Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled during Her Visit Part 26

Beat all together until mixture is smooth and creamy, then add 2 cups of bread flour and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon flavoring. Beat well and add 1-1/2 cups of either currants or raisins, dusted with flour. Pour mixture into an agate pudding dish (one holding 3 quarts, about 2-1/2 inches in depth and 30 inches in circ.u.mference). Stand in a warm place 3 to 4 hours to raise; when raised to top of pan place in a moderately hot oven and bake about 40 minutes, when, taken from oven, dust with pulverized sugar thickly over top of cake.

This cake should be large as an old-fas.h.i.+oned fruit cake, will keep moist some time in a tin cake box, but is best when freshly baked.

GERMAN "COFFEE BREAD"

1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup b.u.t.ter 1 cup hot milk 1 yeast cake 2 eggs 2-1/2 cups flour.

As Aunt Sarah taught Mary to bake this, it was fine. She creamed together in a bowl the sugar and b.u.t.ter, poured the hot milk over this, and when lukewarm, added the compressed yeast cake, dissolved in 1/4 cup of lukewarm water. She then added two small, well-beaten eggs, about 2-1/2 cups flour, or enough to make a stiff _batter_, and 1/2 teaspoonful salt. Beat thoroughly, cover and set to rise in a warm place about 1-1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk. This was set to rise quite early in the morning. When light, beat thoroughly and with a spoon spread evenly on top of well-greased, deep pie tins, which have been sprinkled with a little flour.

Spread the crumbs given below over the top of cakes, cover and let rise 15 minutes and bake a rich brown in moderate oven.

For the crumbs, mix together in a bowl 1 heaped cup of fine, soft, stale bread crumbs, 2-1/2 tablespoonfuls light brown sugar, 3/4 of a teaspoonful cinnamon, pinch of salt, 1/4 cup of blanched and chopped almonds, and 2 tablespoonfuls of soft b.u.t.ter. This sponge or dough should be unusually soft when mixed, as the crumbs sink into the dough and thicken it. Add only the quant.i.ty of flour called for in recipe.

"FAST NACHT KUCHEN" (DOUGHNUTS)

3 tablespoons honey.

3/4 quart milk.

2 quarts flour.

1 yeast cake.

1/2 cup b.u.t.ter.

2 eggs.

Without fail, every year on Shrove Tuesday, or "Fast Nacht," the day before the beginning of Lent, these cakes were made. Quite early in the morning, or the night before, the following sponge was set to rise: The lukewarm, scalded milk, mixed into a smooth batter with 1 quart of flour; add 1 Fleischman's yeast cake, dissolved in a very little water. Beat well together, set in a warm place to rise over night, or several hours, and when light, add the following, which has been creamed together: eggs, b.u.t.ter and lard, a little flour and the honey. Beat well, and then add the balance of the flour, reserving a small quant.i.ty to flour the board later. Set to rise again, and when quite light roll out on a well-floured board, cut into circles with a doughnut cutter, cut holes in the centre of cakes, let rise, and then fry in deep fat; dust with pulverised sugar and cinnamon, if liked.

These are regular German doughnuts, and are never very sweet. If liked sweeter, a little sugar may be added. From this batter Mary made 18 "fried cakes," or "Fast Nacht Kuchen," as the Germans call them. She also made from the same dough one dozen cinnamon buns and two Dutch cakes. The dough not being very sweet, she sprinkled rivels composed of sugar, flour and b.u.t.ter, generously over the top of the "Dutch cakes." The dough for doughnuts, or fried cakes, should always have a little more flour added than dough for "Dutch cakes" or buns; baked in the oven. If _too soft_, they will absorb fat while frying.

"KAFFEE KUCHEN" (COFFEE CAKE)

2 cups milk.

1 heaped cup soft A sugar.

1/2 cup b.u.t.ter and lard.

1 egg.

1 Fleischman's yeast cake.

Flour.

These German Coffee Cakes should be set to rise either early in the morning or the night before being baked. Scald 2 cups sweet milk and set aside to cool. Cream together in a bowl 1 heaped cup of A sugar, 1/2 cup b.u.t.ter and lard and the yolk of egg. Add this to the lukewarm milk alternately with 6-1/2 cups flour and the yeast cake dissolved in 1/3 cup lukewarm water. Beat all together, and, lastly, add the stiffly-beaten white of egg. Cover and set in a warm place to rise over night, or, if set to rise in the morning, stand about 2-1/2 hours until light. Put an extra cup of flour on the bake-board, take out large spoonfuls of the dough, mix in just enough flour to roll out into flat cakes, spread on well-greased pie tins, stand in a warm place until light, about 1-1/4 hours. When the cakes are ready for the oven, brush melted b.u.t.ter over the top, strew thickly with brown sugar, or spread rivels over top, composed of 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour and 2 tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter, crumbled together. Strew these over the cakes just before placing them in the oven of range.

"STREUSEL KUCHEN"

For these German-raised cakes, take 1/2 cup mashed potatoes and 1/2 cup of potato water, 1/2 cup lard and b.u.t.ter mixed, creamed with 1/2 cup sugar. Mix with these ingredients about 3-1/2 cups of flour and 1 cup of yeast. Set this sponge to rise at night in a warm place, well covered. The next morning add to the light, well-risen sponge, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar and about 1-1/2 cups flour. Let stand in a warm place until light. Then roll out pieces size of a plate, one inch thick; place on well-greased pie tins, let rise, and when light and ready for the oven brush over tops with melted b.u.t.ter and strew over the tops of cakes the following: Mix 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of sugar and yolk of 1 egg. Flavor with a few drops of vanilla (or use vanilla sugar, which is made by placing several vanilla beans in a jar of sugar a short time, which flavors sugar). Rub this mixture of flour, sugar and yolk of egg through a coa.r.s.e sieve and strew over tops of cakes.

