PARKER HOUSE ROLLS
Dissolve one cake of compressed yeast in one cupful of lukewarm water, and add enough flour to make a thin batter. Put this sponge in a warm place to rise. Add one tablespoonful of lard, one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one teaspoonful of salt to two cupfuls of milk, and bring to the boil. Take from the fire and let cool. When the sponge is light stir in the milk, and add enough sifted flour to make a dough, usually about eight cupfuls, though the thickening qualities of various brands of flour vary greatly. Knead for fifteen or twenty minutes, then set to rise until very light.
Shape, place in a baking-pan, let rise once more, and when light bake in a quick oven.
WHOLE WHEAT ROLLS
One teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar, one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, one cake of compressed yeast, one cupful of scalded milk, and three cupfuls of whole wheat flour. Add the salt, sugar, and b.u.t.ter to the scalded milk. Dissolve the yeast in two tablespoonfuls of warm water and add to the milk when it has cooled. Add half of the flour and beat hard for ten minutes, then work in the rest of the flour. Set it to rise for two hours. Roll out into a sheet an inch thick and cut into small rolls. Place close together in a well-b.u.t.tered baking-pan, and let rise from fifteen to thirty minutes.
Bake fifteen or twenty minutes in a quick oven. Brush with an egg-white beaten with a little milk if a glossy surface is desired.
This should be done about ten minutes before taking out of the oven.
SWEDISH ROLLS
Use any plain roll mixture. When shaping for the last rising, roll the dough very thin, spread with softened b.u.t.ter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and add a few cleaned currants, bits of citron, and stoned raisins. Roll the dough like jelly cake, cut in half-inch slices from the ends, arrange flat in a well-b.u.t.tered pan, let rise until double in bulk, and bake as usual.
PARIS ROLLS
Four cupfuls of milk, one half cake of compressed yeast, six cupfuls of flour, and the yolks of two eggs, well beaten. Mix thoroughly and set the sponge to rise. When it is very light, work into it two tablespoonfuls of melted b.u.t.ter, one whole egg, well beaten, one teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of baking soda dissolved in hot water, one tablespoonful of white sugar, and enough sifted flour to make a soft dough. Let rise five hours. Roll out, shape into b.a.l.l.s, score each one deeply crosswise with a sharp knife, and arrange close together in a well-b.u.t.tered baking-pan. Let rise for an hour or more and bake about half an hour. This recipe makes a large number of rolls. They may be taken from the oven when beginning to turn brown and wrapped in a cloth. Five minutes in a hot oven, if brushed first with melted b.u.t.ter, will render them crisp, flaky, and very digestible.
RUSK
Two cupfuls of flour, two cupfuls of sugar, one cupful of melted lard, half a cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in a little warm water, and three cupfuls of lukewarm water. Make into a batter, let rise all day in a warm place. At night work into the sponge six cupfuls of sifted flour and two eggs, well beaten. Let rise over night in a moderately cool place. In the morning, shape the dough into rolls, let rise a few minutes in a warm place, and bake. The dough should be soft. These rolls may be sprinkled with sugar and spice.
GEORGIA RUSK
One cupful of milk, scalded and cooled, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one quarter of a cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in the milk, and two cupfuls of sifted flour. Set the sponge, and, when light, work into it half a cupful of melted b.u.t.ter, half a cupful of sugar, and one well-beaten egg. When very light, shape into small pointed rolls and let rise again. Brush with milk and egg and sprinkle with sugar just before baking.
SOUTHERN SALLY LUNN
Four cupfuls of flour, three eggs, one teaspoonful of b.u.t.ter, one cake of compressed yeast, and two cupfuls of milk. Beat the yolks of the eggs until very light. Stir in the b.u.t.ter, flour, and milk, the yeast being dissolved in the milk. Beat the whites to a stiff froth and add last. Set to rise, and when light bake in well-b.u.t.tered m.u.f.fin-tins.
SOUTHERN SALLY LUNN--II
Four cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, two cupfuls of milk, one half cupful of sugar, and one cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in the milk. Make a batter and let rise in a warm place about three hours. Then work into it gradually five eggs, beaten separately, and one half cupful of melted b.u.t.ter. Add flour enough to make a stiff batter, fill b.u.t.tered m.u.f.fin-tins two thirds full, let rise, and bake.
SOUTHERN SALLY LUNN--III
Three cupfuls of flour, three eggs, one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in two cupfuls of milk, one half cupful of melted b.u.t.ter, and one tablespoonful of sugar. Beat well together into a stiff batter and let rise five or six hours. Then add a little warm water in which half a teaspoonful of baking soda has been dissolved, and pour the batter into a well-b.u.t.tered cake-pan having a tube in the centre. Bake about three quarters of an hour and serve hot. It should be torn apart, not cut.
