School and Home Cooking Part 68

Then add the other ingredients and mix as plain m.u.f.fins. Use 4 teaspoonfuls of baking powder instead of 3 1/2 teaspoonfuls.

QUESTIONS

Explain why corn-meal is not used alone for corn-meal m.u.f.fins (see _Wheat Flour and Corn-meal_).

Compare the quant.i.ty of milk used in Rice m.u.f.fins with that used in Plain m.u.f.fins. Account for the difference.

From _U. S. Department of Agriculture_, Bulletin No. 28, tabulate the percentage composition of boiled rice. Compare with the composition of the uncooked food. How much nourishment is lost by boiling?

By what method can rice be cooked to retain the most nourishment?

Explain why the per cent of nutrients in a food does not always indicate the quant.i.ty of nourishment that the nutrients yield to the body (see _Per Cent of Nutrients; Nutritive Values_).

LESSON CXXII

BAKING POWDER LOAF BREADS

QUICK LOAF BREADS.--The making of yeast bread requires kneading and covers a considerable period of time. A loaf of bread leavened with baking powder or other leavens suitable for quick breads may be made in a short time.

The ingredients used for such a loaf, and the method of mixing it are about the same as for m.u.f.fins. Baking the mixture in a bread pan rather than in m.u.f.fin pans saves some effort in pouring the batter in the pan and in was.h.i.+ng them. For those whose time is limited for food preparation, the making of baking powder loaf breads is recommended.

If it is necessary or desirable to use meals or flours other than wheat, baking powder loaf breads are advisable. Such

grains can be used successfully in greater quant.i.ty (i.e. with the addition of little or no wheat flour) in quick breads than in yeast breads.

A quick bread baked in a loaf should be placed in a moderate oven,--about 300 degrees F. Moderate heat is applied so that the loaf will rise sufficiently before a crust is formed. After 10 or 15 minutes, the temperature of the oven should be increased. Some secure desirable results by allowing a loaf of quick bread to stand 20 minutes before placing it in the oven. Such a procedure is unnecessary if the loaf is placed in an oven of proper temperature.

WHOLE WHEAT BAKING POWDER BREAD

3 cupfuls whole wheat flour 3 tablespoonfuls sugar 2 3/4 teaspoonfuls baking powder 7/8 teaspoonful baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoonfuls salt 1 egg 1 3/4 cupfuls sour milk 3 tablespoonfuls fat

Mix these ingredients in the same way as Plain m.u.f.fins. Pour into an oiled bread pan. Bake in a moderate oven (325 degrees F.) 45 to 60 minutes.

The egg may be omitted. If this is done, increase the baking powder to 3 1/4 teaspoonfuls.

_Peanut Bread_ may be made by adding 1 cupful chopped peanuts. If commercial salted peanuts are used, decrease the salt to 1/2 teaspoonful.

PRUNE BAKING POWDER BREAD

1 1/2 cupfuls whole wheat flour 1 cupful pastry flour 3/8 cupful sugar 5 3/4 teaspoonfuls baking powder 1 teaspoonful salt 1 egg 1 cupful prunes (measured before soaking and cooking) 1 cupful liquid (prune water and milk) 2 tablespoonfuls fat

Wash the prunes, soak, and cook them as directed previously. Drain, stone, and cut in pieces or chop them.

Break an egg in the mixing bowl. Beat it and add the chopped prunes. Put the water drained from the prunes in a measuring cup and fill up the latter with milk. Add this liquid to the egg and prune mixture. Then proceed as in making Plain m.u.f.fins. Turn into an oiled bread pan. Bake in a moderate oven (325 degrees F.) 45 to 60 minutes.

_Raisins_ or _dates_ may be used instead of prunes. These fruits may be cooked before adding to the other ingredients or they may be used uncooked. If the latter plan is followed, use 1 1/4 cupfuls milk instead of 1 cupful liquid.

QUESTIONS

Write a recipe for Prune Baking Powder Bread in which no eggs are used.

Write a recipe for Raisin Baking Powder Bread in which uncooked raisins are used, and sour milk is subst.i.tuted for sweet milk.

