The Golden Age Cook Book Part 20

Two ounces of almonds chopped fine, the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, stir in six ounces of sugar and an ounce and a half of grated chocolate, then add the almonds. Bake in a cool oven.

SODA CAKES.

Three egg yolks, a pint and a half of cream, three-quarters of a pound of b.u.t.ter, an even teaspoonful of soda, one pound and a half of sugar, and flour enough to roll. Roll very thin and cut in small cakes; put half a blanched almond in the middle of each. Bake in a slow oven.

WALNUT WAFERS.

Beat two eggs very light and add to them half a pound of brown sugar; beat again and stir in half a cup of flour with a quarter of a teaspoonful of baking powder, a third of a teaspoonful of salt and half a cup of walnut meats slightly chopped. Drop in small spoonfuls on b.u.t.tered tins, not too close together, and bake brown. The dough should not be too thin; try one or two and if too thin add a very little more flour.

JODE CAKES (a Norwegian Recipe).

Three egg yolks, a pint and a half of cream, three-quarters of a pound of b.u.t.ter, an even teaspoonful of soda, one pound and a half of sugar and flour enough to roll. Roll very thin and cut in small cakes; put half a blanched almond in the middle of each. Bake in a slow oven.

FROSTING.

Three-quarters of a cup of powdered sugar to the white of one egg, flavoring to taste. Beat the white of egg to a stiff froth and turn all the sugar into it; see that the sugar is free from lumps, beat hard and flavor according to the cake.

BOILED ICING.

One cup of granulated sugar, five tablespoonfuls of boiling water, the white of one egg beaten to a stiff froth. Put the sugar and water over the fire and boil until it threads from the spoon; then turn it into the beaten egg, beat briskly for a few minutes, flavor with vanilla, lemon or almond, according to the cake. While the cake is still warm, sprinkle with flour and spread the icing on with a broad knife.

Pies.

PLAIN PASTRY.

Four cups of sifted flour, one cup of b.u.t.ter, a pinch of salt, three heaping teaspoonfuls of granulated sugar, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, four tablespoonfuls of ice water and the yolks of two eggs. This quant.i.ty will make two pies. Rub the b.u.t.ter, flour, salt and sugar together thoroughly, then add the yolks of eggs, lemon juice and water and work all together into a paste. Put the dough on a pastry board, divide in four equal parts, roll each part the size required for the pie plates.

PUFF PASTE.

One pound of flour, one pound of b.u.t.ter and one cup of ice water. Sift the flour, weigh it and turn into a mixing bowl; pour the water gradually into it, stirring constantly with a spoon; turn the dough out on the pastry board and beat or knead it until it blisters and is so elastic that it can be stretched without tearing. Then set it away on ice. Wash the b.u.t.ter, squeeze out the salt and water and lay it on a plate on ice. Roll the dough as nearly square as possible, lay the b.u.t.ter in the center of it, fold over one side of the paste, then the other, flatten slightly with the rolling pin, fold over the ends of the dough until they meet; turn the dough over and roll twice, fold again and put the paste on the ice; let it remain for twenty minutes. Repeat this twice, allowing the pastry to rest twenty minutes each time. This makes in all six rolls and three times of rolling. Press very lightly with the rolling pin, cut off each time what is needed for a pie or number of patties, that the dough will not be worked over more than is necessary. The tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs may be used for cheese straws by cutting and sprinkling them with grated Parmesan cheese and a dash of cayenne pepper; or may be baked in crescents for garnis.h.i.+ng. In baking, rinse the pans with cold water and brush the pastry over with beaten egg. Make the pastry in a cool room.

TO MAKE ONE SQUASH OR PUMPKIN PIE.

One cup of squash, one egg mixed unbeaten with the squash, a cup and a half of sugar, one milk cracker rolled fine, half a teaspoonful each of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, a pinch of salt and a dash of cayenne pepper. After these are well mixed, add half a cup of milk. Bake in either puff or plain paste.

SWEET RISSOLES.

Roll out some puff paste into a thin sheet, cut as many rounds with a large patty cutter as are needed; put a spoonful of any kind of jam, strawberry, raspberry, currant, etc., or mince meat or puree of apples on each, moisten the edges of the pastry with water, fold one-half over the other, making them into half moons, brush with beaten egg and bake in a quick oven. They may be varied by sifting coa.r.s.e sugar and nuts over them before baking.

