(1) Cake without b.u.t.ter-- (_a_) Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs.
(_b_) Beat the yolks until thick and lemon-coloured.
(_c_) Add sugar to the yolks gradually and continue beating; add the flavouring.
(_d_) Beat the whites until stiff and dry, then _fold_ them into the first mixture.
(_e_) Gradually sift and fold in the flour until well mixed.
(2) Cake with b.u.t.ter-- (_a_) Cream the b.u.t.ter by working it with a wooden spoon.
(_b_) Add the sugar gradually by stirring it in.
(_c_) Beat the eggs until light, and add to the first mixture. (The eggs may be separated and the whites added later.) (_d_) Add the liquid and beat until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved.
(_e_) Mix the flour and baking-powder in a sifter and gradually sift and beat it into the mixture until it is thoroughly blended.
(Liquid and flour may be added alternately.) (_f_) Fold in the stiffly beaten whites, if the eggs have been separated.
(_g_) If fruit, peel, nuts, etc., are used, they should be floured out of the quant.i.ty allowed for the cake and added last.
4. General directions for baking cake:
(1) Small, thin cakes should be baked in a hot oven.
Examples: cookies, layer cake.
(2) All loaf cakes require a moderate oven.
(3) In baking cakes, divide the time stated in the recipe into quarters as follows:
First quarter--mixture should begin to rise.
Second quarter--mixture should continue rising.
Third quarter--mixture should begin to brown and to stiffen into shape.
Fourth quarter--mixture should finish browning and stiffening and shrink slightly from the sides of the pan.
(4) Mixture is cooked when a slight pressure leaves no dent, or when a small skewer or fine knitting-needle put into the centre comes out clean and dry.
To the inexperienced minds of the girls in the Fourth Form, to whom the study of flour mixtures is new, the number and variety of these seems very large. All cook books give an almost endless collection of recipes for cakes, cookies, m.u.f.fins, etc., and to the pupils each of these seems an entirely new mixture. In reality, many of them are but slight variations of the same type. A certain mixture of materials is used for a foundation, and numerous varieties are made from this by addition, subtraction, or subst.i.tution of ingredients. The original mixture is called a _basic recipe_. Instead of teaching isolated mixtures, it will be found an excellent idea to give the cla.s.s the basic ingredients for a recipe and encourage them to suggest variations, either original or from memory.
Typical basic recipes for cake and biscuits are given below:
BASIC RECIPE FOR CAKE
1/4 cup b.u.t.ter 3/4 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 1/2 cup flour 1/4 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking-powder 1/2 tsp. vanilla.
VARIATIONS OF BASIC RECIPE FOR CAKE
1. Spice cake:
To the basic recipe add 1 tbsp. of spice. Sift in the spice with the flour.
2. Nut cake:
Add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts. Increase the baking-powder by one third. Put a little of the flour on the nuts and beat them in at the last.
3. Fruit cake:
Add 3/4 cup of currants, raisins, figs, or dates, or a mixture of all. Increase the baking-powder by one third. Flour the fruit and add it last.
4. Chocolate cake:
Add 1/2 cup grated chocolate. Increase the milk by 2 tbsp. Heat the chocolate in the milk just enough to dissolve it. Cool the mixture and use in place of milk.
BASIC RECIPE FOR BISCUITS, ETC.
2 cups flour 1/2 tsp. salt 4 tsp. baking-powder 2 tbsp. fat (b.u.t.ter, lard, or dripping) About 2/3 cup milk.
VARIATIONS OF BASIC RECIPE FOR BISCUITS
1. Sweet biscuit:
Add 2 tbsp. of sugar after the fat is added.
2. Fruit biscuit:
Add 2 tbsp. of sugar and 1/2 cup of fruit, (currants, raisins, peel, or a mixture of all) after the fat is added.
3. Scones:
Add 2 tbsp. of sugar, and use one egg and only 1/2 cup of milk. Beat the egg until light, add to milk, and use this for liquid. Form into round cakes about eight inches in diameter, and cut into quarters.
4. Fruit scones:
Add 1/2 cup of fruit to the scone recipe.
5. Short cake for fruit:
Same as scones, but double the amount of fat.
6. Dumplings for stews:
Use the basic recipe, leaving out the fat.
7. Steamed fruit pudding:
Use the basic recipe to make the dough that incases the fruit.
BREAD MAKING