway seeds,
1/2 pint of cold new milk, 1 egg.
_Mode_.--Rub the tartaric acid, soda, and flour all together through a
hair sieve; work the butter into the flour; add the sugar, currants, and
caraway seeds, when the flavour of them latter is liked. Mix all these
ingredients well together; make a hole in the middle of the flour, and
pour in the milk, mixed with the egg, which should be well beaten; mix
quickly, and set the dough, with a fork, on baking-tins, and bake the
buns for about 20 minutes. This mixture makes a very good cake, and if
put into a tin, should be baked 1-1/2 hour. The same quantity of flour,
soda, and tartaric acid, with 1/2 pint of milk and a little salt, will
make either bread or teacakes, if wanted quickly.
_Time_.--20 minutes for the buns; if made into a cake, 1-1/2 hour.
_Sufficient_ to make about 12 buns.
VICTORIA BUNS.
1732. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of pounded loaf sugar, 1 egg, 1-1/2 oz. of
ground rice, 2 oz. of butter, 1-1/2 oz. of currants, a few thin slices
of candied peel; flour.
_Mode_.--Whisk the egg, stir in the sugar, and beat these ingredients
well together; beat the butter to a cream, stir in the ground rice,
currants, and candied peel, and as much flour as will make it of such a
consistency that it may be rolled into 7 or 8 balls. Put these on to a
buttered tin, and bake them from 1/2 to 3/4 hour. They should be put
into the oven immediately, or they will become heavy; and the oven
should be tolerably brisk.
_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 6d.
_Sufficient_ to make 7 or 8 buns. _Seasonable_ at any time.
ITALIAN RUSKS.
1733. A stale Savoy or lemon cake may be converted into very good rusks
in the following manner. Cut the cake into slices, divide each slice in
two; put them on a baking-sheet, in a slow oven, and when they are of a
nice brown and quite hard, they are done. They should be kept in a
closed tin canister in a dry place, to preserve their crispness.
[Illustration: PANNICLED MILLET.]
PANNICLED MILLET.--This is the smallest-seeded of the
corn-plants, being a true grass; but the number of the seeds in
each ear makes up for their size. It grows in sandy soils that
will not do for the cultivation of many other kinds of grain,
and forms the chief sustenance in the arid districts of Arabia,
Syria, Nubia, and parts of India. It is not cultivated in
England, being principally confined to the East. The nations who
make use of it grind it, in the primitive manner, between two
stones, and make it into a diet which, cannot be properly called
bread, but rather a kind of soft thin cake half-baked. When we
take into account that the Arabians are fond of lizards and
locusts as articles of food, their _cuisine_, altogether, is
scarcely a tempting one.
TO MAKE RUSKS.
(_Suffolk Recipe_.)
1734. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 2 oz. of butter, 1/4
pint of milk, 2 oz. of loaf sugar, 3 eggs, 1 tablespoonful of yeast.
[Illustration: RUSKS.]
_Mode_.--Put the milk and butter into a saucepan, and keep shaking it
round until the latter is melted. Put the flour into a basin with the
sugar, mix these well together, and beat the eggs. Stir them with the
yeast to the milk and butter, and with this liquid work the flour into a
smooth dough. Cover a cloth over the basin, and leave the dough to rise
by the side of the fire; then knead it, and divide it into 12 pieces;
place them in a brisk oven, and bake for about 20 minutes. Take the
rusks out, break them in half, and then set them in the oven to get
crisp on the other side. When cold, they should be put into tin
canisters to keep them dry; and, if intended for the cheese course, the
sifted sugar should be omitted.
_Time_.--20 minutes to bake the rusks; 5 minutes to render them crisp
after being divided.
_Average cost_, 8d.
_Sufficient_ to make 2 dozen rusks. _Seasonable_ at any time.
ALMOND ICING FOR CAKES.
1735. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of finely-pounded loaf sugar allow 1
lb. of sweet almonds, the whites of 4 eggs, a little rose-water.
_Mode_.--Blanch the almonds, and pound them (a few at a time) in a
mortar to a paste, adding a little rose-water to facilitate the
operation. Whisk the whites of the eggs to a strong froth; mix them with
the pounded almonds, stir in the sugar, and beat altogether. When the
cake is sufficiently baked, lay on the almond icing, and put it into the
oven to dry. Before laying this preparation on the cake, great care must
be taken that it is nice and smooth, which is easily accomplished by
well beating the mixture.
SUGAR ICING FOR CAKES.
1736. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of loaf sugar allow the whites of 4
eggs, 1 oz. of fine starch.
_Mode_.--Beat the eggs to a strong froth, and gradually sift in the
sugar, which should be reduced to the finest possible powder, and
gradually add the starch, also finely powdered. Beat the mixture well
until the sugar is smooth; then with a spoon or broad knife lay the
icing equally over the cakes. These should then be placed in a very cool
oven, and the icing allowed to dry and harden, but not to colour. The
icing may be coloured with strawberry or currant-juice, or with prepared
cochineal. If it be put on the cakes as soon as they are withdrawn from
the oven, it will become firm and hard by the time the cakes are cold.
On very rich cakes, such as wedding, christening cakes, &c., a layer of
almond icing, No. 1735, is usually spread over the top, and over that
the white icing as described. All iced cakes should be kept in a very
dry place.
BISCUIT POWDER, generally used for Infants' Food.
1737. This powder may be purchased in tin canisters, and may also be
prepared at home. Dry the biscuits well in a slow oven; roll them and
grind them with a rolling-pin on a clean board, until they are reduced
to powder; sift it through a close hair sieve, and it is fit for use. It
should be kept in well-covered tins, and in a dry place.
ARROWROOT BISCUITS OR DROPS.
1738. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of butter, 6 eggs, 1/2 lb. of flour, 6 oz.
of arrowroot, 1/2 lb. of pounded loaf sugar.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream; whisk the eggs to a strong froth,
add them to the butter, stir in the flour a little at a time, and beat
the mixture well. Break down all the lumps from the arrowroot, and add
that with the sugar to the other ingredients. Mix all well together,
drop the dough on a buttered tin, in pieces the size of a shilling, and
bake the biscuits about 1/4 hour in a slow oven.
_Time_.--1/4 hour.
_Average cost_, 2s. 6d.
_Sufficient_ to make from 3 to 4 dozen biscuits.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
NICE BREAKFAST CAKES.
1739. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/2 teaspoonful of tartaric acid,
1/2 teaspoonful of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, 1-1/2
breakfast-cupful of milk, 1 oz. of sifted loaf sugar, 2 eggs.
_Mode_.--These cakes are made in the same manner as the soda bread No.
