ALMOND ICING
Take the whites of two eggs and one-half pound of sweet almonds, which should be blanched, dried and grated or pounded to a paste. Beat the whites of the eggs, add half a pound of confectioner"s sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until all is used, and then add the almonds and a few drops of rosewater. Spread between or on top of cake. Put on thick, and when nearly dry cover with a plain icing. If the cakes are well dredged with a little flour after baking, and then carefully wiped before the icing is put on, it will not run and can be spread more smoothly. Put the frosting in the centre of the cake, dip a knife in cold water and spread from the centre toward the edge.
MOCHA FROSTING
One cup of pulverized sugar into which sift two dessertspoons of dry cocoa, two tablespoons of strong hot coffee in which is melted a piece of b.u.t.ter the size of a walnut. Beat well and add a little vanilla.
MARSHMALLOW FILLING
Melt one-half pound marshmallows over hot water, cook together one cup of sugar and one-quarter cup of cold water until it threads thoroughly.
Beat up the white of an egg and syrup and mix, then add to the melted marshmallows and beat until creamy and cool. Can be used for cake filling or spread between two cookies.
FIG FILLING
One pound of figs chopped fine, one cup of water, one-half cup of sugar; cook all together until soft and smooth.
BANANA FILLING
Mash six bananas, add juice of one lemon and three or more tablespoons of sugar; or add mashed bananas with whipped cream or boiled icing.
CREAM FILLING
Scald two cups of milk. Mix together three-fourths of a cup of sugar, one-third cup of flour and one-eighth teaspoon of salt. Add to three slightly-beaten eggs and pour in scalded milk. Cook twenty minutes over boiling water, stirring constantly until thickened. Cool and flavor.
This can be used as a foundation for most fillings, by adding melted chocolate, nuts, fruits, etc.
COFFEE FILLING
Put three cups of warmed-over or freshly made coffee in a small ca.s.serole, add two tablespoons of powdered sugar, one-half teaspoon of vanilla. When at boiling point (do not let it boil), add one cup of milk or cream. Then add one tablespoon of cornstarch which has been moistened with cold water. Stir in while cooking till it is smooth and glossy.
When the cake is cool, pour mixture over the layers.
LEMON JELLY FOR LAYER CAKE
Take one pound of sugar, yolks of eight eggs with two whole ones, the juice of five large lemons, the grated peel of two, and one-quarter pound of b.u.t.ter. Put the sugar, lemon and b.u.t.ter into saucepan and melt over a gentle fire. When all is dissolved, stir in the eggs which have been beaten, stir rapidly until it is thick as honey, and spread some of this between the layers of cake. Pack the remainder in jelly gla.s.ses.
LEMON PEEL
Keep a wide-mouthed bottle of brandy in which to throw lemon peel. Often you will have use for the juice of lemons only. Then it will be economical to put the lemon peel in the bottle to use for flavoring. A teaspoon of this is sufficient for the largest cake.
LEMON EXTRACT
Take the peel of half a dozen lemons and put in alcohol the same as for vanilla.
VANILLA EXTRACT
Take two ounces of vanilla bean and one of tonka. Soak the tonka in warm water until the skin can be rubbed off; then cut or chop in small pieces and put in two wine bottles. Fill with half alcohol, half water; cork, seal, and in a week"s time will be ready for use.
*PIES AND PASTRY*
PUFF PASTE OR BLAETTER TEIG
To make good puff paste one must have all the ingredients cold. Use a marble slab if possible and avoid making the paste on a warm, damp day.
It should be made in a cool place as it is necessary to keep the paste cold during the whole time of preparation. This recipe makes two pies or four crusts, and requires one-half pound of b.u.t.ter and one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half pound of flour and one-fourth to one-half cup of ice-water.
Cut off one-third of the b.u.t.ter and put the remaining two-thirds in a bowl of ice-water. Divide this into four equal parts; pat each into a thin sheet and set them away on ice. Mix and sift flour and salt; rub the reserved b.u.t.ter into it and make as stiff as possible with ice-water. Dust the slab with flour; turn the paste upon it; knead for one minute, then stand it on ice for five minutes. Roll the cold paste into a square sheet about one-third of an inch thick; place the cold batter in the centre and fold the paste over it, first from the sides and then the ends, keeping the shape square and folding so that the b.u.t.ter is completely covered and cannot escape through any cracks as it is rolled. Roll out to one-fourth inch thickness, keeping the square shape and folding as before, but without b.u.t.ter. Continue rolling and folding, enclosing a sheet of b.u.t.ter at every alternate folding until all four sheets are used. Then turn the folded side down and roll in one direction into a long narrow strip, keeping the edges as straight as possible. Fold the paste over, making three even layers. Then roll again and fold as before. Repeat the process until the dough has had six turns. Cut into the desired shapes and place on the ice for twenty minutes or longer before putting in the oven.
If during the making the paste sticks to the board or pin, remove it immediately and stand it on the ice until thoroughly chilled. Sc.r.a.pe the board clean; rub with a dry cloth and dust with fresh flour before trying again. Use as little flour as possible in rolling, but use enough to keep the paste dry. Roll with a light, even, long stroke in every direction, but never work the rolling-pin back and forth as that movement toughens the paste and breaks the bubbles of air.
The baking of puff paste is almost as important as the rolling, and the oven must be very hot, with the greatest heat at the bottom, so that the paste will rise before it browns. If the paste should begin to scorch, open the drafts at once and cool the temperature by placing a pan of ice-water in the oven.
FLEISCHIG PIE CRUST
For shortening; use drippings and mix with goose, duck or chicken fat.
In the fall and winter, when poultry is plentiful and fat, save all drippings of poultry fat for pie-crust. If you have neither, use rendered beef fat.
Take one-half cup of shortening, one and one-half cups of flour. Sifted pastry flour is best. If you have none at hand take two tablespoons of flour off each cup after sifting; add a pinch of salt. With two knives cut the fat into the sifted flour until the shortening is in pieces as small as peas. Then pour in six or eight tablespoons of cold water; in summer use ice-water; work with the knife until well mixed (never use the hand). Flour a board or marble slab, roll the dough out thin, sprinkle with a little flour and put dabs of soft drippings here and there, fold the dough over and roll out thin again and spread with fat and sprinkle with flour, repeat this and then roll out not too thin and line a pie-plate with this dough. Always cut dough for lower crust a little larger than the upper dough and do not stretch the dough when lining pie-pan or plate.
If fruit is to be used for the filling, brush over top of the dough with white of egg slightly beaten, or sprinkle with one tablespoon of bread crumbs to prevent the dough from becoming soggy.
Put in the filling, brush over the edge of pastry with cold water, lay the second round of paste loosely over the filling; press the edges together lightly, and trim, if needed. Cut several slits in the top crust or p.r.i.c.k it with a fork before putting it in place.
Bake from thirty-five to forty-five minutes until crust is a nice brown.
A gas stove is more satisfactory for baking pies than a coal stove as pies require the greatest heat at the bottom.
The recipe given above makes two crusts. Bake pies having a cooked filling in a quick oven and those with an uncooked filling in a moderate oven. Let pies cool upon plates on which they were made because slipping them onto cold plates develops moisture which always destroys the crispness of the lower crust.
TO MAKE AND BAKE A MERINGUE
To beat and bake a meringue have cold, fresh eggs, beat the whites until frothy; add to each white one level tablespoon of powdered sugar. Beat until so stiff that it can be cut with a knife. Spread on the pie and bake with, the oven door open until a rich golden brown. Too much sugar causes a meringue to liquefy; if not baked long enough the same effect is produced.
PIE CRUST (MERBERTEIG)