MARYLAND BISCUIT.--Take two quarts of sifted wheat flour, and add a small tea-spoonful of salt. Rub into the pan of flour a large quarter of a pound of lard, and add, gradually, warm milk enough to make a very stiff dough. Knead the lump of dough long and hard, and pound it on all sides with a rolling-pin. Divide the dough into several pieces, and knead and pound each piece separately. This must go on for two or three hours, continually kneading and pounding, otherwise it will be hard, tough, and indigestible. Then make it into small round thick biscuits, p.r.i.c.k them with a fork, and bake them a pale brown.
This is the most laborious of cakes, and also the most unwholesome, even when made in the best manner. We do not recommend it; but there is no accounting for tastes. Children should not eat these biscuits--nor grown persons either, if they can get any other sort of bread.
When living in a town where there are bakers, there is no excuse for making Maryland biscuit. Believe n.o.body that says they are not unwholesome. Yet we have heard of families, in country places, where neither the mistress nor the cook knew any other preparation of wheat bread. Better to live on indian cakes.
HOME-MADE BREAD.--You cannot have good bread without good flour, good yeast, good kneading, and good baking, all united. Like many other things, the best flour is always the cheapest in the end. There is none better than that which comes from the mills of Hiram Smith, Rochester, New York. All flour should be kept in a dry place, damp being always injurious to it. Good flour goes farther than that of inferior quality, and is both whiter and lighter. No skill will avail either in making or baking bread, if the flour is of bad quality. Flour will keep much better if, as soon as a new barrel is brought in, the whole of it is sifted, and divided in several buckets. Flour buckets, made for the purpose, are short and wide, are broader at the bottom than the top, and have handles and lids. They are to be had of all coopers. Yeast must always be of the best quality, strong and fresh. With too much yeast the bread will be bitter; with too little it will be heavy; with stale yeast it will be heavy, sour, and dark-colored. If baked too little, it becomes tough and clammy. We deprecate the practice of putting hartshorn in bread. It gives it a bad taste; and even if it produces a sort of fact.i.tious lightness, it also renders it tough and difficult to masticate, however nice it may look. Also, it is very unwholesome.
The oven should be heated in time, to set in the bread as soon as ready.
When once it has risen to its utmost lightness, it will fall and turn sour if permitted to stand. The only remedy for sour bread is, to melt a table-spoonful of soda or pearlash in tepid water, and sprinkle it over the dough, which must then be kneaded again, after it has rested half an hour. In summer, do not begin your bread over night; it will certainly be sour before morning. In winter you may do so, but keep it all night in a warm (though not a hot) place. If the dough freezes, you may throw it away at once.
To knead, double up your hands, put them deep into the dough, and work it with your knuckles, exerting all your strength. When the dough sticks to them no longer, but leaves your bent fingers clean and clear, it is time to cease kneading, for you have done enough for that time.
Sift into a deep pan, or large wooden bowl, a peck of fine wheat flour, (adding a large table-spoonful of salt,) and mix the water with half a pint of strong fresh brewer"s yeast, or near a whole pint if the yeast is home-made. Pour this into the hole, in the middle of the heap of flour. Mix in with a wooden spoon, a portion of the flour from the surrounding edges of the hole so as to make a thick batter, and having sprinkled dry flour over the top, let it rest for near an hour. This is called "_setting the sponge_," or "_making the leaven_." When it has swelled up to the surface, and burst through the coating of flour that covered the hole, pour in as much more lukewarm water as will suffice to mix the whole gradually into a dough. Knead it hard and thoroughly, leaving no lumps in it, and continue to knead till the dough leaves your hands. Throw over it a clean thick cloth, and set it in a warm place to rise again. When it is quite light and cracked all over the surface, divide it into loaves, and give each loaf a little more kneading, and let it rest till it has risen as high as it will. Have your oven quite ready, and (having transferred the loaves to pans, sprinkled with flour,) bake them well. Try the heat of the oven by previously throwing in a little flour. If it browns well, and you can hold your hand in the heat while you count twenty, it is a good temperature for bread. If the flour scorches black the oven is too hot, so leave the oven open a little while till it becomes cooler. As soon as the bread is quite done, take out the loaves, wrap each tightly in a clean coa.r.s.e cloth, damped by sprinkling it with water, and stand them up on their edges. This will prevent the crust from becoming too hard.
Keep the loaves wrapped up after they are deposited in the bread box.