1722, with the addition of eggs and sugar. Mix the flour, tartaric acid,
and salt well together, taking care that the two latter ingredients are
reduced to the finest powder, and stir in the sifted sugar, which should
also be very fine. Dissolve the soda in the milk, add the eggs, which
should be well whisked, and with this liquid work the flour, &c. into a
light dough. Divide it into small cakes, put them into the oven
immediately, and bake for about 20 minutes.
_Time_.--20 minutes.
COCOA-NUT BISCUITS OR CAKES.
1740. INGREDIENTS.--10 oz. of sifted sugar, 3 eggs, 6 oz. of grated
cocoa-nut.
_Mode_.--Whisk the eggs until they are very light; add the sugar
gradually; then stir in the cocoa-nut. Roll a tablespoonful of the paste
at a time in your hands in the form of a pyramid; place the pyramids on
paper, put the paper on tins, and bake the biscuits in rather a cool
oven until they are just coloured a light brown.
_Time_.--About 1/4 hour. _Seasonable_ at any time.
CRISP BISCUITS.
1741. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, the yolk of 1 egg, milk.
_Mode_.--Mix the flour and the yolk of the egg with sufficient milk to
make the whole into a very stiff paste; beat it well, and knead it until
it is perfectly smooth. Roll the paste out very thin; with a round
cutter shape it into small biscuits, and bake them a nice brown in a
slow oven from 12 to 18 minutes.
_Time_.--12 to 18 minutes. _Average cost_, 4d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
DESSERT BISCUITS, which may be flavoured with Ground Ginger, Cinnamon,
&c. &c.
1742. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of sifted
sugar, the yolks of 6 eggs, flavouring to taste.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a basin; warm it, but do not allow it to
oil; then with the hand beat it to a cream. Add the flour by degrees,
then the sugar and flavouring, and moisten the whole with the yolks of
the eggs, which should previously be well beaten. When all the
ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, drop the mixture from a spoon
on to a buttered paper, leaving a distance between each cake, as they
spread as soon as they begin to get warm. Bake in rather a slow oven
from 12 to 18 minutes, and do not let the biscuits acquire too much
colour. In making the above quantity, half may be flavoured with ground
ginger and the other half with essence of lemon or currants, to make a
variety. With whatever the preparation is flavoured, so are the biscuits
called; and an endless variety may be made in this manner.
_Time_.--12 to 18 minutes, or rather longer, in a very slow oven.
_Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
_Sufficient_ to make from 3 to 4 dozen cakes.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
LEMON BISCUITS.
1743--INGREDIENTS.--1-1/4 lb. of flour, 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar, 6 oz. of
fresh butter, 4 eggs, 1 oz. of lemon-peel, 2 dessertspoonfuls of
lemon-juice.
_Mode_.--Rub the flour into the butter; stir in the pounded sugar and
very finely-minced lemon-peel, and when these ingredients are thoroughly
mixed, add the eggs, which should be previously well whisked, and the
lemon-juice. Beat the mixture well for a minute or two, then drop it
from a spoon on to a buttered tin, about 2 inches apart, as the cakes
will spread when they get warm; place the tin in the oven, and bake the
cakes of a pale brown from 15 to 20 minutes.
_Time_.--15 to 20 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
MACAROONS.
1744. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of sweet almonds, 1/2 lb. of sifted loaf
sugar, the whites of 3 eggs, wafer-paper.
[Illustration: MACAROONS.]
_Mode_.--Blanch, skin, and dry the almonds, and pound them well with a
little orange-flower water or plain water; then add to them the sifted
sugar and the whites of the eggs, which should be beaten to a stiff
froth, and mix all the ingredients well together. When the paste looks
soft, drop it at equal distances from a biscuit-syringe on to sheets of
wafer-paper; put a strip of almond on the top of each; strew some sugar
over, and bake the macaroons in rather a slow oven, of a light brown
colour when hard and set, they are done, and must not be allowed to get
very brown, as that would spoil their appearance. If the cakes, when
baked, appear heavy, add a little more white of egg, but let this always
be well whisked before it is added to the other ingredients. We have
given a recipe for making these cakes, but we think it almost or quite
as economical to purchase such articles as these at a good
confectioner's.
_Time_.--From 15 to 20 minutes, in a slow oven.
_Average cost_, 1s. 8d. per lb.
RATAFIAS.
[Illustration: RATAFIAS.]
1745. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of sweet almonds, 1/4 lb. of bitter ones,
3/4 lb. of sifted loaf sugar, the whites of 4 eggs.
_Mode_.--Blanch, skin, and dry the almonds, and pound them in a mortar
with the white of an egg; stir in the sugar, and gradually add the
remaining whites of eggs, taking care that they are very thoroughly
whisked. Drop the mixture through a small biscuit-syringe on to
cartridge paper, and bake the cakes from 10 to 12 minutes in rather a
quicker oven than for macaroons. A very small quantity should be dropped
on the paper to form one cake, as, when baked, the ratafias should be
about the size of a large button.
_Time_.--10 to 12 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s. 8d. per lb.
RICE BISCUITS OR CAKES.
1746. INGREDIENTS.--To every 1/2 lb. of rice-flour allow 1/4 lb. of
pounded lump sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 eggs.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream, stir in the rice-flour and pounded
sugar, and moisten the whole with the eggs, which should be previously
well beaten. Roll out the paste, shape it with a round paste-cutter into
small cakes, and bake them from 12 to 18 minutes in a very slow oven.
_Time_.--12 to 18 minutes. _Average cost_, 9d.
_Sufficient_ to make about 18 cakes. _Seasonable_ at any time.
GROUND RICE, or rice-flour, is used for making several kinds of
cakes, also for thickening soups, and for mixing with wheaten
flour in producing Manna Kroup. The Americans make rice-bread,
and prepare the flour for it in the following manner:--When the
rice is thoroughly cleansed, the water is drawn off, and the
rice, while damp, bruised in a mortar: it is then dried, and
passed through a hair sieve.
ROCK BISCUITS.
1747. INGREDIENTS.--6 eggs, 1 lb. of sifted sugar, 1/2 lb. of flour, a
few currants.
_Mode_.--Break the eggs into a basin, beat them well until very light,
add the pounded sugar, and when this is well mixed with the eggs, dredge
in the flour gradually, and add the currants. Mix all well together, and
put the dough, with a fork, on the tins, making it look as rough as
possible. Bake the cakes in a moderate oven from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour;
when they are done, allow them to get cool, and store them away in a tin
canister, in a dry place.
_Time_.--20 minutes to 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 2d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
SAVOY BISCUITS OR CAKES.
1748. INGREDIENTS.--4 eggs, 6 oz. of pounded sugar, the rind of 1 lemon,
6 oz. of flour.
