INFORMATION EXCHANGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21921, 3 October 1934, Page 5

INFORMATION EXCHANGED

ANSWERS FROM READERS

CONDUCTED BY FEMINA Sponge Banana Cake In response to an inquiry for banana sponge cake from " C.A.," the following has been received. —Beat three eggs and one teacup sugar together till light and thick, then stir in one ounce grated chocolate. Mix together one large cup flour, half teaspoon baking soda, and one teaspoon cream of tartar, and stir them into eggs and sugar. Add three tablespoons boiling water. Mix well and bake in a good oven. When done cut the cake in two equal pieces and spread one with thinly sliced bananas, having first soaked the slicing for half hour-one hour in some orange juice, draining them from the juice and sprinkling thein with some fine brown sugar before putting in the cake. Cover the layer of fruit with the other cake half, and it is ready. If preferred the bananas might be mashed up with a few spoonsfull of orange juice and enough brown sugar to taste, and so spread on the cake layer. Just enough orange juice should be used in this case to keep mixture as a. firm paste. Another recipe for banana cake, 6ent in by "Interested," is as follows: — Quarter lb. butter, one cup sugar, one and a-half cups flour, one egg, three mashed bananas, one teaspoon baking sorla dissolved in three tablespoons milk. Beat butter aftd sugar to a aream, add eggs and beat, then flour and mashed banana, then milk and soda. Bake in moderate oven one hour. For the frosting take one dessertspoon butter, one tablespoon cream or milk, essence vanilla, one cup brown sugar. Boil all till sugar melts, remove from fire, beat till thick and spread. evenly on cake. Cleaning Panama Hat To clean a panama hat " Query " (Kingsland) is advised by " M.C.8." (Epsom) to make a paste of powdered magnesia and cold water. Then rub the paste well into the hat with an old toothbrush. When the hat is thoroughly dry, brush it hard with a dry brush and you will be amazed at the result. Furniture Oil "Theo" (Epsom) asks for directions for making a furniture oil to rub on articles —not a sticky one. Grystalised Plums A recipe for crystalised cherry plums to use as a substitute for real cherries (crystalised) is asked for by " 8.C." (Pipiroa). To Make Yeast Directions for making home-made yeast hfc,ve been sent in by "Theo" (Epsom), in answer to "Countrywoman's" inquiry. One recipe is as follows: —Put one ounce of hops in a pint of cold water, boil ten minutes. Mix with two tablespoons of flour, two of sugar, ono of salt. Strain into a bottle and let stand 24 hours. Another recipe also provided by the same correspondent is as follows: —Take half a pint of water, two dessertspoons sugar, two dessertspoons flour. Mix well, bottle and cork tightly. Stand 1~ hours. It is then ready for use.. E.D. (Onehunga) has sent w similar directions and "Interested" (East Tamaki) has also been good enough to forward a recipe. . M.H. (Auckland) sends m directions which are for 9, yeast which she considers well suited to the warm climate of the Auckland Province. It is a strong yeast, she writes, and using it half a

teacup of this to one quart of milk or water is sufficient usually in making bread, etc. Boil two ounces of hops in four quarts of water for half an hour. Then strain off liquor and let it cool till lukewarm. Next dissolve in it half a pound sugar and one tablespoon salt; then stir in gradually one pound flour till nice and smooth. Leave it to stand now for three days and then stir in three pounds boiled and mashed potatoes. Leave it to stand over night. Next day strain off the liquor; which may be used', at once, but will keep for about three months if stored in bottles (preferably old wine bottles) in a cool place. M.C.B. (Epsom) has sent the following directions for making a yeast starter which she has used for years. Take one quart water, one handful hops, two tablespoons flour, three tablespoons sugar. Boil hops in quart of water half an hour after coming to the boil. Strain into basin. Blend flour and sugar together and pour some boiling water on it (say, a cupful) then stir this into the strained hops and let stand until lukewarm. Bottle and cork and put in warm place for a day or two. It is better to use clear bottles, as you can then see when it is working and know when to remove from the heat. Fill bottles not quite three-quarters full so as to allow for working. To prepare yeast for setting a sponge at night M.C.B. advises peeling a fnoderate-sized potato in the middle of the day and grating it on a coarse grater. Put into small saucepan and pour one pint of boiling water on it. Set saucepan on the stove and lot conio to the boil. Have ready, mixed with a little water in a basin, one tablespoon sugar, two tablespoons flour and pour the boiling water and potato on to it. Mix well. Let cool and when lukewarm add half a cupful of starter prepared in the usual way. Put into bottle and set in warm place. It will bo ready to set sponge at night.