ROLLS--Are made as above, except that they are mixed with warm milk instead of water, and a little fresh b.u.t.ter rubbed into the dough.
TWIST BREAD.--Before you put the dough into the baking pans, divide it equally into long thick rolls, (smaller at the ends) and plait or twist three together.
BRAN BREAD--Is made like any other, only of bran meal; and in setting the sponge, put _wheat_ flour into the hole, and add to the liquid half a tea-cupful of nice brown sugar. Bran bread should look very brown. It should be eaten fresh. When stale, it is too dry and hard. Bran batter cakes are made and baked like buckwheat.
RYE BREAD.--Is made like wheat bread, but that it requires more kneading and baking. Rye batter cakes, made like buckwheat, should have one half corn meal.
BREAD BISCUITS.--When making bread after the dough has risen very light, take from it a quart or more; knead into it a quarter of a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, and form it into tall rolls. Bake them in an oven, and when done break them apart, but do not cut them with a knife--or, bake them in flat biscuits, to be split and b.u.t.tered. Bread dough, with some b.u.t.ter added to the mixture, will make plain cakes for children, with the addition of white sugar, powdered cinnamon, some good raisins, (stoned,) cut in half, and dredged well with flour, to prevent their clodding or sinking. A beaten egg mixed into the dough is an improvement. Children, (accustomed only to plain living,) like these cakes very well, but they must be light and well baked.
BREAD CAKES.--Take slices of stale wheat bread, that has been well made and light. There should be enough to fill a pint bowl, closely packed.
Put the bread into a deep dish, and pour boiling water upon it. While the bread is soaking, mix in a crock or jar a pint of milk, and a pint of wheat flour. Put the soaked bread into a cullender, and let the water drain off. When the water is drained away, beat the bread _lightly_ with a fork, but do not press or mash it. Beat two eggs very light and thick, and gradually stir them into the flour and milk. Then stir in the bread.
Bake the mixture on a griddle in the manner of buckwheat cakes, and eat them hot with b.u.t.ter. This quant.i.ty is for a small family of four persons.
For a family of moderate size, take a quart of stale bread, a quart of milk, a quart of flour, and four eggs.
For a large family, two quarts of bread, two quarts of milk, two quarts of flour, and eight eggs. This quant.i.ty will not be more than sufficient for a large family, as they will all like these cakes.
If you have not enough of stale bread in the house, send for a stale loaf, rather than not have the proper proportion for the cakes.
MILK BISCUIT.--Warm a pint of milk on the top of the stove, and cut up in it half a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, to soften, but not to melt. Sift into a pan two quarts of flour; make a hole in the middle of the flour, and pour into it the milk and b.u.t.ter. Beat two eggs till very thick and smooth, and pour them in also. Lastly, pour into the hole two wine-gla.s.ses of strong fresh brewer"s or baker"s yeast; or, three of good home-made yeast. Mix altogether with a broad knife, till it becomes a lump of soft dough. Then knead it well on your pasteboard, and make it into round rolls or b.a.l.l.s. Knead every ball separately. Flatten them with your hand into thick biscuits, and p.r.i.c.k every one with a fork. Lay them separately in b.u.t.tered square pans, and set them to rise. If all is right, they will be light in little more than an hour. When quite light, (risen high and cracked all over) set them in a moderate oven, and bake them a light brown. They should be eaten quite fresh.
RUSK.--Sift a quart of flour into a pan. Make a hole in the centre, and pour in a quarter of a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, cut up and softened in half a pint of milk warmed on the stove. Beat two eggs very light, and mix them gradually into the hole in the pan of flour, in turn with a small wine-gla.s.s of rose water; or a table-spoonful of the rose water if as strong as it should be, adding a large tea-spoonful of powdered mace, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Lastly, a wine-gla.s.s and a half of fresh brewer"s yeast. Mix those articles well into the flour, till it becomes a lump of soft dough. Knead it well on your pasteboard, and divide it into pieces of equal size. Knead each piece separately. Form them so as to be tall and high, when finished. b.u.t.ter an iron pan, lay the rusks in it side by side, and set them in a warm place to rise again. When quite light, bake them in a moderate oven, and sift sugar over them when cool.
DRY RUSKS.--Dry rusks are used for infant"s food, and for invalids. They are made plain, without any b.u.t.ter, spice, or rose water, and after being once baked are split, and baked over till they are all crisp and browned on the inside. Use them dissolved, by pouring on a little warm water or milk, and beat them with a spoon to a thick pap.
