Chapter 21

Half a pint of blanched bitter almonds, one heaping cupful of powdered sugar, the whites of six eggs, one-third of a cupful of flour, two table-spoonfuls of corn-starch. Blanch the almonds and pound them in a mortar. As soon as they are a little broken add the white of an egg. Pound until very fine. When there is a smooth paste add the sugar, a little at a time, the whites of two eggs, one at a time, and the flour and corn-starch. When thoroughly mixed, add, by degrees, the three remaining whites. Butter the bottom of a flat baking pan and put the mixture on it in spoonfuls. Spread it _very thin_, especially in the centre, and bake in a quick oven. The moment the cakes are taken from the oven, roll into the shape of cornucopias. If allowed to cool, they cannot be rolled, and for this reason it is best to bake only half a dozen at a time. When all are shaped, fill with the kiss mixture, made by beating the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, and stirring into them, lightly, four table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar. Place the wafers in a warm oven for twenty minutes or half an hour, to dry. With the quantities given two dozen can be made.

Brier Hill Dessert.

Stew one quart of blackberries with one quart of sugar and half a cupful of water. They should cook only fifteen minutes. When cold, serve with powdered cracker and sugar and cream. The cracker and berries should be in separate dishes.

Richmond Maids of Honor.

In the little town of Richmond, England, is a small pastry shop widely known for its cheese cakes. It is said that the original recipe for them was furnished by a maid of Queen Elizabeth, who had a palace at Richmond. In the neighboring city of London the cakes are in great demand, and the popular opinion there is that the only place to get them is the shop mentioned, where they are made somewhat as follows:

One cupful of sweet milk, one of sour, one of sugar, a lemon, the yolks of four eggs, a speck of salt. Put all the milk in the double boiler and cook until it curds; then strain. Rub the curd through a sieve. Beat the sugar and yolks of eggs together, and add the rind and juice of the lemon and the curd. Line little patty pans with puff or chopped paste, rolled very thin. Put a large spoonful of the mixture in each one, and bake from fifteen to twenty minutes in a moderate oven. Do not remove from the pans until cold. These are nice for suppers or lunches as well as for dessert.

Fanchonettes.

One cupful of sugar, half a cupful of water, one table-spoonful of corn-starch, one teaspoonful of butter, the yolks of four eggs, the juice and rind of two lemons. Mix the cornstarch with a little cold water, and stir in half a cupful of boiling water. Beat the sugar, eggs and lemon together, and stir into the boiling corn-starch. Place the basin in another of boiling water, and stir (over the fire) until it thickens, perhaps from eight to ten minutes; then add the butter and set away to cool. Line little patty pans with puff paste, or any rich paste, rolled very thin. Put a spoonful of the mixture in each one, and bake in a slow oven from twelve to twenty minutes. When cool, slip out of the pans, and serve on a napkin. They are nice for lunch, tea or children's parties, only for parties make them small. The mixture for fanchonettes will keep a number of weeks in a cool place, so that if one makes a quantity at one time, portions can be used with the trimmings of pastry left from pies.

Fruit Glacè.

Boil together for half an hour one cupful of granulated sugar, one of water. Dip the point of a skewer in the syrup, after it has been boiling the given time, and then in water. If the thread formed breaks off brittle the syrup is done. Have oranges pared, divided into eighths and wiped free of moisture. Pour part of the hot syrup into a small cup, which keep in boiling water. Take the pieces of orange on the point of a large needle or skewer and dip them in the syrup. Place them on a dish that has been buttered lightly. Grapes, cherries, walnuts, etc., can be prepared in the same way. Care must be taken not to stir the syrup, as that spoils it.

Gâteau Saint Honoré.

Make a paste the same as for _éclairs_. Butter three pie plates. Roll puff or chopped paste very thin, and cover the plates with it. Cut off the paste about an inch from the edge all round the plates. Spread a thin layer of the cooked paste over the puff paste. Put a tube, measuring about half an inch in diameter, in a pastry bag. Turn the remainder of the paste into the bag and press it through the tube on to the edges of the plates, where the puff paste has been cut off. Care must be taken to have the border of equal thickness all round the plates. With a fork, prick holes in the paste in the centre of the plate. Bake half an hour in a moderate oven. When the plates have been put in the oven, make what paste is left in the bag into balls about half the size of an American walnut. There will be enough for three dozen. Drop them into a pan that has been buttered lightly, and bake fifteen or twenty minutes. While they are baking, put half a cupful of water and half a cupful of granulated sugar in a small sauce-pan, and boil twenty-five minutes.