_Mode_.--Break the eggs into a basin, separating the whites from the
yolks; beat the yolks well, mix with them the pounded sugar and grated
lemon-rind, and beat these ingredients together for 1/4 hour. Then
dredge in the flour gradually, and when the whites of the eggs have been
whisked to a solid froth, stir them to the flour, &c.; beat the mixture
well for another 5 minutes, then draw it along in strips upon thick
cartridge paper to the proper size of the biscuit, and bake them in
rather a hot oven; but let them be carefully watched, as they are soon
done, and a few seconds over the proper time will scorch and spoil them.
These biscuits, or ladies'-fingers, as they are called, are used for
making Charlotte russes, and for a variety of fancy sweet dishes.
_Time_.--5 to 8 minutes, in a quick oven.
_Average cost_, 1s. 8d. per lb., or 1/2d. each.
SEED BISCUITS.
1749. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of sifted sugar, 1/4 lb. of
butter, 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds, 3 eggs.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream; stir in the flour, sugar, and
caraway seeds; and when these ingredients are well mixed, add the eggs,
which should be well whisked. Roll out the paste, with a round cutter
shape out the biscuits, and bake them in a moderate oven from 10 to 15
minutes. The tops of the biscuits may be brushed over with a little milk
or the white of an egg, and then a little sugar strewn over.
_Time_.--10 to 15 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s.
_Sufficient_ to make 3 dozen biscuits. _Seasonable_ at any time.
SIMPLE HARD BISCUITS.
1750. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 2 oz. of butter, about
1/2 pint of skimmed milk.
_Mode_.--Warm the butter in the milk until the former is dissolved, and
then mix it with the flour into a very stiff paste; beat it with a
rolling-pin until the dough looks perfectly smooth. Roll it out thin;
cut it with the top of a glass into round biscuits; prick them well, and
bake them from 6 to 10 minutes. The above is the proportion of milk
which we think would convert the flour into a stiff paste; but should it
be found too much, an extra spoonful or two of flour must be put in.
These biscuits are very nice for the cheese course.
_Time_.--6 to 10 minutes.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
SODA BISCUITS.
1751. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of pounded loaf sugar, 1/4
lb. of fresh butter, 2 eggs, 1 small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.
_Mode_.--Put the flour (which should be perfectly dry) into a basin; rub
in the butter, add the sugar, and mix these ingredients well together.
Whisk the eggs, stir them into the mixture, and beat it well, until
everything is well incorporated. Quickly stir in the soda, roll the
paste out until it is about 1/2 inch thick, cut it into small round
cakes with a tin cutter, and bake them from 12 to 18 minutes in rather a
brisk oven. After the soda is added, great expedition is necessary in
rolling and cutting out the paste, and in putting the biscuits
_immediately_ into the oven, or they will be heavy.
_Time_.--12 to 18 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s.
_Sufficient_ to make about 3 dozen cakes. _Seasonable_ at any time.
ALMOND CAKE.
1752. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of sweet almonds, 1 oz. of bitter almonds, 6
eggs, 8 tablespoonfuls of sifted sugar, 5 tablespoonfuls of fine flour,
the grated rind of 1 lemon, 3 oz. of butter.
_Mode_.--Blanch and pound the almonds to a paste; separate the whites
from the yolks of the eggs; beat the latter, and add them to the
almonds. Stir in the sugar, flour, and lemon-rind; add the butter, which
should be beaten to a cream; and when all these ingredients are well
mixed, put in the whites of the eggs, which should be whisked to a stiff
froth. Butter a cake-mould, put in the mixture, and bake in a good oven
from 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hour.
_Time_.--1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 1s.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
RICH BRIDE OR CHRISTENING CAKE.
1753. INGREDIENTS.--5 lbs. of the finest flour, 3 lbs. of fresh butter,
5 lbs. of currants, 2 lbs. of sifted loaf sugar, 2 nutmegs, 1/4 oz. of
mace, half 1/4 oz. of cloves, 16 eggs, 1 lb. of sweet almonds, 1/2 lb.
of candied citron, 1/2 lb. each of candied orange and lemon peel, 1 gill
of wine, 1 gill of brandy.
_Mode_.--Let the flour be as fine as possible, and well dried and
sifted; the currants washed, picked, and dried before the fire; the
sugar well pounded and sifted; the nutmegs grated, the spices pounded;
the eggs thoroughly whisked, whites and yolks separately; the almonds
pounded with a little orange-flower water, and the candied peel cut in
neat slices. When all these ingredients are prepared, mix them in the
following manner. Begin working the butter with the hand till it becomes
of a cream-like consistency; stir in the sugar, and when the whites of
the eggs are whisked to a solid froth, mix them with the butter and
sugar; next, well beat up the yolks for 10 minutes, and, adding them to
the flour, nutmegs, mace, and cloves, continue beating the whole
together for 1/2 hour or longer, till wanted for the oven. Then mix in
lightly the currants, almonds, and candied peel with the wine and
brandy; and having lined a hoop with buttered paper, fill it with the
mixture, and bake the cake in a tolerably quick oven, taking care,
however, not to burn it: to prevent this, the top of it may be covered
with a sheet of paper. To ascertain whether the cake is done, plunge a
clean knife into the middle of it, withdraw it directly, and if the
blade is not sticky, and looks bright, the cake is sufficiently baked.
These cakes are usually spread with a thick layer of almond icing, and
over that another layer of sugar icing, and afterwards ornamented. In
baking a large cake like this, great attention must be paid to the heat
of the oven; it should not be too fierce, but have a good soaking heat.
_Time_.--5 to 6 hours. _Average cost_, 2s. per lb.
CHRISTMAS CAKE.
1754. INGREDIENTS.--5 teacupfuls of flour, 1 teacupful of melted butter,
1 teacupful of cream, 1 teacupful of treacle, 1 teacupful of moist
sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 oz. of powdered ginger, 1/2 lb. of raisins, 1
teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, 1 tablespoonful of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Make the butter sufficiently warm to melt it, but do not allow
it to oil; put the flour into a basin; add to it the sugar, ginger, and
raisins, which should be stoned and cut into small pieces. When these
dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, stir in the butter, cream,
treacle, and well-whisked eggs, and beat the mixture for a few minutes.
Dissolve the soda in the vinegar, add it to the dough, and be particular
that these latter ingredients are well incorporated with the others; put
the cake into a buttered mould or tin, place it in a moderate oven
immediately, and bake it from 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours.
_Time_.--1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
COMMON CAKE, suitable for sending to Children at School.