ZWIEBACK
One cake of compressed yeast dissolved in one cupful of scalded milk, a pinch of salt, and enough sifted flour to make a soft dough. Let rise until very light, then stir in one fourth of a cupful of melted b.u.t.ter, one fourth of a cupful of sugar, and one unbeaten egg. Mix thoroughly, and sift in enough more flour to make a smooth, elastic dough. Shape into a loaf and let rise until very light. A Russian-iron bread-pan holding one loaf is best for Zwieback. Let it rise once more until very light, then bake in a quick oven. Glaze with sugar dissolved in milk just before taking from the oven. When the loaf is cold, cut in half-inch slices and place in an open oven until golden-brown, dry, and crisp.
PANCAKES
The edible varieties of pancakes are readily distinguished from the poisonous growths. The harmless ones are healthful and nutritious and grow in private kitchens. The dark, soggy, leaden varieties are usually to be found in restaurants, but have been known to flourish in private kitchens also.
Batter for pancakes should be thoroughly beaten. A soapstone griddle is best, but an iron one will do, and many a savory pancake has come from a humble frying-pan. A pancake turner is essential, and no pancake should be turned more than once, as twice turning makes a soggy pancake from the most promising batter. In the following recipes, where exact proportions are given, they are not arbitrary as regards flour. The thickening properties of various brands of flour vary so much that no exact rule can be given. A perfect pancake batter will be smooth, light in texture, seem somewhat elastic to the touch of the mixing spoon, and will keep its shape on a griddle. Batter enough for one pancake should be dipped from the bowl with a cup or large spoon, as adding uncooked batter to that on the griddle even an instant after it has begun to cook will work disaster to the pancake--and the hapless mortal who eats it.
Maple syrup is the syrup _par excellence_ for pancakes and waffles, but alas, it is difficult to procure. Much of it is made from corn cobs and mola.s.ses, sealed in tin cans bearing gaudy labels, and, sailing under false colors, is sold to the trusting consumer at a high price.
Even the bricks of maple sugar are not wholly trustworthy, though, as a rule, a better quality of syrup can be obtained by making it at home from the bricks. The ordinary adulterants cannot so readily be added to a crystallized as to a liquid product, though promising maple bricks are often made of brown sugar flavored with a little maple syrup.
Other syrups can be made easily and may possibly give welcome variety even to those fortunates who can secure the real maple syrup.
Maraschino, noyeau, kirsch, and other cordials, orange-flower water, grated orange- and lemon-peel, and the fruit juices left from canned and preserved fruits, can all be used to advantage in flavoring a simple syrup made of sugar and water boiled till it hairs from the spoon. Always add flavoring to syrup just before taking it from the fire, and do not allow it to boil.
SOUTHERN BUCKWHEAT CAKES
Four cupfuls of buckwheat flour, sifted, one half cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a little lukewarm water, one teaspoonful of salt, and one tablespoonful of mola.s.ses. Mix with enough warm water to make a thin batter and set to rise over night. If the batter is sour in the morning add a bit of baking soda.
QUICK BUCKWHEAT CAKES
Three cupfuls of buckwheat flour and one cupful of white flour, one cupful each of milk and water, three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of salt, and one tablespoonful of mola.s.ses.
Sift the dry ingredients together, mix, and fry as usual.
KENTUCKY BUCKWHEAT CAKES
One cupful of flour, two cupfuls of buckwheat flour, one teaspoonful of salt, one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in lukewarm water, and one tablespoonful of mola.s.ses. Beat well together and let stand over night. Fry on a soapstone griddle greased with suet, salt pork, or bacon. A bit of suet or salt pork tied in a bit of cloth was the old-fashioned method of greasing a griddle for buckwheat cakes.
BUCKWHEAT CAKES WITH SOUR MILK
Take two cupfuls of thick sour milk, add a teaspoonful of salt, and enough buckwheat flour to make a thin batter. Let stand over night. In the morning add a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of lukewarm water and beat thoroughly. Fry at once.
CRUMB BUCKWHEAT CAKES
Two cupfuls of buckwheat flour, two and one half cupfuls of warm water, one cupful of dried bread crumbs, one cupful of milk, one tablespoonful of salt and half a cake of compressed yeast. Dissolve the yeast in the water and mix with the buckwheat flour. Add the salt, beat until well mixed, then cover and let stand over night in a warm place. Put the dried crumbs into the milk and let soak over night in a cool place. In the morning, mash the soaked crumbs and toss with a fork until light and dry, then mix with the risen buckwheat batter and fry as usual.
BLUEBERRY PANCAKES
Stir one cupful of blueberries into the batter for strawberry pancakes and fry as other pancakes.