CROSS BUNS.--Pick clean a pound and a half of dried or Zante currants; wash, drain, and dry them on a large flat dish placed in a slanting position near the fire, or in the sun. It will be still better to subst.i.tute for the currants a pound of Sultana (or seedless) raisins, each raisin cut in half. When quite dry, dredge the fruit _thickly_ with flour to prevent their sinking or clodding in the cake. Sift into a deep pan two quarts of flour, and mix thoroughly with it a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, and three quarters of a pound of powdered sugar. Cut up three-quarters of a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, into a large half pint of rich milk. Warm it till the b.u.t.ter is quite soft, but not till it melts.
Make a hole in the centre of the pan of flour, and pour in the mixed liquid, adding a jill (or two wine-gla.s.ses) of strong fresh yeast. Mix in the flour by degrees, beginning round the edge of the hole, and proceed gradually till you have the whole ma.s.s of ingredients well incorporated. Cover the pan with a clean thick towel, and set it in a warm place to rise. When it has risen high, and is cracked all over, mix in a small tea-spoonful of dissolved soda. Flour your pasteboard, divide the dough into equal portions, mix in the plums, and _slightly_ knead it into round cakes the size of a small saucer. Place them on a large dish, cover them, and set them again to rise in a warm place for half an hour.
Mark every one deeply with a cross, bake them brown, and when done brush each bun lightly over with a glazing of white of egg, sweetened with sugar.
CINNAMON BREAD.--On a bread-baking day, (having made more than your usual quant.i.ty of wheat bread,) when the dough has risen quite light, and is cracked all over the surface, take out as much as will weigh two pounds. Mix into it a quarter of a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, that has been cut up and melted in a half pint of milk; and also, three beaten eggs.
Incorporate the b.u.t.ter, milk, and egg, thoroughly with the dough, and then add (dissolved in a little tepid water,) a salt-spoonful (_not more_) of soda. Have ready mixed in a bowl a pint of _brown_ sugar, moistened with fresh b.u.t.ter, so as to make a stiff paste, and flavor it with two heaped table-spoonfuls of powdered cinnamon. Form the cake into the shape of a round loaf, and make deep incisions or cuts all over its surface; filling them up with the cinnamon mixture pressed hard into the cuts, pinching and closing the dough over them with your thumb and finger to prevent the seasoning running out. Put the loaf into a round pan, and set it into the oven to bake with the other bread. When cool, glaze it over with white of egg, in which some powdered sugar has been dissolved. Send it to table whole in form, but cut into loose slices.
Eat it fresh. All yeast cakes become dry and hard the next day.
This mixture may be baked in a square iron pan, and cut into square cakes when cool.
WAFFLES.--We are indebted to the Germans for this cake, which, if this receipt is exactly followed, will be found excellent. Warm a quart of milk, and cut up in it a quarter of a pound of the best fresh b.u.t.ter, and stir it about to soften in the warm milk. Beat eight eggs till very thick and smooth, and stir them gradually into the milk and b.u.t.ter, in turn with half a pound of sifted flour. Then add two table-spoonfuls of strong fresh brewer"s or baker"s yeast. Cover the pan with a clean thick cloth, and set it in a warm place to rise. When the batter has risen nearly to the top, and is covered with bubbles, it is time to bake; first stirring in a wine-gla.s.s of rose-water. Having heated your waffle-iron in a good fire, grease it inside with the fresh b.u.t.ter used for the waffle mixture, or with fresh lard; fill it, and shut the iron closely. Turn it on the fire, that both sides of the cake may be equally well done. Each side will require about three minutes baking. Take them out of the iron by slipping a knife underneath. Then grease and prepare the iron for another waffle. b.u.t.ter them, and send them to the tea-table "hot and hot;" and, to eat with this, a bowl or gla.s.s dish of sugar flavored with powdered cinnamon.
In buying waffle irons choose them _very deep_, so as to make a good impression when baked--if shallow, the waffle will look thin and poor.
Those that bake one waffle at a time are the handsomest and most manageable.