1755. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of flour, 4 oz. of butter or clarified
dripping, 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds, 1/4 oz. of allspice, 1/2 lb. of
pounded sugar, 1 lb. of currants, 1 pint of milk, 3 tablespoonfuls of
fresh yeast.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter lightly into the flour; add all the dry
ingredients, and mix these well together. Make the milk warm, but not
hot; stir in the yeast, and with this liquid make the whole into a light
dough; knead it well, and line the cake-tins with strips of buttered
paper; this paper should be about 6 inches higher than the top of the
tin. Put in the dough; stand it in a warm place to rise for more than an
hour; then bake the cakes in a well-heated oven. If this quantity be
divided in two, they will take from 1-1/2 to 2 hours' baking.
_Time_.--1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 9d.
_Sufficient_ to make 2 moderate-sized cakes.
ECONOMICAL CAKE.
[Illustration: CAKE-MOULD.]
1756. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter
or lard, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, the
whites of 4 eggs, 1/2 pint of milk.
_Mode_,--In making many sweet dishes, the whites of eggs are not
required, and if well beaten and added to the above ingredients, make an
excellent cake, with or without currants. Beat the butter to a cream,
well whisk the whites of the eggs, and stir all the ingredients together
but the soda, which must not be added until all is well mixed, and the
cake is ready to be put into the oven. When the mixture has been well
beaten, stir in the soda, put the cake into a buttered mould, and bake
it in a moderate oven for 1-1/2 hour.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d.
A NICE USEFUL CAKE.
1757. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of butter, 6 oz. of currants, 1/4 lb. of
sugar 1 lb. of dried flour, 2 teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, 3 eggs, 1
teacupful of milk, 2 oz. of sweet almonds, 1 oz. of candied peel.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream; wash, pick, and dry the currants;
whisk the eggs; blanch and chop the almonds, and cut the peel into neat
slices. When all these are ready, mix the dry ingredients together; then
add the butter, milk, and eggs, and beat the mixture well for a few
minutes. Put the cake into a buttered mould or tin, and bake it for
rather more than 1-1/2 hour. The currants and candied peel may be
omitted, and a little lemon or almond flavouring substituted for them:
made in this manner, the cake will be found very good.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1-1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 9d.
HONEY CAKE.
1758. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 breakfast-cupful of sugar, 1 breakfast-cupful of
rich sour cream, 2 breakfast-cupfuls of flour, 1/2 teaspoonful of
carbonate of soda, honey to taste.
_Mode_.--Mix the sugar and cream together; dredge in the flour, with as
much honey as will flavour the mixture nicely; stir it well, that all
the ingredients may be thoroughly mixed; add the carbonate of soda, and
beat the cake well for another 5 minutes; put it into a buttered tin,
bake it from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, and let it be eaten warm.
_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 8d.
_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.
RICH SWEETMEAT GINGERBREAD NUTS.
1759. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of treacle, 1/4 lb. of clarified butter, 1 lb.
of coarse brown sugar, 2 oz. of ground ginger, 1 oz. of candied
orange-peel, 1 oz. of candied angelica, 1/2 oz. of candied lemon-peel,
1/2 oz. of coriander seeds, 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds, 1 egg; flour.
_Mode_.--Put the treacle into a basin, and pour over it the butter,
melted so as not to oil, the sugar, and ginger. Stir these ingredients
well together, and whilst mixing, add the candied peel, which should be
cut into very small pieces, but not bruised, and the caraway and
coriander seeds, which should be pounded. Having mixed all thoroughly
together, break in an egg, and work the whole up with as much fine flour
as may be necessary to form a paste. Make this into nuts of any size,
put them on a tin plate, and bake in a slow oven from 1/4 to 1/2 hour.
_Time_.--1/4 to 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, from 1s. to 1s. 4d. per lb.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
THICK GINGERBREAD.
1760. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of treacle, 1/4 lb. of butter, 1/4 lb. of
coarse brown sugar, 1-1/2 lb. of flour, 1 oz. of ginger, 1/2 oz. of
ground allspice, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, 1/4 pint of warm
milk, 3 eggs.
[Illustration: GINGERBREAD.]
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a basin, with the sugar, ginger, and
allspice; mix these together; warm the butter, and add it, with the
treacle, to the other ingredients. Stir well; make the milk just warm,
dissolve the carbonate of soda in it, and mix the whole into a nice
smooth dough with the eggs, which should be previously well whisked;
pour the mixture into a buttered tin, and bake it from 3/4 to 1 hour, or
longer, should the gingerbread be very thick. Just before it is done,
brush the top over with the yolk of an egg beaten up with a little milk,
and put it back in the oven to finish baking.
_Time_.--3/4 to 1 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. per square.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
SUNDERLAND GINGERBREAD NUTS.
(_An Excellent Recipe_.)
1761. INGREDIENTS.--1-3/4 lb. treacle, 1 lb. of moist sugar, 1 lb. of
butter, 2-3/4 lbs. of flour, 1-1/2 oz. of ground ginger, 1-1/2 oz. of
allspice, 1-1/2 oz. of coriander seeds.
_Mode_.--Let the allspice, coriander seeds, and ginger be freshly
ground; put them into a basin, with the flour and sugar, and mix these
ingredients well together; warm the treacle and butter together; then
with a spoon work it into the flour, &c., until the whole forms a nice
smooth paste. Drop the mixture from the spoon on to a piece of buttered
paper, and bake in rather a slow oven from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour. A
little candied lemon-peel mixed with the above is an improvement, and a
great authority in culinary matters suggests the addition of a little
cayenne pepper in gingerbread. Whether it be advisable to use this
latter ingredient or not, we leave our readers to decide.
_Time_.--20 minutes to 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. to 1s. 4d. per lb.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
WHITE GINGERBREAD.
1762. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of loaf
sugar, the rind of 1 lemon, 1 oz. of ground ginger, 1 nutmeg grated, 1/2
teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, 1 gill of milk.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour; add the sugar, which should be
finely pounded and sifted, and the minced lemon-rind, ginger, and
nutmeg. Mix these well together; make the milk just warm, stir in the
soda, and work the whole into a nice smooth paste; roll it out, cut it
into cakes, and bake in a moderate oven from 15 to 20 minutes.
_Time_.--15 to 20 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
GOOD HOLIDAY CAKE.
1763. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2d. worth of Borwick's German baking-powder, 2
lbs. of flour, 6 oz. of butter, 1/4 lb. of lard, 1 lb. of currants, 1/2
lb. of stoned and cut raisins, 1/4 lb. of mixed candied peel, 1/2 lb. of
moist sugar, 3 eggs, 3/4 pint of cold milk.
_Mode_.--Mix the baking-powder with the flour; then rub in the butter
and lard; have ready the currants, washed, picked, and dried the raisins
stoned and cut into small pieces (not chopped), and the peel cut into
neat slices. Add these with the sugar to the flour, &c., and mix all the
dry ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs, stir to them the milk,
and with this liquid moisten the cake; beat it up well, that all may be
very thoroughly mixed; line a cake-tin with buttered paper, put in the
cake, and bake it from 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours in a good oven. To ascertain
when it is done, plunge a clean knife into the middle of it, and if, on
withdrawing it, the knife looks clean, and not sticky, the cake is done.