Or, this same recipe may be used by taking, instead of 1 cup of yeast, one Fleischman yeast cake, dissolved in 1 cup of lukewarm water.

Instead of sponge being set to rise the night before the day on which the cakes are to be baked, the sponge might be set early in the morning of the same day on which they are to be baked--exactly in the same manner as if sponge was set the night before; when light, add eggs, sugar and balance of flour to sponge, and proceed as before.

m.u.f.fINS, BISCUITS, GRIDDLE CAKES AND WAFFLES

Use 1 scant cup of liquid to 1 good cup of flour, usually, for "Griddle Cake" batter. Use baking powder with sweet milk, 1 heaping teaspoonful of Royal baking powder is equivalent to 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar and 1/2 teaspoonful of salaratus (baking soda) combined. Use either baking powder or salaratus and cream of tartar combined, when using sweet milk. Use 1 teaspoonful of baking soda to 1 pint of sour milk. Allow a larger quant.i.ty of baking powder when no eggs are used. Have all materials cold when using baking powder. When milk is only slightly sour, use a lesser quant.i.ty of soda and a small quant.i.ty of baking powder.

SALLY LUNN (AS AUNT SARAH MADE IT)

As "Aunt Sarah" made this, it required 1 cup of sweet milk, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, 3 tablespoonfuls of sugar, flour to make a stiff batter, about 2-3/4 cups (almost three cups) of flour sifted with 3 scant teaspoonfuls of baking powder. Served immediately when taken from the oven, this is an excellent subst.i.tute for bread for lunch.

AUNT SARAH'S RECIPE FOR "JOHNNY CAKE"

One and one half cups of sour milk, 1/3 cup of shortening, a mixture of lard and b.u.t.ter, 1-1/2 tablespoonfuls of sugar, 2 cups of yellow cornmeal, 1 cup of white bread flour, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of soda, dissolved in a little hot water, a little salt. Mix all together, add the stiffly-beaten white of egg last. Pour batter in an oblong bread tin, bake about 45 minutes in a quick oven. Granulated corn meal was used for this cake.

MARY'S BREAKFAST m.u.f.fINS

3 cups sifted flour.

1 teaspoon salt.

1 teaspoon sugar.

1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter and lard.

1/4 cake Fleischman's yeast.

2 eggs.

2 cups boiled milk.

Place the flour, salt, sugar, b.u.t.ter, lard and yeast cake, dissolved in water, in a bowl and mix well; then add the eggs and milk, which should be lukewarm. Set to rise in a warm place over night. In the morning do not stir at all, but carefully place tablespoonfuls of the light dough into warm, well-greased Gem pans, let stand a short time, until quite light, then bake in a hot oven 15 to 20 minutes and serve hot for breakfast. These should be light and flakey if made according to directions.

RICE m.u.f.fINS

1 cup cold boiled rice.

Yolk of egg and white beaten separately.

1 teaspoon sugar.

1/2 teaspoon salt.

1 cup sweet milk.

2 cups flour.

2 teaspoonfuls baking powder.

Put the rice, yolk of egg, sugar and salt in a bowl and beat together; then add 1 teacup sweet milk alternately with the flour, in which has been sifted the baking powder. Add the stiffly-beaten white of egg; bake in m.u.f.fin pans in hot oven. This makes about fifteen m.u.f.fins.

INDIAN PONE

Beat together, in the following order, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoonful of white sugar, 1-1/2 cups of sweet milk, 1 teaspoonful of salt; to which add 1 cup of granulated yellow corn meal and 2 cups of white flour, sifted, with 3 scant teaspoonfuls of Royal baking powder. Lastly, add 1 tablespoonful of melted (not hot) b.u.t.ter. Pour batter in bread pan and bake in a hot oven 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot. Do not cut with a knife when serving, but break in pieces. When the stock of bread is low this quickly-prepared corn bread or "pone" is a very good subst.i.tute for bread, and was frequently baked by Mary at the farm.

Mary's Aunt taught her to make a very appetizing pudding from the left-over pieces of corn bread, which, when crumbled, filled 1 cup heaping full; over this was poured 2 cups of sweet milk; this was allowed to stand until soft; when add 1 large egg (beaten separately), a generous tablespoonful of sugar, a couple of tablespoonfuls of raisins, a pinch of salt; mix well, pour into a small agate pudding pan, grate nutmeg over the top, and bake in a moderate oven 1 hour or a less time. Serve with sugar and cream.

"PFANNKUCHEN" (PANCAKES)

Four eggs, whites and yolks were beaten separately, 2 tablespoonfuls of milk, were added; 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley; mix lightly together, add salt to season. Place 2 tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter in a fry pan. When b.u.t.ter has melted, pour mixture carefully into pan. When cooked, sprinkle over a small quant.i.ty of finely minced parsley. Roll like a "jelly roll." Place on a hot platter and serve at once, cut in slices.