When the little balls and the paste in the plate is done, take the balls on the point of a skewer or large needle, dip them in the syrup and place them on the border of paste (the syrup will hold them), about two inches apart. A word of caution just here: Do not stir the syrup, as that will make it grain, and, of course, spoil it. A good plan is to pour part of the syrup into a small cup, which place in hot water. That remaining in the sauce-pan should be kept hot, but it should not boil, until needed. When all the balls have been used, dip four dozen French candied cherries in the syrup, and stick them between the balls. Reserve about fifteen cherries, with which to garnish the centre of the cake. Whip one pint and a half of cream to a froth. Soak half a package of gelatine in half a cupful of milk for two hours. Pour on this half a cupful of boiling milk. Place the pan of whipped cream in another of ice water, and sprinkle over it two- thirds of a cupful of sugar and nearly a teaspoonful of vanilla flavor. Strain the gelatine on this, and stir gently from the bottom until it begins to thicken. When it will just pour, fill the three plates with it, and set them in the ice chest for half an hour. Garnish the top with the remaining cherries, and serve. This is an excellent dish for dessert or party suppers.

CAKE.

Rice Cake.

One cupful of butter, two of sugar, two and one-fourth of rice flour, six eggs, the juice and rind of a lemon. Beat the butter to a cream; then gradually beat in the sugar, and add the lemon. Beat the yolks and whites separately, and add them to the beaten sugar and butter. Add also the rice flour. Pour into a shallow pan, to the depth of about two inches. Bake from thirty-five to forty-five minutes in a moderate oven.

Silver Cake.

One cupful of sugar, half a cupful of butter, the whites of three eggs, half a cupful of corn-starch, dissolved in nearly half a cupful of milk;--one and a fourth cupfuls of flour, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of soda, and vanilla or almond flavor. Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the sugar. Add the flavor. Mix the flour, cream of tartar and soda together, and sift. Beat the whites to a stiff froth. Add the corn- starch and milk to the beaten sugar and butter; then add the whites of the eggs and the flour. Mix quickly and thoroughly. Have the batter in sheets, and about two inches deep. Bake in a moderate oven for about half an hour. A chocolate frosting is nice with this cake. [Mrs. L. C. A.]

Gold Cake.

One cupful of sugar, half a cupful of butter, the yolks of three eggs and one whole egg, half a cupful of milk, one-fourth of a teaspoonful each of soda and cream of tartar, one and three-fourths cupfuls of flour. Mix the butter and sugar together, and add the eggs, milk, flavor and flour, in the order named. Bake the same as the silver cake. A white frosting is good with this cake. [Mrs. L. C. A.]

Angel Cake.

The whites of eleven eggs, one and a half cupfuls of granulated sugar, one cupful of pastry flour, measured after being sifted four times; one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one of vanilla extract. Sift the flour and cream of tartar together. Beat the whites to a stiff froth. Beat the sugar into the eggs, and add the seasoning and flour, stirring quickly and lightly. Beat until ready to put the mixture in the oven. Use a pan that has little legs at the top corners, so that when the pan is turned upside down on the table, after the baking, a current of air will pass under and over it. Bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. Do not grease the pan.

Sunshine Cake.

This is made almost exactly like angel cake. Have the whites of eleven eggs and yolks of six, one and a half cupfuls of granulated sugar, measured after one sifting; one cupful of flour, measured after sifting; one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and one of orange extract. Beat the whites to a stiff froth, and gradually beat in the sugar. Beat the yolks in a similar manner, and add to them the whites and sugar and the flavor. Finally, stir in the flour. Mix quickly and well. Bake for fifty minutes in a slow oven, using a pan like that for angel cake.

Demon Cake.

