Boil one pound of pure honey. Take one pound of cornmeal mixed with a little ground allspice, cloves, and pepper, add the boiled honey, make a loose batter, add one winegla.s.s of brandy; mix all, and cool. Wet the hands with cold water, take pieces of the dough and knead until the dough comes clear from the hand; afterwards knead with white flour so it is not too hard; add one pound of chopped nuts, sprinkle flour on tins, spread dough, not too thin; leave the stove door open till it raises; then close door, and when done take out. Spread with brandy and cut in thin slices.
CROQUANTE CAKES (SMALL CAKES)
Blanch and cut in halves three-fourths pound of sh.e.l.led almonds, and slice one-half pound of citron; mix well together and roll in a little flour; add to them three-fourths pound of sugar, then six eggs well beaten, and last the rest of the flour (three-fourths pound). b.u.t.ter shallow pans, and put in the mixture about two inches thick; after it is baked in a quick oven slice cake in strips three-fourths of an inch wide and turn each piece. Put back in oven and bake a little longer. When cold put away in tin box.
KINDEL
Two pounds of soup fat rendered a day or two before using, three pints of flour, one teaspoon of salt, two-thirds cup of granulated sugar, one teaspoon of baking-powder, two teaspoons of vanilla, flour. Knead well, add enough beer to be able to roll. Let it stand two hours.
Roll, cut in long strips three inches wide. Fill with the following: One and one-half cups of brown sugar, two tablespoons of honey, two pounds of walnuts chopped fine, one pound of stewed prunes chopped fine, two cups of sponge cake crumbs, juice of one lemon, spices to taste, few raisins and currants, and a little citron chopped fine; add a little wine, a little chicken schmalz; heat a few minutes. You may use up remnants of jellies, jams, marmalades, etc. Put plenty of filling in centre of strips, fold over, with a round stick (use a wooden spoon), press the dough firmly three inches apart, then with a knife cut them apart. They will be the shape of the fig bars you buy. Grease the pan and the top of cakes, and bake in moderate oven. They will keep--the longer the better.
ALMOND MACAROONS, No. 1
Blanch half a pound of almonds, pound in mortar to a smooth paste, add one pound of pulverized sugar and the beaten whites of four eggs, and work the paste well together with the back of a spoon. Dip your hands in water and roll the mixture into b.a.l.l.s the size of a hickory nut and lay on b.u.t.tered or waxed paper an inch apart. When done, dip your hands in water and pa.s.s gently over the macaroons, making the surface smooth and shiny. Set in a cool oven three-quarters of an hour.
ALMOND MACAROONS, No. 2
Prepare the almonds by blanching them in boiling water. Strip them of the skins and lay them on a clean towel to dry. Grate or pound one-half pound of almonds, beat the whites of five eggs to a stiff, very stiff froth; stir in gradually three-quarters of a pound of pulverized sugar (use confectioner"s sugar if you can get it), and then add the pounded almonds, to which add a tablespoon of rosewater or a teaspoon of essence of bitter almonds. Line a broad baking-pan with b.u.t.tered or waxed paper and drop upon this half a teaspoon of the mixture at a time, allowing room enough to prevent their running together. Sift powdered sugar over them and bake in a quick oven to a delicate brown. If the mixture has been well beaten they will not run. Try one on a piece of paper before you venture to bake them all. If it runs add a little more sugar.
ALMOND MACAROONS WITH FIGS
Beat stiff the whites of three eggs, add one-half pound of sugar, and one-half pound of finely cut figs, one-half pound of either blanched almonds cut into long slices, or cut up walnuts. Heat a large pan, pa.s.s ironing-wax over surface, lay in waxed paper, and drop spoonfuls of mixture on paper, same distance apart. Bake very slowly in very moderate oven. Remove and let cool; then take paper out with the macaroons, turn over and place hot cloths on wrong; side, when cakes will drop off.
ALMOND STICKS--FLEISCHIG
Take one-half gla.s.s of fat, two eggs, four cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking-powder, one cup of water, one-half cup of sugar; knead lightly, and roll out not too thin. Two cups of sugar, mix with two teaspoons of cinnamon; one-half pound of grated almonds, one-half pound of small raisins (washed). Reserve one-half of the sugar and cinnamon, the nuts and raisins; brush the dough with melted fat and sprinkle with almonds and sugar. Put a little of the almond and raisin mixture around the edge and roll around twice. Cut in small pieces, brush every piece with fat, and roll in the sugar and almonds which has been reserved for this purpose. Place in greased pan and bake in hot oven.