To prevent its burning at the top, a piece of clean paper may be put
over whilst the cake is soaking, or being thoroughly cooked in the
middle. A steamer, such as is used for steaming potatoes, makes a very
good cake-tin, if it be lined at the bottom and sides with buttered
paper.
_Time_.--2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours. _Average cost_, 2s. 6d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
LEMON CAKE.
1764. INGREDIENTS.--10 eggs, 3 tablespoonfuls of orange-flower water,
3/4 lb. of pounded loaf sugar, 1 lemon, 3/4 lb. of flour.
[Illustration: CAKE-MOULD.]
_Mode_.--Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs whisk the former
to a stiff froth; add the orange-flower water, the sugar, grated
lemon-rind, and mix these ingredients well together. Then beat the yolks
of the eggs, and add them, with the lemon-juice, to the whites, &c.;
dredge in the flour gradually; keep beating the mixture well; put it
into a buttered mould, and bake the cake about an hour, or rather
longer. The addition of a little butter, beaten to a cream, we think,
would improve this cake.
_Time_.--About 1 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 4d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
LUNCHEON CAKE.
1765. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of flour, 1/2 oz. of
caraway seeds, 1/4 lb. of currants, 6 oz. of moist sugar, 1 oz. of
candied peel, 3 eggs, 1/2 pint of milk, 1 small teaspoonful of carbonate
of soda.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour until it is quite fine; add the
caraway seeds, currants (which should be nicely washed, picked, and
dried), sugar, and candied peel cut into thin slices; mix these well
together, and moisten with the eggs, which should be well whisked. Boil
the milk, and add to it, whilst boiling, the carbonate of soda, which
must be well stirred into it, and, with the milk, mix the other
ingredients. Butter a tin, pour the cake into it, and bake it in a
moderate oven from 3/4 to 1 hour.
_Time_.--1 to 14 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 8d. _Seasonable_ at any time.
CARBONATE OF SODA--Soda was called the mineral alkali, because
it was originally dug up out of the ground in Africa and other
countries: this state of carbonate of soda is called _natron._
But carbonate of soda is likewise procured from the combustion
of marine plants, or such as grow on the sea-shore. Pure
carbonate of soda is employed for making effervescing draughts,
with lemon-juice, citric acid, or tartaric acid. The chief
constituent of soda, the alkali, has been used in France from
time immemorial in the manufacture of soap and glass, two
chemical productions which employ and keep in circulation an
immense amount of capital. A small pinch of carbonate of soda
will give an extraordinary lightness to puff pastes; and,
introduced into the teapot, will extract the full strength of
the tea. But its qualities have a powerful effect upon delicate
constitutions, and it is not to be used incautiously in any
preparation.
A NICE PLAIN CAKE.
1766. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1 teaspoonful of Borwick's
baking-powder, 1/4 lb. of good dripping, 1 teacupful of moist sugar, 3
eggs, 1 breakfast-cupful of milk, 1 oz. of caraway seeds, 1/2 lb. of
currants.
_Mode_.--Put the flour and baking-powder into a basin; stir those
together; then rub in the dripping, add the sugar, caraway seeds, and
currants; whisk the eggs with the milk, and beat all together very
thoroughly until the ingredients are well mixed. Butter a tin, put in
the cake, and bake it from 11/2 to 2 hours. Let the dripping be quite
clean before using: to insure this, it is a good plan to clarify it.
Beef dripping is better than any other for cakes, &c., as mutton
dripping frequently has a very unpleasant flavour, which would be
imparted to the preparation.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
A NICE PLAIN CAKE FOR CHILDREN.
1767. INGREDIENTS.--1 quartern of dough, 1/4 lb. of moist sugar, 1/4 lb.
of butter or good beef dripping, 1/4 pint of warm milk, 1/2 grated
nutmeg or 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds.
_Mode_.--If you are not in the habit of making bread at home, procure
the dough from the baker's, and, as soon as it comes in, put it into a
basin near the fire; cover the basin with a thick cloth, and let the
dough remain a little while to rise. In the mean time, beat the butter
to a cream, and make the milk warm; and when the dough has risen, mix
with it thoroughly all the above ingredients, and knead the cake well
for a few minutes. Butter some cake-tins, half fill them, and stand them
in a warm place, to allow the dough to rise again. When the tins are
three parts full, put the cakes into a good oven, and bake them from
13/4 to 2 hours. A few currants might be substituted for the caraway
seeds when the flavour of the latter is disliked.
_Time_.--1-3/4 to 2 hours. _Average cost_, _1s. 2d._
_Seasonable_ at any time.
COMMON PLUM CAKE.
1768. INGREDIENTS.--3 lbs. of flour, 6 oz. of butter or good dripping, 6
oz. of moist sugar, 6 oz. of currants, 4 oz. of pounded allspice, 2
tablespoonfuls of fresh yeast, 1 pint of new milk.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour; add the sugar, currants, and
allspice; warm the milk, stir to it the yeast, and mix the whole into a
dough; knead it well, and put it into 6 buttered tins; place them near
the fire for nearly an hour for the dough to rise, then bake the cakes
in a good oven from 1 to 11/4 hour. To ascertain when they are done,
plunge a clean knife into the middle, and if on withdrawal it comes out
clean, the cakes are done.
_Time_.--1 to 1-1/4 hour.
_Average cost_, 1s. 8d.
_Sufficient_ to make 6 small cakes.
A NICE PLUM CAKE.
1769. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of sugar,
1/2 lb. of currants, 2 oz. of candied lemon-peel, 1/2 pint of milk, 1
teaspoonful of ammonia or carbonate of soda.
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a basin with the sugar, currants, and sliced
candied peel; beat the butter to a cream, and mix all these ingredients
together with the milk. Stir the ammonia into 2 tablespoonfuls of milk
and add it to the dough, and beat the whole well, until everything is
thoroughly mixed. Put the dough into a buttered tin, and bake the cake
from 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours.
_Average cost_, 1s. 3d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
POUND CAKE.
[Illustration: POUND CAKE.]
1770. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of butter, 1-1/4 lb. of flour, 1 lb. of
pounded loaf sugar, 1 lb. of currants, 9 eggs, 2 oz. of candied peel,
1/2 oz. of citron, 1/2 oz. of sweet almonds; when liked, a little
pounded mace.