One cupful of butter, one of sugar, one of molasses, two eggs, four and one-fourth cupfuls of flour, one table-spoonful of ginger, one of cinnamon, four of brandy, half a grated nutmeg, one teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in two table-spoonfuls of milk; one cupful of currants, and one of preserved ginger, cut in fine strips. Beat the butter to a cream; then beat in the sugar, molasses, brandy and spice. Have the eggs well beaten, and add them. Stir in the soda and flour. Have two pans well buttered, or lined with paraffin paper. Pour the cake mixture, to the depth of about two inches, in each pan. Sprinkle a layer of fruit on it. Cover with a thin layer of the mixture, and add more fruit. Continue this until all the batter and fruit is used. Bake two hours in a moderate oven.

Ames Cake.

One generous cupful of butter, two of sugar, three cupfuls of pastry flour, one small cupful of milk, the yolks of five eggs and whites of three, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, or one and a half teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of lemon extract, or the juice of one fresh lemon. Beat the butter to a cream. Add the sugar, gradually, then the seasoning, the eggs, well beaten, next the milk and then the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar are mixed. Mix thoroughly, but quickly, and bake in two sheets in a moderate oven for twenty-five or thirty minutes. Cover with a frosting made by stirring two small cupfuls of powdered sugar into the whites of two eggs, and seasoning with lemon.

Black Cake.

Three cupfuls of butter, one quart of sugar, three pints of flour, half a pint of molasses, half a pint of brandy, half a pint of wine, one teaspoonful of saleratus, one ounce each of all kinds of spices, twelve eggs, three pounds of raisins, two of currants, half a pound of citron. Bake in deep pans, in a moderate oven, between three and four hours. This is one of the best of rich cakes.

Fruit Cake.

One cupful of butter, two of sugar, three of flour, the whites of eight eggs, half a wine-glass of white wine, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one-fourth of a pound of citron, cut fine; half a pound of chopped almonds, one tea-cupful of dessicated cocoanut. Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the sugar, and then the wine. Beat the eggs to a stiff froth, and stir into the butter and sugar. Add the flour, which is thoroughly mixed with the baking powder, and lastly the fruit. Bake, in two loaves, forty minutes in a moderate oven.

Wedding Cake.

Nine cupfuls of butter, five pints of sugar, four quarts of flour, five dozen of eggs, seven pounds of currants, three and a half of citron, four of shelled almonds, seven of raisins, one and a half pints of brandy, two ounces of mace. Bake in a moderate oven for two hours or more. This will make eight loaves, which will keep for years.

Lady's Cake.

Three-fourths of a cupful of butter, two cupfuls of sugar, half a cupful of milk, three cupfuls of pastry flour, the whites of six eggs, one teaspoonful of baking powder, one teaspoonful of essence of almond. Beat the butter to a cream. Add the sugar, gradually, then the essence, milk, the whites of eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and the flour, in which the baking powder has been mixed. Bake in one large pan or two small ones, and frost, or not, as you please. If baked in sheets about two inches deep, it will take about twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.

Queen's Cake.

One cupful of butter, a pint of sugar, a quart of flour, four eggs, half a gill of wine, of brandy and of thin cream, one pound of fruit, spice to taste. Warm the liquids together, and stir quickly into the beaten sugar, butter and egg; add the flour; finally add the fruit. Bake in deep pans in a moderate oven.

Composition Cake.

One and one-half quarts of flour, half a pint of sour milk, one pint of butter, three-fourths of a quart of sugar, eight eggs, one wine- glass of wine and one of brandy, one scant teaspoonful of soda, one cupful of raisins, stoned and chopped; two pounds of currants, half a pound of citron, a nutmeg, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, one of allspice, one of mace, half a teaspoonful of clove. Beat the butter to a cream, and add the sugar, gradually, the well-beaten eggs, the spice, wine and brandy. Dissolve the soda in a table-spoonful of hot water; stir into the sour milk, and add to the other ingredients. Then add the flour, and lastly the fruit. Bake two hours in well-buttered pans in a moderate oven. This will make three loaves.

Ribbon Cake.