SOFT CRULLERS.--Sift a pound and a half of flour, and have ready a pound of powdered sugar. Heat in a round-bottomed sauce-pan a quart of water; and when quite warm, stir the flour gradually into the water. In another vessel set a pound of nice fresh b.u.t.ter over the fire, and when it begins to melt, stir it, by degrees, into the flour and water. Then add, gradually, the powdered sugar, and a grated nutmeg. Take the sauce-pan off the fire, and beat the contents with a wooden spaddle, (which is far better than a spoon) till they are thoroughly mixed. Next, having beaten six eggs till very thick and light, stir them, gradually, into the mixture, and then beat the whole very hard till it becomes a thick batter. Add rose-water or lemon juice. Flour a pasteboard, and lay out the batter upon it in the form of rings. The best and easiest way is to pa.s.s it through a screw funnel.
Have ready on the fire a pot of boiling lard. Put in the crullers, taking them off the board one at a time, on a broad-bladed knife. Boil but a few at a time. They must be of a fine brown. Lift them out with a perforated skimmer, draining back the lard into the pot. Lay them on a large dish, and dredge them with sugar.
These, if properly managed, are far superior to all other crullers, but they cannot be made in warm weather.
DOUGH-NUTS.--On baking day, take two pounds of very light bread dough that has been made in the usual manner. Put it into a broad pan. Rub into it half a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, and half a pound of powdered sugar, and a table-spoonful of mixed nutmeg and cinnamon. Wet it with half a pint of milk, and mix in three well beaten eggs. Cover it, and set by the fire to rise again. When quite light, flour your pasteboard, and make the dough into oval b.a.l.l.s; or, you may cut it into diamond shapes, (handling it as little as possible.) Have ready, over the fire, a pot of boiling lard. Drop the dough-nuts into it, and boil them; or fry them brown in a frying-pan. Take them out one by one in a perforated skimmer, draining back the lard into the pan. Spread them on a large dish, and sift sugar over them. Eat them fresh; when heavy and stale they are not fit. This is a German cake.
COMMON CRULLERS.--The above mixture for dough-nuts will make good crullers. Flour your pasteboard, lay the dough upon it, roll it very thick, and cut it into strips with a jagging iron. Take off short pieces, and twist them into various forms. Throw them into a pot of boiling lard. When done, drain the lard from them, spread them on a large dish, and dredge them with powdered white sugar.
The Alpistera is a Spanish cruller, shaped like the five fingers united at the wrist.
PLAIN DESSERTS.
MOLa.s.sES PUDDING.--Sift into a pan a large quart of yellow indian meal.
Simmer over the fire a quart of milk, a pint of _West India mola.s.ses_, stirred in while the milk is hot. Put the milk and mola.s.ses into a large pan, and mix gradually into them the corn meal while they are quite warm. Add a large table-spoonful of ground ginger, and a heaped tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Beat the whole mixture long and hard, for on that will chiefly depend the lightness of the pudding, as it has neither eggs, b.u.t.ter, nor yeast. If your batter seems too thin, add, gradually, a little more corn meal; if too thick, a little more milk and mola.s.ses.
Dip in hot water a large square pudding cloth. Spread it out in a pan, dredge it well with flour, and then pour the pudding-mixture into it.
Tie it up, making the string very secure, but leave plenty of room between the batter and the tying place, for the pudding to swell in boiling, at least one-third. Put the pudding, directly, into a large pot, and keep it steadily boiling for about three hours. Corn meal requires long cooking. Turn the pudding twice with a fork. If the water boils away too much, replenish it from a tea-kettle of hot water, kept boiling for the purpose. If you pour in _cold_ water the pudding will become hard and heavy, and be totally spoiled. Do not turn it out and send it to table till wanted at dinner. Then dip it for a moment in cold water, untie the string, and transfer it to a dish with a cover. Eat it with mola.s.ses and b.u.t.ter; or make a sauce of drawn b.u.t.ter, flavored with wine and nutmeg.
This pudding, if properly mixed, well beaten, and well boiled, will be as light as if made with eggs, (the _West India_ mola.s.ses having that property) and it will cut down rough or open grained, like a very light sponge cake, unless the batter has been made too thick and stiff, and not sufficiently beaten, and not allowed s.p.a.ce enough to swell in boiling. If made _too thin_, or not boiled well, the pudding will come out a soft, shapeless ma.s.s. But if all is carefully managed, this (the least costly of American puddings) will be found excellent for a plain table, and perfectly wholesome. The flavor will be much improved by adding to the cinnamon and ginger the grated yellow rind and juice of an orange or lemon. If your first attempt at this pudding is a failure, try it again--practice makes perfect.