_Mode_.--Work the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar,
currants, candied peel, which should be cut into neat slices, and the
almonds, which should be blanched and chopped, and mix all these well
together; whisk the eggs, and let them be thoroughly blended with the
dry ingredients. Beat the cake well for 20 minutes, and put it into a
round tin, lined at the bottom and sides with a strip of white buttered
paper. Bake it from 1-1/2 to 2 hours, and let the oven be well heated
when the cake is first put in, as, if this is not the case, the currants
will all sink to the bottom of it. To make this preparation light, the
yolks and whites of the eggs should be beaten separately, and added
separately to the other ingredients. A glass of wine is sometimes added
to the mixture; but this is scarcely necessary, as the cake will be
found quite rich enough without it.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours.
_Average cost_, 3s. 6d.
_Sufficient._--The above quantity divided in two will make two
nice-sized cakes.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
A PAVINI CAKE.
1771. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of ground rice, 1/2 lb. of
raisins stoned and cut into small pieces, 1/4 lb. of currants, 1/4 lb.
of butter, 2 oz. of sweet almonds, 1/4 lb. of sifted loaf sugar, 1/2
nutmeg grated, 1 pint of milk, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.
_Mode_.--Stone and cut the raisins into small pieces; wash, pick, and
dry the currants; melt the butter to a cream, but without oiling it;
blanch and chop the almonds, and grate the nutmeg. When all these
ingredients are thus prepared, mix them well together; make the milk
warm, stir in the soda, and with this liquid make the whole into a
paste. Butter a mould, rather more than half fill it with the dough, and
bake the cake in a moderate oven from 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or less time
should it be made into 2 cakes.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 8d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
[Illustration: CAKE-MOULD.]
RICE CAKE.
1772. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of ground rice, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of
loaf sugar, 9 eggs, 20 drops of essence of lemon, or the rind of 1
lemon, 1/4 lb. of butter.
_Mode_.--Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs; whisk them both
well, and add to the latter the butter beaten to a cream. Stir in the
flour, rice, and lemon (if the rind is used, it must be very finely
minced), and beat the mixture well; then add the whites of the eggs,
beat the cake again for some time, put it into a buttered mould or tin,
and bake it for nearly 1-1/2 hour. It may be flavoured with essence of
almonds, when this is preferred.
_Time_.--Nearly 1-1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
QUEEN-CAKES.
1773. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of
pounded loaf sugar, 3 eggs, 1 teacupful of cream, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1
teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, essence of lemon, or almonds to taste.
_Mode_.--Work the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour, add the sugar
and currants, and mix the ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs, mix
them with the cream and flavouring, and stir these to the flour; add the
carbonate of soda, beat the paste well for 10 minutes, put it into small
buttered pans, and bake the cake from 1/4 to 1/2 hour.
Grated lemon-rind may be substituted for the lemon and almond
flavouring, which will make the cakes equally nice.
_Time_. 1/4 to 1/2 hour.
_Average cost_, 1s. 9d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
SAUCER-CAKE FOR TEA.
1774. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of _tous-les-mois_, 1/4
lb. of pounded white sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 eggs, 1 oz. of candied
orange or lemon-peel.
_Mode_.--Mix the flour and _tous-les-mois_ together; add the sugar, the
candied peel cut into thin slices, the butter beaten to a cream, and the
eggs well whisked. Beat the mixture for 10 minutes, put it into a
buttered cake-tin or mould, or, if this is not obtainable, a soup-plate
answers the purpose, lined with a piece of buttered paper. Bake the cake
in a moderate oven from 1 to 1-1/4 hour, and when cold, put it away in a
covered canister. It will remain good some weeks, even if it be cut into
slices.
_Time_.--1 to 1-1/4 hour.
_Average cost_, 1s.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
COMMON SEED-CAKE.
1775. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 quartern of dough, 1/4 lb. of good dripping, 6
oz. of moist sugar, 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds, 1 egg.
_Mode_.--If the dough is sent in from the baker's, put it in a basin
covered with a cloth, and set it in a warm place to rise. Then with a
wooden spoon beat the dripping to a liquid; add it, with the other
ingredients, to the dough, and beat it until everything is very
thoroughly mixed. Put it into a buttered tin, and bake the cake for
rather more than 2 hours.
_Time_.--Rather more than 2 hours.
_Average cost_, 8d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
A VERY GOOD SEED-CAKE.
1776. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of butter, 6 eggs, 3/4 lb. of sifted sugar,
pounded mace and grated nutmeg to taste, 1 lb. of flour, 3/4 oz. of
caraway seeds, 1 wineglassful of brandy.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar,
mace, nutmeg, and caraway seeds, and mix these ingredients well
together. Whisk the eggs, stir to them the brandy, and beat the cake
again for 10 minutes. Put it into a tin lined with buttered paper, and
bake it from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. This cake would be equally nice made with
currants, and omitting the caraway seeds.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours. _Average cost_, 2s. 6d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
BREAD-MAKING IN SPAIN.--The bread in the south of Spain is
delicious: it is white as snow, close as cake, and yet very
light; the flavour is most admirable, for the wheat is good and
pure, and the bread well kneaded. The way they make this bread
is as follows:--From large round panniers filled with wheat they
take out a handful at a time, sorting it most carefully and
expeditiously, and throwing every defective grain into another
basket. This done, the wheat is ground between two circular
stones, as it was ground in Egypt 2,000 years ago (see No. 117),
the requisite rotary motion being given by a blindfolded mule,
which paces round and round with untiring patience, a bell being
attached to his neck, which, as long as he is in movement,
tinkles on; and when it stops, he is urged to his duty by the
shout of "_Arre, mula_," from some one within hearing. When
ground, the wheat is sifted through three sieves, the last of
these being so fine that only the pure flour can pass through
it: this is of a pale apricot-colour. The bread is made in the
evening. It is mixed with only sufficient water, with a little
salt in it, to make it into dough: a very small quantity of
leaven, or fermenting mixture is added. The Scripture says, "A
little leaven leaveneth the whole lump;" but in England, to
avoid the trouble of kneading, many put as much leaven or yeast
in one batch of household bread as in Spain would last them a
week for the six or eight donkey-loads of bread they send every
night from their oven. The dough made, it is put into sacks, and
carried on the donkeys' backs to the oven in the centre of the
village, so as to bake it immediately it is kneaded. On arriving
there, the dough is divided into portions weighing 3 lbs. each.
Two long narrow wooden tables on trestles are then placed down
the room; and now a curious sight may be seen. About twenty men
(bakers) come in and range themselves on one side of the tables.