Two cupfuls of sugar, one of butter, one of milk, four of flour (rather scant), four eggs, half a teaspoonful of soda, one of cream of tartar. Beat the butter to a cream. Add the sugar, gradually, beating all the while; then the flavoring (lemon or nutmeg). Beat the eggs very light. Add them and the milk. Measure the flour after it has been sifted. Return it to the sieve, and mix the soda and cream of tartar with it. Sift this into the bowl of beaten ingredients. Beat quickly and vigorously, to thoroughly mix, and then stop. Take three sheet pans of the same size, and in each of two put one-third of the mixture, and bake. To the other third add four teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, a cupful of currants and about an eighth of a pound of citron, cut fine. Bake this in the remaining pan. When done, take out of the pans. Spread the light cake with a thin layer of jelly, while warm. Place on this the dark cake, and spread with jelly. Place the other sheet of light cake on this. Lay a paper over all, and then a thin sheet, on which put two irons. The cake will press in about two hours.

Regatta Cake.

Two pounds of raised dough, one pint of sugar, one cupful of butter, four eggs, a nutmeg, a glass of wine, a teaspoonful of saleratus, one pound of raisins. Mix thoroughly, put in deep pans that have been thoroughly greased, and let it rise half an hour, if in very warm weather, or fifteen minutes longer, if in cold weather. Bake in a moderate oven.

Nut Cake.

One cupful of sugar, half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of milk, two cupfuls of pastry flour, two eggs, one coffee-cupful of chopped raisins, one of chopped English walnuts, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda. Beat the butter to a cream. Add the sugar, gradually, and when light, the eggs, well beaten, then the milk and the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been thoroughly mixed. Mix quickly, and add the raisins and nuts. Bake in rather deep sheets, in a moderate oven, for thirty-five minutes. Frost, if you please. The quantities given are for one large or two small sheets. If you use baking powder, instead of cream of tartar and soda, take a teaspoonful and a half.

Snow Flake Cake.

Half a cupful of butter, one and a half of sugar, two of pastry flour, one-fourth of a cupful of milk, the whites of five eggs, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, or a teaspoonful and a half of baking-powder, the juice of half a lemon. Beat the butter to a cream. Gradually add the sugar, then the lemon, and when very light, the milk, and whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; then the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar are well mixed. Bake in sheets in a moderate oven. When nearly cool, frost.

Frosting: The whites of three eggs, two large cupfuls of powdered sugar, half a grated cocoanut, the juice of half a lemon. Beat the whites to a stiff froth. Add the sugar, gradually, and the lemon and cocoanut. Put a layer of frosting on one sheet of the cake. Place the other sheet on this, and cover with frosting. Or, simply frost the top of each sheet, as you would any ordinary cake. Set in a cool place to harden.

Federal Cake.

One pint of sugar, one and a half cupfuls of butter, three pints of flour, four eggs, two wine-glasses of milk, two of wine, two of brandy, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of saleratus, fruit and spice to taste. Bake in deep pans, the time depending on the quantity of fruit used.

Sponge Rusks.

Two cupfuls of sugar, one of butter, two of milk, one of yeast, three eggs. Rub the butter, sugar and eggs together. Add the milk and yeast, and flour enough to make a thick batter. Let this stand in a warm place until light, and then add flour enough to make as thick as for biscuit. Shape, and put in a pan in which they are to be baked, and let them stand two or three hours (three hours unless the weather is very warm). Bake about forty minutes in a moderate oven. It is always best to set the sponge at night, for it will then be ready to bake the following forenoon. If the rusks are wanted warm for tea, the sponge must, of course, be set early in the morning.

Taylor Cake.

Half a cupful of butter, two and a half of sugar, one of milk, three and a half of pastry flour, three eggs, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, flavor to taste. Beat the butter to a cream, then beat in the sugar, next the eggs, well beaten; the seasoning, the milk, and lastly the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been thoroughly mixed. Bake in a moderate oven, either in loaves or sheets. If in sheets, twenty-five minutes; if in loaves, forty-five. The quantities given are for two loaves or sheets. This cake is nice for Washington or chocolate pies, and is good baked in sheets and frosted.

Loaf Cake.

Two quarts of sugar, seven cupfuls of butter, six quarts of sifted flour, six pounds of fruit, one pint of wine, one pint of yeast, eight nutmegs, mace, twelve eggs, one quart of milk. It should be made at such an hour (being governed by the weather) as will give it time to get perfectly light by evening. It should stand about six hours in summer and eight in whiter.

