From these ingredients were made over one hundred cakes. One-half this recipe might be used for a small family. The cakes keep well in a dry, cool place.
This old recipe of Aunt Sarah"s mother derived its name "Belsnickel"
from the fact that the Belsnickels, who invariably visited the houses of "Bucks County" farmers on Christmas Eve, were always treated to some of these delicious little Christmas cakes.
"PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH" KISSES
One cup of pulverized sugar, whites of 3 eggs, 1 heaping cup of nut meats (Mary used hickory nut meats), a pinch of salt. To the very stiffly beaten whites of eggs add sugar, salt and lastly the nut meats. Drop teaspoonfuls of this batter on a greased, floured baking tin. Bake in a moderate oven.
LITTLE CRUMB CAKES
For these small cakes Aunt Sarah creamed together 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup b.u.t.ter. One quite large egg was used. The egg yolk was added to the creamed sugar and b.u.t.ter and thoroughly beaten, then scant 1/2 cup of milk was added, and one heaping cup of fine dried bread crumbs sifted with 3/4 teaspoonful of baking powder and 1/4 cup of finely chopped or rolled _black_ walnut meats. Lastly, add the stiffly beaten white of egg. Flavor with grated nutmeg. Bake in small m.u.f.fin pans in a moderate oven. This makes nine small cakes.
No flour is used in these cakes, but, instead of flour, bread crumbs are used.
DELICIOUS VANILLA WAFERS (AS MARY MADE THEM)
1/4 pound of b.u.t.ter.
1/4 pound of flour.
1/4 pound of sugar.
2 eggs.
Cream together b.u.t.ter and sugar, add yolks of eggs, beat well, then add stiffly beaten whites of eggs and flour alternately.
Flavor with essence of vanilla, drop from spoon on to _cold_ iron pan, not too close together, as the cakes will spread. Bake quickly in a hot oven until outer edge of cakes have browned.
MACAROONS (AS AUNT SARAH MADE THEM)
One-half pound of almonds, blanched and chopped fine, 1/2 pound of pulverized sugar, whites of 4 eggs. Place sugar and almonds in a pan on the range, until colored a light yellow-brown. Beat whites of eggs very stiff, mix all ingredients together, then drop with a spoon on tins waxed with bees" wax, and bake in a quick oven.
"SPRINGERLES" (GERMAN CHRISTMAS CAKES)
4 eggs.
1 pound sifted pulverized sugar 2 quarts flour, sifted twice.
2 small teaspoonfuls baking powder.
Beat whites and yolks of eggs separately, mix with sugar and beat well. Add flour until you have a smooth dough. Roll out pieces of dough, which should be half an inch thick. Press the dough on a floured form or mold, lift the mold, cut out the cakes thus designed and let lie until next day on a floured bread board. The next day grease pans well, sprinkle anise seed over the pans in which the cakes are to be baked; lay in cakes an inch apart and bake in a moderate oven to a straw color. The form used usually makes six impressions or cakes 1-1/2 inches square, leaving the impression of a small figure or flower on surface when dough is pressed on form.
OATMEAL COOKIES
1 cup sugar.
1 cup b.u.t.ter and lard, mixed (scant measure).
1 cup chopped nut meats.
1 cup chopped raisins.
2 eggs, beaten separately, whites added last.
1 teaspoonful baking soda dissolved in 4 tablespoonfuls sour milk.
1 teaspoonful vanilla.
Little grated nutmeg.
2 cups oatmeal (uncooked).
2 cups white flour.
Drop with tablespoon on well-greased baking sheet over which has been sifted a little flour. Bake in rather quick oven. This recipe makes 65 small cakes.
PEANUT BISCUITS
Sift together 2 cups flour and 3 teaspoonfuls baking powder. Add 1 egg, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup peanuts and pecan nut meats, mixed (run through food-chopper), 1/2 cup sweet milk, 1/2 teaspoonful salt. Beat sugar and yolk of egg together add milk, stiffly beaten white of egg, chopped nut meats and flour, alternately. Add salt. Place a large spoonful in each of 12 well-greased Gem pans. Allow to stand in pans about 25 minutes. Bake half an hour.
PLAIN COOKIES
1/2 cup b.u.t.ter.
4 tablespoonfuls milk.
1 cup sugar.
1/2 teaspoonful grated nutmeg.
2 eggs.
1/2 cup chopped walnut meats.
3 cups flour.
3 teaspoonfuls baking powder.
Cream b.u.t.ter and sugar, add milk slowly, add well-beaten eggs. Beat well, add flour and baking powder, sifted together. Roll thin. Cut with a small cake cutter any desired.
WALNUT ROCKS
Cream together 1-1/2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup of b.u.t.ter, a small teaspoonful of salt. Dissolve 1 teaspoonful of soda in 4 tablespoonfuls of warm water, two eggs. Sift 3 cups of flour, add 1 teaspoonful of ginger, 1 teaspoonful of cloves, 1/2 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, 1 pound of English walnuts, 1 pound of seeded raisins.
Drop by teaspoon on a cold sheet iron and bake in a moderate oven.
These are excellent.
CINNAMON WAFERS (AS MADE BY AUNT SARAH)
10 eggs 3/4 pound sugar.
3/4 pound b.u.t.ter.
1 pound flour.
Mix like ordinary cake. Divide this into three parts. Flavor one part with vanilla, 1 with chocolate and the other with cinnamon. These latter will be darker than the first. Place a piece of dough as large as a small marble in a small hot, well-greased waffle or wafer iron.
Press two sides of iron together, which flattens out cake, and hold by a long handle over fire, turning it over occasionally until cakes are baked. The cake, when baked, is a delicious, thin, rich wafer, about the size of half a common soda cracker. I have never eaten these Christmas cakes at any place excepting at Aunt Sarah"s. The wafer iron she possessed was brought by her Grandmother from Germany. The waffle or wafer irons might be obtained in this country.
ZIMMET WAFFLES (AS MADE BY FRAU SCHMIDT)
1/2 pound b.u.t.ter.
1/2 ounce cinnamon.
1/2 pound sugar.