A lump of dough is handed to the nearest, which he commences
kneading and knocking about with all his might for about 3 or 4
minutes, and then passes it on to his neighbour, who does the
same; and so on successively until all have kneaded it, when it
becomes as soft as new putty, and ready for the oven. Of course,
as soon as the first baker has handed the first lump to his
neighbour, another is given to him, and so on till the whole
quantity of dough is successively kneaded by them all. The
bakers' wives and daughters shape the loaves for the oven, and
some of them are very small, and they are baked immediately. The
ovens are very large, and not heated by fires _under_ them; but
a quantity of twigs of the herbs of sweet marjoram and thyme,
which cover the hills in great profusion, are put in the oven
and ignited. They heat the oven to any extent required; and, as
the bread gets baked, the oven gets gradually colder; so the
bread is never burned. They knead the bread in Spain with such
force, that the palm of the hand and the second joints of the
fingers of the bakers are covered with corns; and it so affects
the chest, that they cannot work more than two hours at a time.
SNOW-CAKE.
1777. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of _tous-les-mois_, 1/4 lb. of white pounded
sugar, 1/4 lb. of fresh or washed salt butter, 1 egg, the juice of 1
lemon.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream; then add the egg, previously well
beaten, and then the other ingredients; if the mixture is not light, add
another egg, and beat for 1/4 hour, until it turns white and light. Line
a flat tin, with raised edges, with a sheet of buttered paper; pour in
the cake, and put it into the oven. It must be rather slow, and the cake
not allowed to brown at all. If the oven is properly heated, 1 to 1-1/4
hour will be found long enough to bake it. Let it cool a few minutes,
then with a clean sharp knife cut it into small square pieces, which
should be gently removed to a large flat dish to cool before putting
away. This will keep for several weeks.
_Time_.--1 to 1-1/4 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
SNOW-CAKE.
(_A genuine Scotch Recipe_.)
1778. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of arrowroot, 1/2 lb. of pounded white sugar,
1/2 lb. of butter, the whites of 6 eggs; flavouring to taste, of essence
of almonds, or vanilla, or lemon.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream; stir in the sugar and arrowroot
gradually, at the same time beating the mixture. Whisk the whites of the
eggs to a stiff froth, add them to the other ingredients, and beat well
for 20 minutes. Put in whichever of the above flavourings may be
preferred; pour the cake into a buttered mould or tin and bake it in a
moderate oven from 1 to 1-1/2 hour.
_Time_.--1 to 1-1/2 hour.
_Average cost_, with the best Bermuda arrowroot, 4s. 6d.; with St.
Vincent ditto, 2s. 9d.
_Sufficient_ to make a moderate-sized cake. _Seasonable_ at any time.
SCRAP-CAKES.
1779. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of leaf, or the inside fat of a pig; 1-1/2
lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of moist sugar, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1 oz. of
candied lemon-peel, ground allspice to taste.
_Mode_.--Cut the leaf, or flead, as it is sometimes called, into small
pieces; put it into a large dish, which place in a quick oven; be
careful that it does not burn, and in a short time it will be reduced to
oil, with the small pieces of leaf floating on the surface; and it is of
these that the cakes should be made. Gather all the scraps together, put
them into a basin with the flour, and rub them well together. Add the
currants, sugar, candied peel, cut into thin slices, and the ground
allspice. When all these ingredients are well mixed, moisten with
sufficient cold water to make the whole into a nice paste; roll it out
thin, cut it into shapes, and bake the cakes in a quick oven from 15 to
20 minutes. These are very economical and wholesome cakes for children,
and the lard, melted at home, produced from the flead, is generally
better than that you purchase. To prevent the lard from burning, and to
insure its being a good colour, it is better to melt it in a jar placed
in a saucepan of boiling water; by doing it in this manner, there will
be no chance of its discolouring.
_Time_.--15 to 20 minutes.
_Sufficient_ to make 3 or 4 dozen cakes.
_Seasonable_ from September to March.
[Illustration: WHEAT.]
Wheat is liable to several diseases, which affect the flour made
from it, and render it unfit for good bread. The principal of
these are the blight, mildew, and smut, which are occasioned by
microscopic fungi, which sow themselves and grow upon the stems
and ears, destroying the nutritive principles, and introducing
matter of a deleterious kind. The farmer is at the utmost pains
to keep away these intruders. Wheat, as well as all kinds of
corn, is also very liable to be injured by being stacked before
it is quite dry; in which case it will heat, and become musty in
the ricks. In wet harvests it is sometimes impossible to get it
sufficiently dried, and a great deal of corn is thus often
spoiled. It is generally reckoned that the sweetest bread is
made from wheat threshed out before it is stacked; which shows
the importance of studying the best modes of preserving it.
The erudite are not agreed as to the aboriginal country of corn:
some say it is Egypt, others Tartary; and the learned Bailly, as
well as the traveller Pallas, affirms that it grows
spontaneously in Siberia. Be that as it may, the Phocians
brought it to Marseilles before the Romans had penetrated into
Gaul. The Gauls ate the corn cooked or bruised in a mortar: they
did not know, for a long time, how to make fermented bread.
SCOTCH SHORTBREAD.
1780. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of flour, 1 lb. of butter, 1/4 lb. of pounded
loaf sugar, 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds, 1 oz. of sweet almonds, a few
strips of candied orange-peel.
[Illustration: SHORTBREAD.]
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream, gradually dredge in the flour, and
add the sugar, caraway seeds, and sweet almonds, which should be
blanched and cut into small pieces. Work the paste until it is quite
smooth, and divide it into six pieces. Put each cake on a separate piece
of paper, roll the paste out square to the thickness of about an inch,
and pinch it upon all sides. Prick it well, and ornament with one or two
strips of candied orange-peel. Put the cakes into a good oven, and bake
them from 25 to 30 minutes.
_Time_.--25 to 30 minutes.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 2s.
_Sufficient_ to make 6 cakes.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
_Note_.--Where the flavour of the caraway seeds is disliked, omit them,
and add rather a larger proportion of candied peel.
SODA-CAKE.
1781. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of
currants, 1/2 lb. of moist sugar, 1 teacupful of milk, 3 eggs, 1
teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour, add the currants and sugar, and
mix these ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs well, stir them to
the flour, &c., with the milk, in which the soda should be previously
dissolved, and beat the whole up together with a wooden spoon or beater.
Divide the dough into two pieces, put them into buttered moulds or
cake-tins, and bake in a moderate oven for nearly an hour. The mixture
must be extremely well beaten up, and not allowed to stand after the
soda is added to it, but must be placed in the oven immediately. Great
care must also be taken that the cakes are quite done through, which may
be ascertained by thrusting a knife into the middle of them: if the
blade looks bright when withdrawn, they are done. If the tops acquire
too much colour before the inside is sufficiently baked, cover them over
with a piece of clean white paper, to prevent them from burning.
_Time_.--1 hour.
_Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
_Sufficient_ to make 2 small cakes.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
SAVOY CAKE.
1782. INGREDIENTS.--The weight of 4 eggs in pounded loaf sugar, the
weight of 7 in flour, a little grated lemon-rind, or essence of almonds,
or orange-flower water.