RICHMOND MAIDS OF HONOR.

Half a pound of dry curd, commonly called cottage or pot cheese, six ounces of b.u.t.ter, four eggs, a gla.s.s of brandy, six ounces of sugar, one white potato, one ounce of sweet almonds chopped fine and a few drops of almond extract, the juice of one and the grated rind of two lemons, and a little nutmeg. Mix the curds and b.u.t.ter together, beat sugar and eggs to a cream, add the potato mashed smooth and fine, the almonds, the grated rind and juice of lemon and the nutmeg; beat well and add to the curds and b.u.t.ter, mix thoroughly and bake in tartlet pans or pie plates lined with puff paste.

CHEESE CAKES.

Put a pint of milk on to boil, beat four eggs light and stir into the milk; when it is a thick curd remove from the fire and when cool mash it very fine, add to it four ounces of breadcrumbs. Beat to a cream half a pound of b.u.t.ter and half a pound of sugar, add the curds and bread; beat four eggs until very thick and light and pour them into this mixture; then add gradually one tablespoonful of sherry and one of brandy and one of rose-water, and a teaspoonful of cinnamon, and lastly a quarter of a pound of currants well washed. Line either pie plates or shallow cake pans with puff paste, pour in the mixture and bake in a quick oven. They should be served cold and eaten the day they are baked.

COCOANUT PIE (a Southern Recipe).

One cup of freshly-grated cocoanut, one cup of sugar, three eggs, half a lemon, juice and grated rind, one-half cup of cream, one-half cup of b.u.t.ter and one-half cup of cocoanut milk. Beat b.u.t.ter and sugar to a cream, add other ingredients, the yolks of eggs beaten very light with the cream, the lemon juice and rind and lastly the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Line a dish with puff paste, pour the mixture in and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour.

LEMON PIE (a Southern Recipe).

The yolks of four eggs beaten to a cream with one cup of granulated sugar and the grated rind of one lemon. Peel the lemon, removing every particle of white skin, cut into thin slices; have a pie plate lined with puff paste, arrange the slices of lemon on the paste, add enough milk to the eggs and sugar to fill the plate, pour it in, and bake until set. Beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and stir in two large heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, put on top of the pie and bake a light brown.

MINCE MEAT.

One pound of granulated sugar, one pound of raisins, one pound of currants, half a pound of citron, half a dozen lemons, grated rind and juice, the pulp of eight oranges, the grated rind of three, half a pound of almonds blanched and chopped, three pounds of greenings, after they are pared, cored and chopped fine, three heaping teaspoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, an even teaspoonful of allspice, a quarter of a teaspoonful of cloves, an even teaspoonful of salt, three-quarters of a pound of b.u.t.ter melted, a cup and a half of sherry and a cup of brandy.

Seed the raisins and soak them with the currants in just water enough to cover, stew until tender, and add when cold with the water to the other ingredients. Mix thoroughly, stirring in the melted b.u.t.ter at the last.

Let it stand for several days. The brandy and wine may be omitted and more lemons and oranges used to flavor it. At each baking it is well to add a little sugar and chopped apple. This will keep all winter or longer in a cool place, if the brandy and wine are not omitted.

Candies.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS--No. 1.

Six pounds of light brown sugar, one pound of b.u.t.ter, one pound of chocolate, one pint of cream, one pint of milk, paraffine as large as a walnut, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar. Flavor with vanilla. Put all the ingredients together and boil until it is brittle in water; flavor and pour into b.u.t.tered tins and mark in squares before it is quite cold.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS.--No. 2.

One pint of fresh milk, three ounces of chocolate, grated, two pounds of granulated sugar, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar. Stir until melted, then add half a pint of cream, cook until the mixture is brittle in ice water, then turn into a pan well greased and mark in squares when almost cold.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS.--No. 3.

A quarter of a pound of chocolate, grated, one large cup of granulated sugar, one cup of milk and a heaping tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, a quarter of a teaspoonful of cream of tartar. Boil all together, stirring all the time, until the syrup hardens in cold water, and just before taking from the fire add a teaspoonful of vanilla. Beat the syrup as soon as removed from the fire, and keep it up until it is too stiff to beat any longer--if it is beaten a minute and a half it will do well. Turn out of the saucepan into a greased pan and before it is quite cold cut in squares.