Put in half the butter and eggs, and the milk, flavor and yeast, and beat thoroughly. In the evening add the remainder of the butter, rubbing it with the sugar, the rest of the eggs, and the spice. Let the cake rise again, until morning; then add the fruit. Put in deep pans, and let rise about half an hour. Bake from two to three hours in a slow oven.

Chocolate Cake.

One and a half cupfuls of sugar, half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of milk, one and three-fourths cupfuls of flour, a quarter of a pound of Baker's chocolate, three eggs, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda. Scrape the chocolate fine, and add five table-spoonfuls of sugar to it (this in addition to the cupful and a half). Beat the butter to a cream. Gradually add the sugar, beating all the while. Add three table-spoonfuls of boiling water to the chocolate and sugar. Stir over the fire until smooth and glossy; then stir into the beaten sugar and butter. Add to this mixture the eggs, well beaten, then the milk and the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been thoroughly mixed. Bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. This will make two sheets. Frost it, if you like.

Chocolate Cake, No. 2.

One cupful of butter, two of sugar, three and a half of Sour, one of milk, five eggs--the whites of two being left out, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and half a teaspoonful of soda, or one and a half of baking powder. Beat the butter to a cream. Add the sugar, gradually, then the eggs, well beaten, the milk, next the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been well mixed. Bake in two sheets for thirty minutes in a moderate oven, and ice.

Icing: The whites of two eggs, one and a half cupfuls of powdered sugar, six table-spoonfuls of grated chocolate, one teaspoonful of vanilla. Put the chocolate and six table-spoonfuls of the sugar in a sauce-pan with two spoonfuls of hot water. Stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. Beat the whites to a froth, and add the sugar and chocolate.

Orange Cake.

Two cupfuls of sugar, a small half cupful of butter, two cupfuls of flour, half a cupful of water, the yolks of five eggs and whites of four, half a teaspoonful of soda, a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, the rind of one orange and the juice of one and a half. Beat the butter to a cream. Add the sugar, gradually, then the orange, the eggs, well beaten, the water and the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been well mixed. Bake in sheets for twenty-five minutes, in a moderate oven, and when cool, frost.

Frosting: The white of an egg, the juice of one and a half oranges and the grated rind of one, one cupful and a half of powdered sugar, unless the egg and oranges are very large, in which case use two cupfuls.

Railroad Cake.

Two cupfuls of sugar, two of flour, six table-spoonfuls of butter, two of milk, six eggs, one teaspoonful of saleratus, two of cream of tartar, lemon peel. Bake in shallow pans in a quick oven.

Hot Water Sponge Cake.

Six eggs, two cupfuls of sugar, two of pastry flour, half a cupful of _boiling_ water, the grated rind of half a lemon, and one teaspoonful of the juice. Beat the yolks and sugar to a froth; also, beat the whites to a stiff froth. Add the lemon to the yolks and sugar, then add the boiling water, next the whites, and, last of all, the flour. Mix quickly, and bake in two sheets for half an hour, in a moderate oven.

Sponge Cake.

Ten eggs, two and a half cupfuls of sugar, two and a half of pastry flour, the juice and grated rind of one lemon. Beat the yolks and sugar together until very light. Add the lemon. Beat the whites to a stiff froth. Stir the flour and this froth alternately into the beaten yolks and sugar. Have the batter about three inches deep in the pan. Sprinkle with sugar, and bake three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. If the batter is not so deep in the pan it will not take so long to bake.

Sponge Cake, No. 2.

The yolks of a dozen eggs and whites of eight, one and three-fourths cupfuls of sugar, the same quantity of flour, the rind of one lemon and juice of two. Beat the yolks and sugar together. Add the lemon rind and juice and beat a little longer. Beat the whites to a stiff froth, and add them to the mixture. Gradually stir in the flour. Pour the mixture into a baking pan to the depth of about two inches. Bake from thirty-five to forty minutes in a slow oven.

Viennois Oakes.

Cut any kind of plain cake into small squares. Cut a small piece from the centre of each square, and fill the cavity with some kind of marmalade or jelly. Replace the crust part that was removed, and cover with icing. These cakes are nice for dessert.

Dominos.