_Mode_.--Break the 7 eggs, putting the yolks into one basin and the
whites into another. Whisk the former, and mix with them the sugar, the
grated lemon-rind, or any other flavouring to taste; beat them well
together, and add the whites of the eggs, whisked to a froth. Put in the
flour by degrees, continuing to beat the mixture for 1/4 hour, butter a
mould, pour in the cake, and bake it from 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour. This is a
very nice cake for dessert, and may be iced for a supper-table, or cut
into slices and spread with jam, which converts it into sandwiches.
_Time_.--1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour.
_Average cost_, 1s.
_Sufficient_ for 1 cake.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
SPONGE-CAKE.
I.
[Illustration: SPONGE-CAKE.]
1783. INGREDIENTS.--The weight of 8 eggs in pounded loaf sugar, the
weight of 5 in flour, the rind of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoonful of brandy.
_Mode_.--Put the eggs into one side of the scale, and take the weight of
8 in pounded loaf sugar, and the weight of 5 in good _dry_ flour.
Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the former, put
them into a saucepan with the sugar, and let them remain over the fire
until _milk-warm,_ keeping them well stirred. Then put them into a
basin, add the grated lemon-rind mixed with the brandy, and stir these
well together, dredging in the flour very gradually. Whisk the whites of
the eggs to a very stiff froth, stir them to the flour, &c., and beat
the cake well for 1/4 hour. Put it into a buttered mould strewn with a
little fine sifted sugar, and bake the cake in a quick oven for 1-1/2
hour. Care must be taken that it is put into the oven immediately, or it
will not be light. The flavouring of this cake may be varied by adding a
few drops of essence of almonds instead of the grated lemon-rind.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour.
_Average cost_, 1s. 3d.
_Sufficient_ for 1 cake.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
[Illustration: EGYPTIAN WHEAT.]
The Egyptian, or Mummy Wheat, is not grown to any great extent,
owing to its inferior quality; but it is notable for its large
produce, and is often cultivated on allotment grounds and on
small farms, where quantity rather than quality is desired. At
Wix, in Essex, the seed of this wheat has produced, without
artificial assistance, four thousandfold; some of the ears have
had eleven offshoots, and have contained, altogether, eleven
grains in one ear.
II.
1784. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of loaf sugar, not quite 1/4 pint of water,
5 eggs, 1 lemon, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/4 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.
_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water together until they form a thick
syrup; let it cool a little, then pour it to the eggs, which should be
previously well whisked; and after the eggs and syrup are mixed
together, continue beating them for a few minutes. Grate the lemon-rind,
mix the carbonate of soda with the flour, and stir these lightly to the
other ingredients; then add the lemon-juice, and, when the whole is
thoroughly mixed, pour it into a buttered mould, and bake in rather a
quick oven for rather more than 1 hour. The remains of sponge or Savoy
cakes answer very well for trifles, light puddings, &c.; and a very
stale one (if not mouldy) makes an excellent tipsy-cake.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1 hour.
_Average cost_, 10d.
_Sufficient_ to make 1 cake.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
TO MAKE SMALL SPONGE-CAKES.
1785. INGREDIENTS.--The weight of 5 eggs in flour, the weight of 8 in
pounded loaf sugar; flavouring to taste.
_Mode_.--Let the flour be perfectly dry, and the sugar well pounded and
sifted. Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs, and beat the
latter up with the sugar; then whisk the whites until they become rather
stiff, and mix them with the yolks, but do not stir them more than is
just necessary to mingle the ingredients well together. Dredge in the
flour by degrees, add the flavouring; batter the tins well, pour in the
batter, sift a little sugar over the cakes, and bake them in rather a
quick oven, but do not allow them to take too much colour, as they
should be rather pale. Remove them from the tins before they get cold,
and turn them on their faces, where let them remain until quite cold,
when store them away in a closed tin canister or wide-mouthed glass
bottle.
_Time_.--10 to 15 minutes in a quick oven.
_Average cost_, 1d. each.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
TEA-CAKES.
1786. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of flour, 1/2 teaspoonful of salt, 1/4 lb. of
butter or lard, 1 egg, a piece of German yeast the size of a walnut,
warm milk.
_Mode_.--Put the flour (which should be perfectly dry) into a basin mix
with it the salt, and rub in the butter or lard; then beat the egg well,
stir to it the yeast, and add these to the flour with as much warm milk
as will make the whole into a smooth paste, and knead it well. Let it
rise near the fire, and, when well risen, form it into cakes; place them
on tins, let them rise again for a few minutes before putting them into
the oven, and bake from 1/4 to 1/2 hour in a moderate oven. These are
very nice with a few currants and a little sugar added to the other
ingredients: they should be put in after the butter is rubbed in. These
cakes should be buttered, and eaten hot as soon as baked; but, when
stale, they are very nice split and toasted; or, if dipped in milk, or
even water, and covered with a basin in the oven till hot, they will be
almost equal to new.
_Time_.--1/4 to 1/2 hour.
_Average cost_, 10d.
_Sufficient_ to make 8 tea-cakes.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
TO TOAST TEA-CAKES.
[Illustration: TEA-CAKES.]
1787. Cut each tea-cake into three or four slices, according to its
thickness; toast them on both sides before a nice clear fire, and as
each slice is done, spread it with butter on both sides. When a cake is
toasted, pile the slices one on the top of the other, cut them into
quarters, put them on a very hot plate, and send the cakes immediately
to table. As they are wanted, send them in hot, one or two at a time,
as, if allowed to stand, they spoil, unless kept in a muffin-plate over
a basin of boiling water.
A NICE YEAST-CAKE.
1788. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 pint of
milk, 1-1/2 tablespoonful of good yeast, 3 eggs, 3/4 lb. of currants,
1/2 lb. of white moist sugar, 2 oz. of candied peel.
_Mode_.--Put the milk and butter into a saucepan, and shake it round
over a fire until the butter is melted, but do not allow the milk to get
very hot. Put the flour into a basin, stir to it the milk and butter,
the yeast, and eggs, which should be well beaten, and form the whole
into a smooth dough. Let it stand in a warm place, covered with a cloth,
to rise, and, when sufficiently risen, add the currants, sugar, and
candied peel cut into thin slices. When all the ingredients are
thoroughly mixed, line 2 moderate-sized cake-tins with buttered paper,
which should be about six inches higher than the tin; pour in the
mixture, let it stand to rise again for another 1/2 hour, and then bake
the cakes in a brisk oven for about 1-1/2 hour. If the tops of them
become too brown, cover them with paper until they are done through. A
few drops of essence of lemon, or a little grated nutmeg, may be added
when the flavour is liked.
_Time_.--From 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 2s.
_Sufficient_ to make 2 moderate-sized cakes.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]