ALMOND STICKS
Grind two cups of almonds and reserve one-quarter cup each of sugar and nuts, and an egg yolk for decorating. Cream one cup of b.u.t.ter, add three-fourths cup of sugar, then two whole eggs, almonds and two cups of flour. Roll thin and cut in strips or squares, with fluted cookie cutter. Brush with yolk, sprinkle with nuts and sugar, set aside, and bake in medium oven.
PLAIN WAFERS
Sift one cup of flour and one teaspoon of salt together. Chop in one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter, and add milk to make a very stiff dough; chop thoroughly and knead until smooth; make into small b.a.l.l.s and roll each one into a thin wafer. Place in shallow greased and floured pans and bake in a hot oven until they puff and are brown.
POPPY SEED COOKIES (MOHN PLAETZCHEN)
Take an equal quant.i.ty of flour, sugar and b.u.t.ter, and mix it well by rubbing with the hollow of the hands until small grains are formed. Then add one cup of poppy seed, two eggs, and enough Rhine wine to hold the dough together. Roll out the dough on a well-floured board, about half a finger in thickness, cut into any shape desired.
CARAWAY SEED COOKIES
Beat three-quarters of a pound of b.u.t.ter and a pound of sugar to a cream; add three eggs, one saltspoon of salt, a gill of caraway seeds and a teaspoon of powdered mace, stirring all well together to a cream; then pour in a cup of sour milk in which a level teaspoon of baking-soda is stirred.
Hold the cup over the mixing bowl while stirring in the soda, as it will foam over the cup. Last of all stir in enough sifted flour to make a light dough, stiff enough to roll thin. Roll on a pastry board well dusted with flour. Cut in round shapes and place in baking-tins well rubbed with flour.
Sprinkle a little sugar over the cookies and bake them in a moderate oven till a light brown. When cool, carefully lift the cookies from the pans with a pancake turner.
CITRON COOKIES
Take one-half cup of b.u.t.ter and one cup and a half of sugar, and rub to a cream. Add two eggs, three-quarters of a cup of milk; one-half cup of citron, cut up very fine, one teaspoon of allspice and one of cloves.
Sift one heaping teaspoon of baking-powder into enough flour to thicken.
Make stiffer than ordinary cup cake dough; flavor to suit taste, and drop on large tins with a teaspoon. Grease the pans, and bake in a quick oven. The best plan is to try one on a plate. If the dough runs too much add more flour.
GINGER WAFERS
Take one cup of b.u.t.ter, one cup of sugar, one cup of mola.s.ses, half a cup of cold coffee, with two teaspoons of soda, one teaspoon of ginger, and flour enough to make a dough stiff enough to roll out thin. Shape with cutter and bake in quick oven.
ANISE ZWIEBACK
Take the yolks of five eggs, one-half pound of sugar, one tablespoon of water, vanilla, one-half pound of flour, one teaspoon of baking-powder, one-half of five cents worth anise seeds, and the beaten whites of the eggs. b.u.t.ter square tins and bake. When cooled cut in strips one inch wide and toast on both sides.
HURRY UPS (OATMEAL)
Sift one cup of flour with two teaspoons of baking-powder, one teaspoon of salt, add one cup of rolled oats, one tablespoon of sugar and two tablespoons of melted b.u.t.ter, mix with one-half cup of milk.
Drop by teaspoons onto a greased pan, press well into each two or three raisins, or a split date and bake for twenty minutes in a hot oven. Can be served with b.u.t.ter, honey, or maple sugar.
PECAN, WALNUT, OR HICKORY NUT MACAROONS
Take one cup of pulverized sugar, and one cup of finely-pounded nut meats, the unbeaten whites of two eggs, two heaping teaspoons of flour, and one scant teaspoon of baking-powder. Mix these ingredients together and drop from a teaspoon which, you have previously dipped in cold water, upon b.u.t.tered paper. Do not put them too near each other, for they always spread a great deal. Bake about fifteen minutes.
DATE MACAROONS
Stone thirty dates; chop them fine. Cut one-half pound of almonds lengthwise in slices, but do not blanch them. Beat the whites of two eggs until foamy, add one cup of powdered sugar, and beat until stiff; add the dates, then the almonds, and mix very thoroughly. Drop mixture with teaspoon in small piles on tins, one-half inch apart. Bake thirty minutes in a very slow oven or until dry. They are done when they leave the pan readily.
MANDELCHEN
Blanch two cups of almonds and dry them overnight. Grind very fine, add one-half cup of sugar and enough b.u.t.ter to knead into a very stiff paste. Roll very thin, cut in small rounds, place in baking-tin in moderate oven. When done, roll in grated almonds and powdered sugar.
COCOANUT KISSES