BREAD AND CAKE BAKING: (continued 2)

To Open Cocoanuts.

Have a hard wooden block; it should have a hollow, so the cocoanut will lay in a little. Take a sharp hatchet, and with the corner chip off a piece of the shell at the ends where the holes are, when the balance of the shell may be easily taken off by chipping off in small pieces. Turn the nut occasionally while chipping off. Then wash the hands clean and pare off the fine skin with a sharp knife or “spoke shave.”

To Prevent Windows Being Frosted.

Wash with brandy or alcohol.

Taffy.

Take 1 gal. N. O. molasses, 2½ lbs. white sugar, ½ lb. fresh butter; boil, and when it gets thick, stir to prevent burning. Boil to a crack, which may be known by taking out a little on the end of the stick, previously dipping the end of the stick in water, then dip in right cold water again. If it cracks while attempting to squeeze it in the hand, it has boiled sufficient. Pour this upon a marble slab that has been previously cleaned and slightly greased. There should be square iron or steel rods laid around the edges, to prevent the mass running off the slab. Do not handle it until the edges of the mass commence to harden; then with both hands lay each side of the taffy to the middle of the mass. Let it remain in this manner until it is cool enough to be handled; then pull it until light. Have a little flour at hand, and flour the hands to prevent the mass from sticking. Pull the taffy on a large iron hook fastened well to a post, and known as a “candy hook;” grease the hook very lightly. If the mass is handled or stirred much before it is ready to pull, it is liable to “grain.” When ready to pull, do so briskly for a short time. If it should appear to “fall to pieces” when put on the hook, the slab has been greased too heavy. In this case keep pulling the mass for a short time, no difference if it does appear to be rotten, and it will be all right. If the taffy is intended to be made into sticks, boil until the mass will not stick to the teeth while chewing. If it is desired to have it striped, let a little of the mass lie on the slab until the others are pulled, roll that which has been pulled to a short stick, and lay the other on this in long strips, an even distance apart. Now take hold of one end of the roll with the right hand, and pull it out lengthwise until the desired thickness is obtained, then pinch or cut it off, twist the stick a little and roll until round, and so continue on with the rest, rolling those that have been pulled first, to keep them in a round shape; sprinkle a little pulverized sugar on the bench before rolling out; for a small quantity a pan may be used instead of a marble slab, when the slab is not to be had. This taffy will not keep well in summer.

Apple Jelly.

Take tart apples, wash them clean, and cut each apple in three or four pieces; put them into a kettle with only sufficient water to cover them. When they have boiled right soft, throw them into a close willow basket, and allow the juice to drain through into a clean tub or other vessel. Boil the apples in the evening, and let them drain through until next morning. To each quart of juice take 1½ lbs. best white sugar, put into a clean copper or porcelain-lined kettle, and boil until it jellies, which may be known by putting a little in a saucer and setting on ice or cold water. While boiling, skim the jelly with a skimmer. It may also be colored a brilliant red or yellow.

A great amount of the jelly now sold in tumblers for currant, raspberry, quince, orange, &c., is nothing but apple jelly colored and flavored with the various extracts.

Currant Jelly.

Take currants that are right ripe; to each pint of juice use 1 lb. best white sugar, boil briskly, and skim while boiling. It should not boil longer than about twenty minutes, or it will become stringy. Wash the kettle out clean before boiling again. When making jellies be careful not to allow them to boil over. If not red enough, aniline coloring may be used, but care should be taken not to use too much, as it is poisonous.

Virgin Yeast, No. 1.

Fill a clean candy jar half full of stock yeast, put it on a shelf near the ceiling where it is moderately warm, and where it will not be disturbed, cover air tight and allow it to stand three days, when it is ready for use. (Put into the jar just after the malt is put in and before the stock yeast is in.)

Virgin Yeast, No. 2.

Two oz. hops, 1½ lbs. flour, 1½ gall. water; let the hops boil in the water fifteen minutes; scald the flour with some of the hop water and make a soft, smooth paste, stirring it well, then strain on the balance of the hop water; when milkwarm put in a heaping tablespoonful of salt and 1 of brown sugar; stir well; put in a crock, set in a moderately warm place and allow it to set three days. Boil 2 lbs. pared potatoes, mash and add them, and let stand another day.

Aniline Coloring.

Put aniline in alcohol, shake well, and allow it to stand a few days. Care should be taken in using this, as it is poisonous.

Yellow Coloring.

Mix gamboge with a little water in a saucer. This is also said to be poisonous, but when used in small quantities will do no harm.

Prepared colors made especially for bakers and confectioners, are generally to be had in a confectioners’ furnishing store.

Macaroons.

Two lbs. almonds that have been blanched and dried, 4 lbs. dry white sugar, about 23 whites of eggs. Rub the almonds and whites of eggs in a stone mortar, then work in the sugar well, run out on brown paper laid on a pan and bake in a very cool oven.

Small Charlotte Russe.

Beat up a pound mixture as mentioned for sponge cakes. Spread about ¼ or ½ thick on a sheet of brown paper laid on a pan, bake it light; when cool cut out, and line small tin cups with this, and join with icing. Allow it to dry in the cups, then take out and fill with whipped cream. Have the best of cream; put it into a tin bucket, and set the bucket on some broken ice, putting a little salt on the ice first, and stirring it well. Beat up the cream with the egg beater, and add sufficient pulverized sugar to sweeten. Flavor with extract of vanilla. This should be made shortly before it is wanted.

******

It is my purpose at some future time to enlarge this work. I would therefore be thankful to any person disposed to give me useful information in regard to baking, &c.

Respectfully,

The Author.

INDEX.

Almond Puffs, 43

Aniline Coloring, 61

Apple Cake, 17

Apple Pie, 48

Apple Jelly, 61

Articles and Utensils--where to procure, 19

Bakeshop, the, 7

Baking with Fleischmann’s Compressed Yeast, 18

Bread, 8

Brown Scotch, No. 1, 31

Brown Scotch, No. 2, 31

Brown Jumbles, 32

Buns, 15

Candy Ornaments, for Macaroon Pyramid, 42

Chocolate Sponge Drop, 34

Chocolate Ice Cream, 57

Cinnamon Cake, 16

Citron Cake, 39

Cocoanut Custard Pie, 50

Cranberry Pie, 48

Cream Puffs, 29

Crullers, 38

Cup Cake, 31

Currant Cake, 39

Currant Jelly, 61

Custard for Cream Puffs, 30

Doughnuts, 17

Drop Cake, 26

Family Baking, 51

Family Yeast, 53

Ferment, 11

Ferment, without Stock Yeast, 18

Ferment for Family Baking, 52

French Bread, 14

Fruit Cake, 23

Ginger Cakes, 39

Ginger Snaps, 37

Ginger S’s, 38

Graham Bread, 14

Gum Paste for a Pyramid, 58

Hints on Making Cakes, 19

Ice Cream, 54

Icing, 43

Jelly Cake, 26

Jelly Roll, 36

Jenny Lind Cakes, 35

Lady Cake, 22

Lady Fingers, 27

Large Sponge Cake, 26

Lemon Ice Cream, 57

Lemon Pie, No. 1, 49

Lemon Pie, No. 2, 50

Lemon Cake, 28

Macaroons, 63

Macaroon Pyramid, 40

Making Dough, 12

Making Dough, Family Baking, 53

Mince Pie, 49

Molasses Cup Cake, 33

Molasses Pound Cake, 36

Mountain Cake, 23

Orange Water Ice, 58

Pan Cakes, 54

Paris Cakes, 25

Pie Crust, 47

Pine Apple Ice Cream, 57

Pine Apple Water Ice, 58

Potato Cake, 54

Pound Cake, 21

Puff Paste, 40

Pumpkin Custard Pie, 50

Red “Sugar Sand”, 59

Remarks, 5

Rolls, 16

Rough and Readys, 37

Rusks or Light Cakes, 15

Rye Bread, 13

Scrap Cake, 39

Setting Sponge, 53

Small Charlotte Russe, 63

Small Sponge Cake, 30

Soda Biscuit, No. 1, 46

Strawberry Ice Cream, 57

Stock Yeast, 9

Sponge Biscuit, 29

Sugar Cake, 39

Substitute for Whites of Eggs in making Icing, 45

Taffy, 59

Tarts, 47

Taylor Cakes, No. 1, 34

Taylor Cakes, No. 2, 34

To Open Cocoanuts, 59

To Prevent Windows being Frosted, 59

To Set Sponge, 11

To Make an Egg Beater, 42

Twist, 15

Virgin Yeast, No. 1, 61

Virgin Yeast, No. 2, 61

Wash to impart a Gloss to Buns, Rolls, &c, 17

Water Icing, 45

White Jumbles, 31

White Scotch Cakes, 33

Wine Cake, 33

Yellow Coloring, 61