Use the recipe for Whole Wheat Baking Powder Bread as a basis, and write a recipe for a loaf of quick bread in which fine white flour is used.

Decrease the sour milk to 1 1/2 cupfuls. If the latter change is made, what ingredients will also require changing in quant.i.ty?

LESSON CXXIII

EGGS FOR QUICK BREADS--CREAM PUFFS

DRIED EGGS.--Eggs are a most valuable food, but they are extremely high in price. In the packing and transportation of eggs, many are broken. To save these cracked eggs, methods of drying them have been devised. If dried or desiccated eggs are cooked or used in cooked foods, they are not injurious. Their food value is high.

It has been found [Footnote 95: See Journal of Home Economics, Vol. XI, p.

108 (March, 1919), "The Use of Desiccated Eggs," by Lois Lhamon] that desiccated eggs can be used successfully in custards, quick breads, cakes, and salad dressings. _Use 1 slightly rounded tablespoonful of dried egg for each egg desired_. To this amount of powder, _add 3 tablespoonfuls of water_. Cover the mixture and allow to stand from 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. A solution is thus obtained, which resembles eggs in which the whites and yolks have been beaten together.

Desiccated eggs should not be confused with the so-called egg-subst.i.tute powders. The latter contain little and sometimes no dried egg. These usually are composed of starch, coloring material, with a little nitrogenous material in the form of gelatine, casein, or alb.u.min. Their food value cannot be compared with that of eggs. For the amount of nutriment contained in egg-subst.i.tute powders, their price is high.

THE PREPARATION OF EGGS FOR DELICATE QUICK BREADS.--In all the quick bread mixtures given thus far, the whites and yolks of eggs were beaten together. It was shown in Experiments 41 and 43 that more air could be inclosed in an egg mixture when the white and yolk were beaten separately.

It is well, therefore, to beat each part of an egg separately when a delicate bread is desired.

The reason that meringues, unless cooked, fall after a time, is because some of the inclosed air has escaped. From this it is apparent why eggs used in quick breads should not be beaten until ready for use.

It is possible, also, by much stirring and careless mixing, to lose some of the air inclosed in a beaten egg white. When the egg is to be separated, the method of cutting and folding, as used in Foamy Omelet, should be used for mixing the egg whites with the other ingredients of a quick bread.

CREAM PUFF BATTER.--The flour of cream puff mixture is usually cooked before baking so that a paste is formed. When the mixture containing the flour paste is dropped on a flat surface, it does not spread to a great extent and holds its shape. It is possible to mix Cream Puffs in the same manner as Popovers. If this method is followed and uncooked flour is added to the batter, it is necessary to bake the cream puff mixture in m.u.f.fin tins or gem pans.

The method of leavening Cream Puffs is similar to that used in leavening Popovers, _i.e._ by means of steam and air inclosed in beaten eggs.

CREAM PUFFS

1/2 cupful water 3 tablespoonfuls vegetable oil 1 tablespoonful b.u.t.ter 5/8 cupful flour 1/4 teaspoonful salt 2 eggs

Mix the water and fat and heat the mixture until the water boils. Add all of the flour and salt and mix thoroughly. Stir and cook until the ingredients are well blended and the paste does not stick to the sides of the pan. (Care should be taken not to cook the mixture too long. If the fat separates from the other ingredients, the puffs will not be successful.) While the mixture is hot, add the eggs, unbeaten, one at a time. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Drop by tablespoonfuls on an oiled baking-sheet, and bake at 450 degrees F., for 20 minutes, then at 325 degrees F., for 25 minutes. When cool slit one side open and fill with Cream or Chocolate Filling or Whipped Cream.

Cream Puffs may also be filled with creamed chicken or veal, or a salad mixture.

CREAM FILLING

1 cupful flour 3/4 cupful sugar 2 cupfuls scalded milk 1/2 tablespoonful b.u.t.ter 1 egg 1/4 teaspoonful salt 1 teaspoonful vanilla

Mix the flour and sugar together. Slowly add the hot milk. Pour the mixture into a double boiler and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.