LESSON I
1. Meaning of flour mixtures:
A lightened mixture of flour and liquid, with or without other ingredients, is called a flour mixture.
2. Kinds of flour mixtures:
(1) Batters.--(_a_) Pour batters--pancakes, popovers (_b_) Drop batters--cake
(2) Doughs.-- (_a_) Soft dough--cookies, baking-powder biscuits, doughnuts (_b_) Stiff dough--pastry.
3. Methods of mixing flour mixtures:
(1) Stirring.--A roundabout movement which simply mixes the ingredients.
(2) Beating.--An upright, circular movement, which incorporates air into the ingredients while being mixed.
(3) Folding.--A slow, careful beating, which blends the ingredients without loss of the air they contain.
(4) Kneading.--A movement of the hands to blend the ingredients and also to incorporate air.
(5) Cutting.--A hacking movement of a knife to mix fat through flour.
4. Framework of flour mixtures:
(1) Gluten
(2) Gluten and egg-white.
To show the framework, the gluten baked in the flour lessons should be used. It should be pointed out as the skeleton of the mixture which upholds the entire structure and on which the other ingredients depend.
To have light mixtures, this framework must admit of being expanded and also of being stiffened permanently into the stretched shape. Since egg-white has both of these necessary qualities, it may be used for a framework either alone or in combination with gluten.
It should also be observed that a mixture of ingredients light in weight does not prevent the framework from rising as much as heavy ones do.
The pupils will see that the framework of a mixture must increase in size in order to make the mixture light, but it must be made very clear that, while heat stiffens any framework, it will not distend it. Some other agency is required for this.
5. Lightening agents used in flour mixtures:
(1) Air.--Incorporated by beating, kneading, and sifting.
(2) Steam.--Incorporated in the form of a liquid which, when heated, changes to steam.
(3) Carbonic acid gas.--Formed in the mixture by the chemical union of soda with some acid.
Examples: soda and sour milk; soda, cream of tartar and water; soda and mola.s.ses.
The lightening agents, air and steam, may be taught from the samples of baked gluten. Experiments will show how to produce the carbonic acid gas.
Experiments:
1. Put into a thick gla.s.s 1/8 tsp. of soda and 1/4 tsp. of cream of tartar. Mix, and note the result. Stir in 1/8 cup of cold water, and note the result.
2. In No. 1, use hot water in place of cold, and note the result.
3. Put 1/4 cup of sour milk in a gla.s.s. Stir into the milk 1/4 tsp. of soda, and note the result.
4. Put 1 tbsp. of mola.s.ses in a gla.s.s. Stir into the mola.s.ses a pinch of soda, and note the result.
Baking-powder:
It may now be explained that, for the sake of convenience, soda and cream of tartar may be obtained already mixed, in accurate proportions of two parts of acid to one of the soda. This mixture is known as baking-powder. As very little moisture is necessary to start the action of the powder, a little cornstarch is added to it to keep it dry. For the same reason, it should always be kept tightly covered.
Soda is made from common salt and is cheap, but the source of cream of tartar makes it expensive, so that good baking-powder cannot be low priced. If such be advertised, it is usually adulterated.
As soon as the foregoing principles of flour mixtures are understood, they should be put into practice. The lessons on cake, bread, and pastry should follow in the order named, with as much practical work in connection with each as the time will allow.
CAKE MAKING
LESSONS II AND III
1. Cla.s.ses of cake:
(1) Cakes without b.u.t.ter.--These mixtures contain no heavy ingredients and have little weight depending on the framework. They are lightened by air and steam only. Examples: sponge cake, angel cake.
(2) Cakes with b.u.t.ter.--These are mixtures having ingredients of greater weight; and the three lightening agents--air, steam, and carbonic acid gas are used to raise them.
Examples: pound cake, chocolate cake, nut cake, etc.
NOTE.--Practice should be given in making at least one of each kind of cake, to demonstrate the method of mixing employed.
2. General directions for making cake:
(1) Attend to the fire, so as to have the oven at a proper heat.
(2) Grease the pans thoroughly; greased paper may be used to line the bottom of the tin, but, in the case of fruit cake, the whole tin should be lined.
(3) Have everything ready, so that the mixing may be quickly done.
(4) Use pastry flour.
(5) Use fine granulated sugar to ensure its being dissolved.
(6) Blend the ingredients thoroughly, and at the same time incorporate as large an amount of air as possible.
(7) Fill the pan about two-thirds full, pushing the mixture well to the corners and sides, so as to leave a depression in the centre.
(8) Attend carefully to the baking.
3. General rules for mixing cake: