Cocoanut and Orange Cream for Cakes

Cocoanut and Orange Cream for Cakes

Ingredients:
seven ounces of dried and sifted flour, half a
pound of powdered sugar, seven ounces of butter, one tablespoonful of potato flour, the
yolks of six eggs, the whites of six eggs well whisked, one whole egg, two tablespoonfuls
of brandy and a little salt. Put in a buttered cylinder-mould and bake. While it is cooling
beat up the whites of four or five eggs and sift n them half a pound of caster-sugar, whip
this over the fire until thick, then remove and continue whipping until it is cold; add half
a wineglassful of extract of coffee to give it a dark color. Put half a pound of butter in a
basin, work with a spoon, and pour the coffee mixture in it as soon as it becomes creamy.
When the cake is cold divide in thin slices, mask each layer with the coffee mixture, build
the cake to its original form, mask it all over with more of the coffee mixture, smooth
over and decorate. Put it on a dish on a folded napkin and fill the hollow with the
remainder of the preparation.
Conde Cakes.
Roll out to eight turns about half a pound of puff-paste. Cut into strips four inches wide
and mask the top with almond paste; cut the strips again into oblongs
PASTRY.
one and a half inches wide and sprinkle over the top with a little sugar, flavored with
vanilla. Lay them on baking-sheets a short distance apart and bake in a slack oven. When
they are cooked, trim around the edges, and serve.
New Year's Cookies.
Warm slightly three-quarters of a pound of butter and beat it until creamy with one
pound of caster-sugar; beat three eggs well and mix them with the butter; then stir in
slowly one pint of the best sifted-flour and one tablespoonful of caraway seeds. Stir one
teaspoonful of saleratus in one teacupful of milk until well dissolved, then strain it, stir in
one-half teacupful of cider with it and mix gradually in with the other ingredients. Work
the mixture well, adding more flour if required to bring it to the desired stiffness. Sprinkle
some flour over the table, place the paste on, roll it out and cut into round cakes. Butter a
baking-sheet, lay on the cakes and bake them in a quick oven. When a trifle browned,
arrange the cakes on a dish, and serve hot.
Cornstarch Cakes.
Mix in a basin one breakfast cupful of cornstarch, one-half breakfast cupful of wheat-
flour, one tablespoonful of sugar and two saltspoonfuls of salt. Dissolve one teaspoonful
of bicarbonate of soda in one-half teacupful of boiling water and pour it into three
teacupfuls of sour milk; mix it with the dry ingredients and add two eggs well beaten.
After buttering some small cake-tins, pour the preparation into the depth of about one
and one-half inches and then bake for twenty-five minutes in a quick oven.
Country Cakes.
Place in a basin three-quarters of a pound of flour, half a pound of partly-melted butter
and the yolks of half a dozen eggs, beat well until a thick cream is obtained; then take the
whites of the eggs and beat up with one pound of finely-sifted lump-sugar, and when it
becomes frothy, mix all together. Place the paste in tins and bake in a brisk oven for
twenty minutes.
Cream Cakes.
Grease thoroughly with butter eight jelly-cake tins, and have a hot oven ready so that the
cakes may be put into it as soon as possible after they are mixed. Stir two breakfast
cupfuls of flour with one breakfast cupful of sugar and rub them well together; put two
tablespoonfuls of bicarbonate of soda and two dessertspoonfuls of cream of tartar on a
plate, and with the back of a spoon rub out the lumps, and mix them with the sugar and
flour. Make a hole in the center of the flour, and drop in and mix, one at a time, the yolks
of eight or nine eggs; whip the white of the
PASTRY.
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eggs to a stiff froth, and stir this into the batter. Place an equal portion of the batter in
each of the eight cake-tins, and bake in the oven for seven minutes. While the cakes are in
the oven put one pint of milk and one teacupful of salt into a saucepan, and let boil; beat
two eggs very lightly and stir them into four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and two
tablespoonfuls of flour. When the milk boils, take it from the fire, allow it to cool for a
minute or so, then pour it over the mixture of eggs, flour and sugar, stir well together and
pour back into the saucepan; keep on stirring and let it boil for one minute. Remove the
saucepan from the fire and drop into it twelve drops of essence of almonds. Take the
cakes from the tins, place them on a dish, one on top of the other, with a layer of cream
from the saucepan between them, sprinkle a little white powdered sugar over the top.
Cream Puffs.
Warm slightly one pound of butter, and beat it well with one-half pound of caster-sugar,
then mix in two eggs. Put one and one-fourth pounds of sifted flour into a basin, with two
tablespoonfuls of baking powder, stir in the beaten mixture and work until it is quite
smooth. Shape the dough into cakes and bake in a sharp oven. Beat two eggs with four
ounces of caster-sugar and one pint of milk, then stir them in with one-fourth of a pound
of sifted flour. When smooth turn the mixture into a stewpan, and stir over a moderate
fire until thick. When cooked cut the cakes in halves, scoop out a little soft paste, and fill
them with cream. Arrange them neatly on a dish over which has been spread a folded
napkin, and serve.
Boston Cream Puffs.
Put one-half pint of water into a saucepan with one-fourth pound of lard, and a little salt,
and then boil. Add one-fourth pound of flour, or more, if required, and stir over the fire
for five minutes longer, or until it becomes a smooth paste. Remove from the fire, and
mix in five eggs, one at a time. Drop small quantities of the mixture with a spoon onto
slightly-buttered baking tins, allowing an inch or so of distance between each. Put the
sheet into a moderate oven and bake for twenty minutes. Open the puffs by making an
incision in the sides, and fill them with cream.
Delicate Cake.
Mix one pound of caster-sugar with an equal amount of warm fresh butter, and add by
degrees fourteen whites of eggs; mix a half pound of cornmeal and a like quantity of
white flour together, and beat in with the rest, then put in a teacupful of milk, a teacupful
of brandy, a little lemon juice, and flavor to taste, beating thoroughly. Put in a greased
mould, and bake until done in a moderate oven.
Dessert Cakes.
Mix well a quarter of a pound of butter beaten to a cream with a quarter of a pound of
caster-sugar, a similar amount of ground rice, and half a teaspoonful of baking-powder.
Beat up thoroughly three eggs, and then stir them into this mixture. Butter some small
cake-tins, and pour in this preparation, and bake in a quick oven for ten to twelve
minutes.
Eclairs (Coffee or Chocolate).
Put into a saucepan two gills of milk with two ounces of butter, set on the fire and stir
with a wooden spoon; when boiling, add a quarter of a pound of well-sifted flour, and stir
briskly for a couple of minutes. Stand the pan on a table, break in one egg, mix sharply for
two minutes, break in a second egg, mix sharply again, and repeat with a third and a
fourth egg. Place a small tube in a pastry-bag, and press out on a baking-sheet fifteen
eclairs three inches in length, and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes, then remove
them and let cool. Open each eclair on one side with a pair of scissors, and, with a spoon,
fill the interior with cream. Dip the eclairs, one by one, with the hand into icing. Lay them
on a strainer and let cool. Dress on a dish with a folded napkin, and serve.
Cream for Eclairs.
Rub, until smooth, two tablespoonfuls of flour in a little milk, and add, whilst stirring,
one pint of boiling milk. Whisk three eggs, and add to them six ounces of sugar and the
above, pour all into a saucepan and cook for five minutes, add one tea-spoonful of butter
and a saltspoonful of salt. When cool, flavor with almond, lemon or vanilla.
Icing for Eclairs.
Put a pound and three-quarters of granulated sugar in a saucepan with one gill of cold
water; set on the stove and mix well with a wooden spoon until the sugar is thoroughly
melted; when boiling remove from the stove and pour it gradually onto a marble slab;
spread it about three feet square and let it cool for ten minutes. Put one ounce of coffee
into a saucepan with a breakfast cupful of cold water and boil until reduced to about two
tablespoonfuls, strain through a cloth and let it cool; begin working the sugar that is on
the slab with a spatula as rapidly as possible in every direction until it begins to whiten;
add the coffee essence, mixing thoroughly until it becomes quite hard; remove the
spatula, detach the preparation from the slab quickly with a knife, put into a vessel, cover
with a damp cloth and let it rest for half an hour. Place half of the mixture in a saucepan
on the hot fire and mix thoroughly and slowly with the spatula until it is lukewarm,
adding in the meantime one
teaspoonful of cold water. The remainder of the preparation is laid aside in a cool place
and if properly taken care of will keep for a fortnight.
Family Cake.
Warm half a pound of butter and mix with it an equal quantity of moist sugar, a pound of
molasses, a couple of eggs, a breakfast cupful of sour milk; mix together also a
teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda with four large cupfuls of flour and place in the pan,
beating them well. Then take half a pound of well-stoned raisins and a pound of well-
washed currants, dried, flour them and stir in with the other preparation. Place on a
greased pan, baking in an oven until done, and serve.
Feuillantines.
Prepare some puff paste, roll it out to about a third of an inch thick and cut into one-inch
strips and two-inch lengths. Spread a baking-dish thick with butter, arrange the pieces of
paste on it, placing them on their sides and leaving a small space between them; put them
in the oven, and when they are firm and the sides have spread, glaze them with white of
egg and dust with powdered sugar. As the feuillan-tines are cooked, set them on paper to
drain off any extra grease they may contain; they may also be masked separately with a
small quantity of different-colored jam. Arrange on a fancy-edged dish-paper or a folded
napkin on a dish, and serve.
Flame Cake.
Beat together the yolks of ten eggs with half a pound of caster-sugar for twenty minutes;
warm six ounces of butter, beat till creamy, and mix it in with the eggs, adding half a
pound of the best white flour, and the grated peel and juice of one lemon. Whisk the
whites of the ten eggs to a froth, and mix them into this preparation. Butter a shallow
cake-tin, pour in this mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. When it is done, remove
from the pan, leaving it until the following day. Just when serving, put it on a dish, soak it
in brandy, set fire to it, and serve at once.
Fruit Cake.
Put two ounces each of flour and ground rice into a basin and mix with two ounces of
butter; rub it with the fingers until well mixed with the flour, then put in one ounce each
of chopped preserved cherries, ginger and candied citron-peel, four ounces of powdered
sugar and a tablespoonful of blanched and powdered sweet almonds. Separate the yolks
and whites of two eggs, beat the yolks first, mix them with the above ingredients, then
beat the whites to a stiff froth and stir them in lightly at the last. Line a buttered cake-tin
with sheets of buttered paper, pour the mixture in and bake it in a good oven; when
cooked, remove the paper from the cake. Serve it cold.
Galettes.
Sift a pound and a half of flour onto a board; make a hollow in the center; put a quarter of
a pound of slightly warmed butter, a little salt and half a pint of cold water. Work the
butter well with the water, gradually mixing in the flour so as to give it the consistency of
puff paste. Let it remain for fifteen minutes, and in the meantime work half a pound of
butter in a cloth until it is quite firm, then give it a flat square shape. Make the paste into
a flat square shape also, put the square of butter on it and cover it over with the edges of
the paste that project; give it five turns like puff paste and at the last turn make it about
one inch in thickness. Cut it into a round shape with scalloped edges, put it upside down
on a baking-dish, brush it over with egg and mark it in lines with a sharp knife. Bake in a
moderate oven for forty minutes, and just before taking it out, sprinkle over with sugar
glaze. It is then ready for use.
American Gingerbread (Southern).
Put one pint of molasses into a copper basin, warm it, and melt half a pound of butter in
it; then mix in half a pound of moist sugar and three well-beaten eggs, add ground ginger
to taste, one pint of milk and two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder mixed up with one
pound of flour. The milk and flour should be added alternately and a little at a time.
When thoroughly mixed, pour it into oval buttered pans and bake in a moderately quick
oven. Serve either hot or cold.
French Gingerbread.
Mix a tablespoonful of ground ginger and half a tablespoonful each of ground aniseed and
ground cloves with a pound and a half of flour; then mix in one pound of molasses and
work it until quite smooth. Cover the paste over with a cloth and leave it until the
following day; then roll it out and with a round tin cutter about two inches in diameter
stamp the paste out into rounds. Butter a baking-sheet, lay the gingerbreads on it, brush
them over with a paste brush dipped in beaten egg, and bake for half an hour in a
moderate oven. The cakes should be kept in biscuit tins in a dry place.
Spiced Gingerbread.
Prepare a dough with one pound of butter melted in one quart of warm molasses, half a
pound of brown sugar, six eggs, three-quarters of a pound of ground ginger, a quarter of a
pound of ground allspice, two ounces of ground cloves, three pounds of sifted flour and
four tablespoonfuls of saleratus. Form into cakes and put in a moderate oven and bake. If
preferred it may be baked in loaves. It should be eaten cold.
Wafer Gingerbread.
Pour seven fluid ounces of treacle into a basin and with a wooden spoon mix in two
ounces each of warmed butter and moist sugar, half that quantity of ground ginger, and
lastly eight ounces of sifted flour; stir well until quite smooth. Turn it onto a slightly
greased baking-sheet, rolling it out very thin, put in a slow oven and bake. Take out and
cut into squares while still hot, roll them into shapes, and let them get cold.
Gingerbread with Cocoanut.
Put nine ounces each of wheat and rice flour into a basin and mix in eight ounces of moist
sugar, one ounce of ground ginger, the grated rind of two lemons and an ounce and a half
of candied citron cut up small. Put half a pound of butter into a saucepan with one pound
of molasses, make them both hot, pour them into the flour mixture and stir well. Let it all
cool, add seven ounces of cocoanut grated and pounded in a mortar. Beat well for a few
minutes, put the mixture in small lumps on a buttered baking-sheet, place them in a slack
oven, and bake for about forty-five minutes.
Ginger Cake.
Put into a basin a breakfast cupful each of sugar, butter and molasses, with three eggs, a
tablespoonful of ground ginger, a saltspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in one
tablespoonful of buttermilk and mix in two and a half breakfast cupfuls of flour. Add a
little allspice if desired. Pour the mixture into a mould, and bake in a moderate oven.
Ginger Loaf.
Rub six ounces of butter or dripping into one pound of flour, put it in a basin and add a
quarter of a pound of sugar, half an ounce of ground ginger and half the latter quantity of
mixed spice, or a little powdered cloves and nutmeg. When it is well-mixed, add three
well-beaten eggs and three-quarters of a pound of treacle Work this vigorously, add one
teaspoonful of bicarbondate of soda dissolved in a wineglassful of warm water, and turn it
into a well-buttered, shallow, square tin, only half filling it to allow for rising; two ounces
of candied peel, finely minced, or half an ounce of caraway seeds may be added if desired.
Put the tin in a moderate oven and bake slowly until done.
Ginger Snaps.
Put one pint of molasses into a saucepan with a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, two
tablespoonfuls of ground ginger and half a pound of butter, and boil until all are
thoroughly mixed. Let it cool and then add sufficient flour to make it into a soft dough;
work it we'll, cut it into small cakes and bake in a slow oven until done.
Hazel-nut Cakes.
Put four ounces of blanched and shelled hazel-nuts and one ounce of sweet almonds into
a mortar and pound them coarsely; whisk the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth, and mix
them with the almonds, also six or eight ounces of sugar and sufficient flour to make the
whole into a paste. Roll the paste out as thin as possible, and with a round tin cutter cut it
into small cakes. Butter some baking-tins, place the cakes on them at a short distance
from each other, and bake in a slow oven. When cooked, leave the cakes until cold, then
pack them in tin canisters.
Hickory-nut Cake.
Beat one-fourth pound of butter and one-half pound or so of sugar into a smooth cream,
stir in the beaten yolks of three eggs, one saltspoonful of cinnamon and nutmeg mixed,
and one saltspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in hot water, then add, and mix in,
in small quantities, and alternately, the whites of three eggs whisked to a stiff froth, and
one-half pound of flour, with one teaspoonful of cream of tartar mixed with it. Have
prepared and dredged with flour one-fourth pound of stoned and chopped raisins and
one-fourth pint of hickory-nut kernels, mix them quickly into the dough, and bake at
once.
Home-made Cake.
Place half a pound each of sugar and butter in a bowl, mixing thoroughly with the hand
for fifteen to twenty minutes; then break four eggs, leaving the whites in a basin, and
drop the yolks in with the butter and sugar, mixing again well; then beat the whites of the
eggs to a stiff froth, and add to the other mixture. Grate in half a saltspoonful of nutmeg,
half a pound of flour, and mix again thoroughly; stir in a couple of ounces of well-
cleansed currants, and a similar quantity of blanched sweet almonds cut up into small
pieces; mix well for five minutes with the hand, then pour in a gill of brandy, a little at a
time. Have ready a two-quart cake-mould, drop a third of the mixture into the mould,
spread over it a couple of ounces of candied orange-peel shred into thin slices, and then
add half of the remaining part of the mixture; spread on top of this a couple of ounces of
shredded candied citron-peel, and fill in the rest of the preparation; lay a piece of brown
paper over, and place the mould in a moderate oven for two hours until it becomes a
golden color, then remove, and let it cool in the mould. Turn the cake out on a dessert-
dish, and decorate the top with a border composed of candied fruits, tastefully arranged.
Honey Cakes.
Put three-quarters of a pound of butter into a saucepan on the fire until melted, then stir
in two pounds and a half of sifted flour, and keep stirring until lightly
brown. Turn the flour out of the saucepan onto a paste-board, and make a hollow in the
center; dissolve one teaspoonful each of salt and bicarbonate of soda in a small quantity
of water, then pour it into the flour and mix well, stir in enough water to make a soft
flexible paste. Knead the paste well, then divide it into small portions, shape them round,
make a dent in the center of each with the tip of the ringer, lay them on a buttered
baking-sheet, and bake them until colored. Put half a pound of honey in a saucepan with a
pint of water, and stir it over the fire until reduced to a syrup. When the cakes are cooked
pour the syrup over, and put them again in the oven until it is well soaked in. Arrange the
cakes on a hot dish, and serve.
Jelly 'Cakes.
Beat eight ounces of sugar with five eggs, add one-fourth pound of melted butter, one
teacupful of milk and twelve ounces of flour to which has been added one teaspoonful of
baking powder. Spread this over some jelly-cake pans and when cooked put three of these,
one on top of the other with jelly in between, and serve.
Jelly Roll.
Put one pound of sugar and twelve ounces of butter into a basin, beat them to a cream,
add eight or nine eggs beaten to a froth, sift in one pound of flour, and work the whole to
a smooth batter, adding the juice and grated rind of a lemon. Put a sheet of well-buttered
paper into a baking-tin, spread the batter over this to about one-fourth inch in thickness,
and bake in a hot oven to a light brown. Remove it, mask the surface with thick jelly, roll
it up and tie it until it becomes set and fast. Take off the strings, brush the roll with the
beaten white of an egg mixed with a little syrup, roll it in granulated sugar, and serve.
Jersey Wonders.
Work together with a tablespoon before the fire one-fourth pound of powdered sugar with
one-fourth pound of the best butter until they are well incorporated. Beat up thoroughly
four eggs and add these to the sugar and butter. Sift in by degrees one pound of white
flour and a grating of nutmeg. Knead this together for some time, cover it with a cloth and
set it in a warm place; then cut up the mass into small pieces about the size of an apple,
roll them round in the hand to prevent them sticking and then roll out each ball on a
floured paste-board to an oval about one-third to one-half inch in thickness. Cut with a
floured knife three parallel slits in the middle of each, but not through at the ends, cross
the two slips with your fingers and draw up the two sides between. Put your fingers
through and drop each wonder into a dish of boiling lard. Thev will rise as they are done
and can then be turned so as to brown them all over equally. Remove them with a fork
and lay them on a drainer or folded paper to drain. A slight sprinkling of powdered sugar
improves them.
Ladies' Bouchees.
Place a small quantity of paste in a pastry-bag. Butter well and flour a baking-sheet, and
form a sufficient number of small round biscuits the shape of macaroons, sprinkle lightly
with powdered sugar and place in a brisk oven and bake for twelve minutes. Then take out
to cool for fifteen minutes. Lift from the pan, lay them upside down on a table, and make
a small cavity half an inch in diameter in each, filling with the cream. Fasten them
together two by two, to enclose the cream, and they should then be ball-shaped. Then
they may be dipped carefully and separately into a thick sugar icing and laid on a pastry
grating to dry for fifteen minutes. Dress on a dessert-dish with a folded napkin or
ornamental dish-paper, and serve.
Raspberry Ladies' Bouchees.
Put the yolks of half a dozen eggs into a basin and beat them up with one-half pound of
sifted crushed loaf sugar, working them well for about five minutes. Add the whites of the
eggs whipped to a stiff broth, and mix in four ounces of flour. Turn the mixture into a
biscuit-forcer or paper funnel, squeeze out rounds about one and one-half inches in
diameter, letting them fall on sheets of paper, sprinkle them over with powdered sugar,
and bake them. When done take them out, mask half of them with raspberry jam, cover
with the other half, glaze them with raspberry icing, by dipping them into it, holding one
at a time on a skewer, drain, place them in a hot closet for two or three minutes, take
them out, and when cold they are ready for use.
Lady Cake.
Take one pound of caster-sugar, half a pound of flour, half a pound of butter, the whites
of fourteen eggs, and mix well together. Flavor with two drops of oil of bitter almonds and
bake on a buttered tin.
Lady Fingers.
Prepare the desired quantity of flour and butter in the following proportions : Half a
pound of butter to every three pounds of flour, and rub well together, adding half a pound
of fine sugar, with about thirty drops of essence of lemon; mix with milk into a firm
dough, and place in a cloth for half an hour to settle before using. Beat with a rolling-pin
until quite smooth, roll out thin and cut into strips, and cut .these strips into five-inch
lengths.
Leaf Cake.
Blanch and pound one-half pound of sweet almOnds with half a dozen bitter ones; rub
the yolks of eight hard-boiled eggs until quite smooth. Mix three-quarters of a pound of
butter with a pound and a quarter of flour, and when quite smooth stir
in the above ingredients with one-half pound of caster-sugar, three well-beaten eggs and a
sufficient quantity of milk to make a consistent paste. Work the mixture thoroughly, then
lay it on a paste-board on which some flour has been sifted, dividing it into six equal
portions, and rolling them out very thin. Butter a baking-sheet, lay the cakes on it, brush
them over with a paste-brush dipped in beaten egg, and bake to a light yellow in a slow
oven. When cooked slip one of the cakes off the baking-sheet, cover it with a coating of
any kind of preserve, place another cake on the top of that, coat that also with preserve,
and so on till the last cake is on the top. Mask the top of the last cake with the finest
white sugar icing, trim all evenly around the edges with a sharp knife, and serve when the
icing is quite dry.
Lemon Cake.
Beat one-half pound of powdered sugar-together with the yolks of six eggs; when smooth
add the whites previously whisked to a stiff froth, then stir in slowly seven or eight
tablespoonfuls of flour and the grated peel of a large lemon. Line a cake-tin with buttered
paper, pour the mixture in, and bake for one hour in a moderate oven.
Lemon Cheese Cakes.
Put four or five ounces of butter into a basin to melt, and work in four ounces of crushed
and sifted loaf sugar. Then add the yolks of two and the whites of one egg, the finely-
chopped peel of three and the juice of two lemons, one large crushed Savoy biscuit, a few
pounded blanched almonds, and three tablespoonfuls of brandy. Line some patty-pans
with puff paste, put a little of the lemon mixture in each, and bake in a quick oven.
Lemon Puffs.
Whisk the yolks of three eggs together with one-fourth pound of powdered sugar, then
beat in three tablespoonfuls of milk, and sprinkle in a very little salt and the grated peel of
a lemon; whip the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth and beat them in the above, and stir
in finally one-half pound of flour. Pour the batter into muffin-rings, and bake in a quick
oven. They should be baked immediately after the batter is mixed.
Lemon Roll Cakes.
Slightly warm two ounces of butter together with two ounces of powdered sugar; dissolve
one tablespoonful of dry yeast in about one-half teacupful of warm milk, then mix it and
the butter in one-half pound of flour, adding as much more warm milk as will be required
to make a light dough. Beat the dough thoroughly and mix with it the grated peel of one
lemon, a few pieces of finely-shredded lemon-peel and two well-beaten eggs. Divide this
dough into two equal-sized lots, place them on a
floured paste-board and mould them into long, thin rolls. Put them on a baking-sheet, set
them in a warm place until risen, then bake in a slow oven. When cooked the rolls should
be of a pale yellow color. Sprinkle lightly over with powdered sugar, and serve.
Lunch Cakes, Large.
Put into a basin two pounds of flour mixed with a half pound of moist sugar; form a
hollow in the center, put in one tablespoonful of thick yeast, add a third of a breakfast
cupful of warm milk not hot enough to scald the yeast, then stir in a little of the flour and
let it rise for about forty-five minutes. Add another two-thirds of a breakfast cupful of
milk warmed sufficiently to dissolve half a pound of butter, stir in one and a half pound of
well washed currants, a small quantity of chopped peel, one teaspoonful of ground
allspice, and the grated rind of a lemon. Pour the preparation into a well-buttered tin, set
it to rise in a warm place, and afterward bake in a moderate oven. Turn it out when done,
and serve cold.
Macaroon Cake.
Warm some butter, mix it with some sugar, work to a cream; beat in some eggs, add some
milk, baking-powder, and enough flour so that you will be able to roll it. Work the dough
thoroughly and put on a buttered baking-sheet. Place in a moderate oven, bake slightly, as
it will have to be baked again when used for macaroon paste.
Macaroons Flavored with Chocolate.
Take half a pound of ground sweet almonds, add a quarter of a pound of slightly warmed
chocolate and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar; mix them to a stiff paste with the
white of the eggs. Shape the paste into round balls, place them on a sheet of paper leaving
a space between each, sift over some fine sugar, and bake in the oven until they are of a
golden color. When they are done, take the paper out of the oven, dampen it a little so
that they will be removed easily, and place the macaroons on a sieve until they are
wanted.
Macaroons Flavored with Coffee.
Mix one pound of ground almonds and a pound and a half of sugar in a basin with a little
extract of coffee, adding the whites of some eggs to form it into a paste. Place it on a
wafer-paper in the shape of fingers and bake in an oven until they are of a light pale
brown. Take them out when they are done, remove them by damping, and place in paper-
boxes until wanted.
Macaroons Flavored.
Beat the yolks of four eggs light together with one pound of powdered white sugar and
whisk the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth. Beat into the beaten eggs and sugar the
grated peel of one lemon and half a teaspoonful of grated nut-met. Mix in lastly and in
small quantities the frothed whites and six ounces of flour. Roll the mixture into small
balls, rub over with butter, lay them on a buttered-paper leaving a space between each,
and bake in a hot oven.
Macaroon Mirletons.
Break into a powder enough macaroons to make three ounces in weight, place it in a
basin with the yolks of four eggs and the whites of two, stir in four ounces of powdered
loaf sugar, half an ounce of pounded candied orange-flowers and a small sprinkling of
salt. Mix these for a few minutes; then add two ounces of warmed butter and the whites
of two eggs whipped to a froth. Have some pans ready and line them with puff-paste, fill
them with the mixture, dust them over with powdered sugar, let it melt in the oven, then
dust over coarse sugar and bake to a light brown in a slake oven. When they are done,
take out and serve them either hot or cold as may be required.
Swiss Macaroons.
Blanch and chop one pound of sweet and four ounces of bitter almonds, place them on a
dish, mix with them half a pound of powdered sugar, and place them in a cool oven. When
they are lightly browned place the almonds in a basin and mix with them a pound and a
half more sugar, and enough of whisked whites of eggs to knead the whole into a paste.
Spread a sheet of wafer-paper over a baking sheet, mould the above mixture into small,
round cakes, dipping the finger in water to prevent them sticking, and lay the cakes on the
paper. Leave a space between each cake as they will spread while baking. Place two thin
fillets of almonds on each cake, brush them lightly over with a paste-brush dipped in
water, and lay the cakes on the paper. When they are cooked leave the macaroons until
they are cold, and then trim the paper off neatly round the edges with a knife.
White Macaroons.
Sift ten ounces of crushed loaf sugar into a basin, and mix in with a wooden spoon six
ounces of blanched sweet almonds cut into shreds crosswise, four ounces of ground
almonds, a small quantity of essence of noyau, and lastly the whites of two eggs. Make
these into a paste, and with a spoon lay out small quantities about the size of walnuts, on
sheets of paper, keeping them apart. Dip a finger in cold water, place it in the center of
each macaroon to make them flat, then place on a
baking-sheet in a moderate oven, and bake until they are lightly browned. Take them out
and let them get cold before serving.
Macaroons with Almonds.
Blanch and pound smooth one-half pound of sweet and one-fourth pound of bitter
almonds, adding a very little of the white of an egg to prevent their oiling. If they are then
allowed to stand all night they will do so much the better. Beat the whites of three eggs to
a stiff froth, adding gradually and in very small quantities three heaping tablespoonfuls of
powdered sugar; continue beating well, and stir in gradually one teaspoonful of mixed
mace, nutmeg and cinnamon finely powdered, and one teaspoonful of rose water; then
add also, by degrees, the pounded almonds. The mixture should be of the consistency of
soft dough—if too thick it will be heavy, and if too thin the cakes will run out of shape in
baking; if it is not too thick, pound a few more almonds and stir them in. Butter a tin
baking-sheet, flour the hands, take the dough up with a knife and work into balls; lay on a
battered tin, bake to a pale brown. Have the oven hotter at the top than at the bottom. The
macaroon should, in baking, rise in the middle, and the surface should crack. Split
almonds laid on top before baking will improve the effect.
Macaroons with Pistachio Nuts.
Blanch and chop fine ten ounces of pistachios, place them in a basin with ten ounces of
sifted crushed loaf sugar, a little essence of noyau, and the whites of two eggs. Lay out
small quantities about the size of walnuts on wafer papers, keep them apart and with a
moistened finger slightly press down the center so as to keep them round. Place them in
an oven to bake. Serve when cold.
Madeleine Cakes, Printaniere.
Rub the rinds of two small lemons on a lump of sugar; crush it very fine with a roller,
mixing three ounces of powdered sugar in with it. Put two ounces of this into a saucepan
with two ounces of sifted flour, the yolk of one egg and two whole eggs, two
tablespoonfuls of brandy and half a saltspoonful of salt. Mix all together with a spatula,
and in two minutes, when the paste is well mixed, stir it again for about a minute only.
Place the saucepan containing the preparation on a very slow fire, stir it slightly to
prevent its sticking to the bottom of the saucepan, and as soon as it becomes liquid take it
off. Butter twelve small madeleine moulds, fill them with the preparation, lay them on a
baking-sheet, and place them in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. Remove, let them
cool, and take them out; cut a piece from the thinnest part of the top of each one to serve
as a cover, and with a dessertspoon scoop out of each a cavity one inch deep. Put into a
saucepan the yolks of eight eggs, one-
half pound of powdered sugar, a piece of vanilla bean one inch long and split in halves,
also one pint of sweet cream and six ounces of finely-grated cocoa. Stir well with the
spatula for two minutes, place the pan on the hot stove, and stir constantly while it is
heating; but under no conditions must it be allowed to boil. Remove it from the fire and
place the pan in a cool place on the table for thirty minutes, strain it through a sieve into a
freezer and freeze. Fill the cavity of each madeleine with this, replace the covers, lay them
on a wire grating, and, with a brush, gently glaze as follows: Put into a saucepan one
ounce of granulated sugar with one tablespoonful of cold water, and let it come to a
boiling point; remove and immediately add two table-spoonfuls of strawberry juice,
mixing well together, and sprinkle over with two ounces of well-chopped pistachios. Glaze
the cakes with this and put them in the oven for one minute or more; dress on a dish with
folded napkin, and serve.
Madeleine Cakes without Butter.
Put three eggs in a basin with a quarter of a pound of sugar and beat them until frothy,
then mix in slowly three ounces of dried and sifted flour, and grate in a small quantity of
lemon or orange peel. Grease some small madeleine moulds, fill them with the mixture,
and bake in a slow oven. When the cakes are baked take them out of the moulds, and
keep dry in biscuit tins until wanted.
Meringue Cakes.
Make a sponge cake of the following : Half a pound of finest caster-sugar and the whites
of twelve eggs beaten together until the sugar is quite dissolved, then add a quarter of a
pound of butter warmed to melting, one gill of milk, three-quarters of a pound of flour
and one teaspoonful of baking powder. Beat these well and spread thinly on a greased
baking-sheet. Put into a moderate oven, leave the door ajar, and bake. A board should be
placed under the tin so that the bottom of the sheet will not bake too quickly. When
nearly done cut into squares and cover each with meringue or icing made stiff. Place back
in the oven for a few minutes, and then serve. Sifted sugar may also be sprinkled over the
icing before returning to the oven to finish baking.
Cream Meringues.
Take the whites of six eggs and whip them to a white froth, and until they are very light
and dry; then mix in rapidly but gently one-half pound of caster-sugar. Take some
paraffine-paper and spread it over three boards about nine by twelve inches in size; then,
with a spoon, take the mixture out and drop it into oblong shapes on the paper to the
number of about twelve on each piece. Place them in a warm closet to dry for two hours;
then take them from the board, and remove the soft part with a spoon. Meanwhile take
one breakfast cupful of cream, and season it with a
little vanilla or one teaspoonful of wine, and one tablespoonful of caster-sugar. Whip it
into a stiff froth, then fill the shells with it and join them together. The meringues must
not be exposed to any great heat, or they will spoil.
Maraschino Meringues.
Put one pound of sugar into a saucepan, reduce it almost to the crack, and let it cool. In
the meantime beat the whites of some eggs to a froth, and work them into the sugar, then
add two tablespoonfuls of maraschino. Arrange equal-sized portions of the meringue on
strips of paper, sprinkle with sugar and bake in an oven; as soon as the top part is set take
them out, place two together with the moist part left in them, leave them in a hot closet to
dry and they are ready for use.
Mille-Feuilles Cakes.
Roll out two pounds of rich puff paste, cut it into sixteen pieces marking each one in the
center where a piece is to be removed, place them in a moderate oven, and bake. Take
them out when done, lift off the centers, fill them with any kind of jam, replace the
centers, pile the pieces one on top of another, and the cake is then ready for serving.
Molasses Cake.
Put seven or eight breakfast cupfuls of flour into a large basin and rub in until quite
smooth one-half pound of butter; then mix with it one-half pound of sugar and two
tablespoonfuls of ground ginger. Dissolve one tablespoonful of bicarbonate of soda in
three tablespoonfuls of warm water, stir in with it one breakfast cupful of sour milk
together with two breakfast cupfuls of molasses. Work the dough thoroughly. If it is a
little too stiff, more water can be added, or if not stiff a little more flour. Put the dough in
a buttered cake-tin and bake in rather a quick oven. When cut, the interior should be
quite dark.
Nelson Cake.
Roll out a pound and a quarter of puff-paste, cover it with a pound and a half of well-
washed currants, half a pound of sugar and a little spice; sprinkle over a small quantity of
water to make the currants and sugar bind, cover with another pound of rolled-paste, and
bake. When done, ice it, let it stand awhile, and serve.
New Year Cakes.
Place one pound of powdered sugar and ten ounces of butter into a basin and beat them
to a cream. Add three well-beaten eggs two ounces of caraway-seeds, one grated nutmeg
and one pound of flour. When thoroughly mixed, stir in one
pint of milk and one gill of rose-water and mix well again. Add two pounds more of flour
and work the whole to a smooth dough. Roll it out, cut into cakes and bake in a moderate
oven. Serve when cold.
Nougatinas.
Blanch and chop fine one pound of sweet almonds. Put two pounds of powdered white
sugar and the juice of a lemon in a sugar-boiler over a moderate fire and stir until it boils,
then add the almonds, stir them well in and pour the nougatina-paste on a well-oiled
marble slab, forming it into an oblong cake one inch thick. Cut it in squares, and when
cold, dip these in melted chocolate.
Nut Cake.
Warm one teacupful of butter in a basin, beat to a cream, and add gradually one breakfast
cupful of sugar. When the mixture is quite light and frothy, stir in two well-beaten eggs,
then a teacupful of milk, add two breakfast cupfuls of flour with one teaspoonful of cream
of tartar and half a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Now work in quickly one breakfast
cupful each of stoned raisins and blanched nuts very finely chopped, turn the mixture
into well-greased deep baking-pans, and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes.
Turn it out when done, and serve cold. One and one-half teaspoonfuls of baking-powder
may be substituted for the cream of tartar and soda if preferred.
Orange Cake (Large).
Sift three-fourths of a pound of flour on a paste-board, cut eight ounces of butter into
small pieces, lay them on the flour and work them in; add four ounces each of sugar and
blanched and pounded almonds, the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs that have been rubbed
through a fine sieve, three well-beaten eggs, and sufficient milk to form a smooth paste.
Knead the paste until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and then roll out as thin
as possible without breaking. Cut it to a round shape, lay it on a sheet of buttered paper
on a baking-slab, roll the trimmings of the paste out into a long strip, cut it lengthwise
into three, and plait them. Moisten round the edges of the cake with a paste-brush dipped
in milk, and lay the plait round. Bake the paste until lightly browned in a moderate oven.
Beat the yolks of three eggs together with the grated peel and strained juice of three
oranges, four ounces of sugar, and one ounce of butter broken into small pieces. Turn the
mixture into a lined stewpan, and whisk it over a slow fire until it thickens, but on no
account let it boil, or the eggs will curdle: then move it away from the fire and let it cool.
Whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff snow, and stir them lightly in with the yolks. When
the crust is nearly cold, spread the mixture over it, garnish in a circle with quarters of
oranges from which all the white pith has been removed, pile a few tablespoonfuls of
well-whipped cream in the center, and serve.
PASTRY.
Marzipan Paste.
Blanch one pound of sweet almonds and a few bitter ones, place them in a mortar and
pound until smooth, adding a few drops of rose-water to keep them from oiling. Put the
almond paste into a lined saucepan with one pound of sugar, and stir over the fire with a
wooden spoon until it will not stick to the fingers when touched by them. Dredge a paste-
board well with powdered sugar, spread the paste out on it as thickly as possible, and cut
it into cakes of any desired shape or size. Cover a baking-sheet with white paper, sprinkle
it over with sugar, and lay the cakes on it. Place them in a slow oven, and bake until of a
pale yellow color. Store and keep the cakes dry in tins.
. Almond Apricot Pastry.
Put a lump of butter in a basin, warm it and beat in a little sifted, crushed loaf sugar, into
which put the required quantity of almonds blanched and pounded with a little orange-
flower water, and then add the whites of some eggs and the yolks of twice the number,
one at a time, and lastly, dredge in by degrees a little dried and sifted flour. Work the
mixture well until it is perfectly smooth, then add a little essence of vanilla to flavor. Put a
border of rich puff-paste around a dish, pour in the mixture, smooth it on the top and
bake in a moderate oven. When done remove and spread a layer of apricot jam on top of
it. Put the whites of some eggs in a basin with a little lemon juice and icing sugar until the
mixture is quite thick and of the consistence of butter. Put this icing over the jam,
smoothing over the surface, and set in the oven again for a few minutes for the icing to
set. Take out, let it get cold, cut into slices, and serve.
Pistachio Cake.
Weigh eight eggs in their shells and allow an equal weight of caster-sugar and the weight
of two eggs of potato flour and the same of pistachio nuts. Separate the yolks from the
whites of the eggs and beat the yolks with the sugar; beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff
snow and blanch and pound the nuts, stirring in gradually half of the potato flour, and
when well beaten half of the whites of egg. When quite smooth add the remainder of the
flour, the beaten whites of egg and then the pistachios. The potato flour should be
sprinkled in very gradually or it will become lumpy. Pour this mixture into well-buttered
cake-tins and bake in a slow oven. When done turn the cake out onto a piece of white
paper and allow it to get cold; then mask it with lemon-flavored icing, smoothing it over
evenly with the blade of a knife, and place in a cool oven for a minute or two to dry the
icing. If desired the cake may be decorated with fancy designs in angelica, preserved
cherries, etc. It should be kept in a cool place.
Plum Cake.
A raised paste should be made with three ounces of butter, ten ounces of flour and two
tablespoonfuls of sugar, three eggs, half an ounce of yeast and the requisite quantity of
milk; when risen enough turn it out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a thin,
square shape, put on a baking-sheet and place a rim of paste around the edge. Allow it to
stand for about twenty minutes and brush the top over with butter, sprinkle in a few
bitter almonds blanched and finely chopped and mixed with a quantity of cinnamon
powdered. Cut the black- plums in halves, removing the stones, and arrange on the paste
with the skin side downward and putting them so as to overlap each other, then dust
them over with caster-sugar and put the cake in a moderate oven to bake for twenty
minutes or so. When done sprinkle over with more of the caster-sugar and allow it to
become quite cold, when it should be cut up into squares of any desired size and shapes,
placed on a dish, and served.
Pop-Overs.
Mix to a smooth batter % two breakfast cupfuls of flour and milk and the yolks of a
couple of eggs, together with a teaspoonful of salt. Butter thoroughly a dozen small
earthenware jars, and place them in a pan in the oven to heat; then beat the whites of a
couple of eggs to a stiff froth, and mix in with the rest, and afterwards put the batter into
the heated, buttered jars, and set them in the oven and bake until they rise well and are of
a brown color at the sides, where they have risen above the jars; turn them out into cups,
and serve hot.
Portuguese Cake.
Beat in a basin until frothy the yolks of six eggs, and half a pound of caster-sugar; stir a
quarter of a pound of blanched almonds with the white of an egg to prevent oiling, rub
them through a sieve into a kitchen basin, (ground almonds will do as well) and mix them
with one pinch of grated orange-peel (to give zest) and the juice of three or four oranges.
When the yolks of eggs and sugar are frothy, mix in gradually a quarter of a pound of
potato-flour and the whites of six well-beaten eggs. Butter and paper a baking-sheet, pour
the mixture on this about one inch thick, and bake in a slow oven. When the cake is done,
allow it to cool, trim the surface, and mask first with a thin layer of apricot marmalade,
and then with a layer of orange-flavored icing.
Pound Cake.
Have a pound and a half of sugar and twelve ounces of butter, and work to a cream; then
add twelve well-beaten eggs, a pound and a half of sifted flour, and niace and nutmeg to
suit the taste. Form into a dough, put into small, buttered tins, and bake in a moderately
quick oven.
Citron Pound Cake.
Have a well-heated oven, cut one-fourth pound of candied citron into small pieces. Line
with buttered-paper two cake tins. Sift one pound or so of flour. Place one pound of butter
in a large bowl, work it to a cream and beat in the following ingredients each in turn; one
pound each of powdered sugar and flour, one teaspoonfui of salt, one wineglass of brandy
and eight eggs; then add the citron and bake the cake in a hot oven for about forty-five
minutes, or until a straw can be thrust into it and drawn out without being sticky.
Cocoanut Pound Cake.
Put half a pound of butter into a basin, warm and beat to a cream, mix in one pound of
caster-sugar and the grated rind of one lemon, a cupful of mik and four eggs beaten
separately. When these are mixed, add two teaspoonfuls of bicarbonate of soda and
sufficient flour to make the mixture of the required consistence; mix in the grated white
of a cocoanut, put in a sharp oven, an/d bake for half an hour.
Puff-Paste Cakes.
Prepare one pound of puff-paste of six turns, put it in a cold place for a few minutes, then
roll it out to one-fourth inch in thickness. Cut it with a sharp knife into pieces of a
rectangular shape about four inches long and two inches broad, which cut again into
halves across from one corner to the other; mark with the point of a knife in lines
converging to the square corner so as to resemble a fan. Butter a baking-tin, lay the pieces
of paste on their sides on it leaving a small space between them, and bake in a very quick
oven. Arrange them on a hot dish, dust over with sugar, and serve.
Raisin Cake.
Put one pound of butter into a basin to warm, beat it to a cream and add gradually one
pound of sifted flour, the same weight of crushed loaf sugar and the yolks of half a dozen
eggs. Stir these well, and when thoroughly mixed, add one wineglassful of brandy, a
grated nutmeg, one teaspoonfui of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in one tablespoonful of
water, and finally the whites of the six eggs whipped to a firm froth. Work until the
mixture has a light creamy appearance, then add one pound of stoned-raisins finely-
chopped and sprinkle over with one breakfast cupful of flour to make them mix more
easily. Pour the cake mixture into a tin or mould lined with well-buttered paper and bake
it for an hour and a half, when done, turn it out and it is ready for use. A few rose-leaves
steeped in brandy will add to the flavor of the cake.
Ratafias.
Small biscuits so called because made with almonds, taking their name from the liquor.
They are very nice for garnishes and are made as follows: Blanch and pound in a mortar
one-half pound each of bitter and sweet almonds, adding gradually the whites of seven
eggs. When the almonds are pounded fine sift two pounds of powdered sugar into the
mortar and work it well with the pestle. It is very important that the sugar should be
thoroughly incorporated with the other ingredients. Wash a bladder very clean, cut a
small hole at one end of it and fasten by binding a glass tube the size of a quill into it; or
use a biscuit bag. Put into the bladder or bag the ratafia paste, press it gently through the
tube and let it drop onto an egg wafer paper, dropping in the biscuits so that they do not
touch each other. Bake them on tin baking-sheets in a hot oven. Separate, trim off the egg
paper with scissors and set in a screen to dry.
Savarin Cake.
By many cooks this cake is confounded with the Baba Cake; but there is no good reason
for associating the two together. Rub three-quarters of a pound of butter into a pound and
a quarter of flour, then mix in five tablespoonfuls of sugar, four well-beaten eggs and
sufficient warm milk to make a dough. Knead it well, then mix in a quarter of a pound of
leaven. Blanch and chop very fine two ounces of sweet almonds; butter the interior of a
cake-mould and spread the chopped almonds over it, put in the cake mixture and place it
in a warm place to rise. When well risen set the cake in the oven and bake it. Put half a
pint of water in a saucepan with a quarter of a pound of sugar and boil until it is reduced
to two-thirds its original quantity, then pour in two wineglassfuls of rum, boil it up and
remove from the fire. When cooked turn the cake out of the mould onto a dish and pour
the sauce over it. It may then be served either hot or cold.
Savory Cake.
Beat four eggs, stir them with two heaped tablespoonfuls of flour, mix in one
tablespoonful of minced chives and a little salt. Butter a shallow tin, pour in the cake
mixture and bake it in a brisk oven until thoroughly browned.
Shortcakes.
Rub together half a pound of butter and a pound of flour, mixing in a quarter of a pound
of caster-sugar, a beaten egg and half a pint of milk. Dust a board with some flour and roll
out the paste quite thin, then cut into small fancy shapes, brushing over the top of each
with a paste-brush dipped in beaten white of egg, and dust some caster-sugar over the
top; then butter some tin dishes, place the cakes in them
and bake in a quick oven for about ten to twelve minutes, and serve either hot or cold, as
desired.
Peach Shortcake.
Peel one quart of ripe peaches, cut them in small pieces, mix them with a breakfast cupful
of sugar, and set them in a cool place. Rub eight ounces of butter in twelve ounces of
flour, make a hollow in the center, then pour in one breakfast cupful of ice water, and mix
it up soft. Sprinkle a little flour over a paste-board, and roll the paste out on it, folding and
rolling it out three or four times to make it flakey; gather the paste into a lump, let it
stand five minutes, then roll it about one-fourth inch in thickness, and bake it on a
baking-sheet. Split the cake into two when baked, spread some peaches and sugar on the
lower half, put the top on, the cut side up, and spread more peaches and sugar over that,
place it on a dish, and serve with cream.
Strawberry Shortcake.
Sift one and one-half pounds of flour and three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder
through a fine hair-sieve onto a marble slab, then rub in three ounces of butter until it is
perfectly smooth, add one saltspoonful of salt, a little more than one-half teacupful of
sugar, and stir in sufficient milk to form the whole into a stiff paste. Mix well, dredge the
paste lightly over with flour, and roll it out very thin. Divide the paste into six equal-sized
squares. Butter a shallow baking-dish, put in one square of the paste, spread a little butter
over it, and dredge it lightly over with flour; place another square of paste over the first
one, flour and butter that also, and proceed in the same way with the remainder. Put the
cake into a brisk oven, and bake it for about twenty minutes. When cooked, turn the cake
out of the tin, lay it on a dish, and put over it as many fresh strawberries as will cover it,
strew over some powdered sugar, and cover with another layer of cake. Finish with
alternate layers of strawberries and cake, making the last layer of strawberries, over
which sift more sugar. Whip about one pint of rich cream to a stiff froth, pile it all around
the cake, and serve.
Soda Cakes.
Mix one teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda with one pound of flour, and rub into it half a
pound of warm butter. When quite smooth, add three beaten eggs, half a pound of
currants washed and dried, half a pound of caster-sugar, and a few caraway seeds. When
thoroughly mixed, put in buttered tin, and bake.
Spice Cakes.
Put one and one-fourth pound of flour in a basin and rub in one pound of butter with the
hands until smooth, mix in one pound of well washed currants, one-fourth pound of
moist sugar, one-third of a tablespoonful of pounded spice, one-half table-
spoonful of yeast that has been dissolved in a little warm water, the beaten yolks of two
and the white of one egg, together with one wineglassful of brandy. Stir the ingredients
well and stand the mixture close to the fire, where it will rise for thirty minutes or so.
Divide the cake mixture into small portions, mould these into nicely-shaped cakes, place
them on baking-sheets and bake in a moderate oven. Leave the cakes until cold, then pile
them on a dish, and serve.
Sponge-Cakes, Large.
Boil one pound of lump sugar in a teacupful of boUing water, and when boiling pour it
over six eggs, whisk for half an hour; sift in slowly two tablespoonfuls of flour, grate the
rind of one lemon and mix in. When well worked together put in a greased mould of any
suitable shape and bake for three-quarters of an hour, or a little longer if required.
Almond Sponge Cake.
Take a sufficient quantity of sweet almonds and mix the whites of some eggs, adding a
little grated lemon rind, sugar and the yolks of fifteen or sixteen eggs, well whisked. Then
take the whites of a dozen or so eggs, whip them to a froth and stir them in; sift in slowly,
beating all the time, a small quantity of dried flour, then pour this into a tin, carefully
buttered and dusted with fine sugar, until it is half full; put it into the oven and bake for
an hour. When done turn it out and set it on the sieve to cool.
Sponge Cake, Chantilly.
Cut off the top of a stale sponge cake, scoop out the inside, leaving the wall three-quarters
of an inch thick. Put this on a glass dish, fill the hollow with one-half pound of cherries
(stoned and stalks taken off), pour over them a wineglassful of brandy, and then replace
the top of the cake. Put one-half pint of rich cream and one ounce of powdered white
sugar into a large bowl, and with an egg-whisk whip the cream to a stiff froth; add to this
six or eight drops of essence of vanilla, and pour it over the cake just before serving.
St. Honore Cake.
This exceptionally beautiful dish requires much skill and patience to prepare. Peel neatly
two medium-sized, sound, blood oranges. Separate carefully the sections to prevent
tearing the skin, for, if they should lose any of their juice they will be of little use. Lay a
sheet of paper over a tin plate, arranging the pieces of orange on top, and leave them to
dry for hours in a warm place. Wipe neatly twenty-four malaga grapes, leaving on each
one about a third of an inch of stem, so that they will remain firm while using them. Beat
up a pint and a half of sweet
vanilla cream, and lay it aside in a cool place until needed. Roll three ounces of tart-paste
into a round piece eight or nine inches in diameter. Lay it on a baking-sheet ten inches
wide, and prepare a chou-paste as follows: Put into a saucepan one gill of cold milk, with
one ounce of best butter, place it on a hot fire, and, when boiling, add at once three
ounces of well-sifted flour. Stir-briskly with the spatula all round, take it from the fire, set
it on a table, and add immediately one saltspoon-ful of powdered sugar, mixing well for
one minute more. Break an egg in it, stir briskly for one minute; break in another, mix
again, and then another, mixing all together for two minutes. Push down the pastry bag a
small tube, pour in the above preparation, and press down the top with the hands onto
the edge of the paste in the baking-sheet, so as to form an even border half an inch high,
and with the remainder of the paste press down onto another baking-sheet into twenty-
four small, round chou-pans half an inch in diameter, leaving them one inch apart. Glaze
the surfaces with a beaten egg, and place them in a brisk oven to bake for about twelve
minutes. Remove, and allow them to get thoroughly cold. Spread over the paste inside the
border two tablespoonfuls of apple marmalade; then put it in a moderate oven to bake for
twenty-five minutes. Make a paper cornet, cut off a quarter of an inch from the point, and
put into it three ounces of red currant jelly. Press this out gently, dividing it equally
among the twenty-four small chous. Make one pound of granulated sugar into a rich
syrup. Oil two square feet of the surface of a marble table and place at hand the pan
containing the syrup. Plunge one of the grapes into this, remove it immediately with a
fork and place it on the oiled table. Proceed the same with the other twenty-three, being
careful to lay them one inch apart from each other. Now dip twelve of the sections of
prepared oranges into the syrup, one at a time, and lay them on the oiled table exactly the
same as the grapes. Dip carefully the surfaces of the small chou into the syrup, and lay on
the same oiled table. Then take the St. Honore bottom in the baking-sheet, and proceed to
'arrange it as follows: With the syrup standing on the right, lift the chous up, one by one,
dipping one side of each lightly in the syrup, arranging them on top of the chou-paste
border, close together to form a crown. Should the sugar be too thick, return it to the
stove and allow it to boil up again; then take it off, and dip the thin part of the oranges
lightly in it, and lay them over the small chous, the thick part upward, each one adhering
to the other until they form a crown. Dip the tops of the grapes lightly into the same
sugar, and place one upon each joint of the oranges, with another in the center, the stems
being upward; attach to the small chous the six remaining grapes, dividing them evenly.
Arrange a fancy paper on a dessert-dish, and lay the St. Honore over it carefully; then take
the frothy part of the whipped cream, transfer it to another dish, and, with the whisk, beat
briskly for five minutes, adding half a gill of good cognac, a