CAKES AND PASTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5474, 31 December 1904, Page 11

CAKES AND PASTRY

Lemon Sponge Cake. —Take the yolks of 4 eggs and beat with 2 cupsfnl of castor sugar till quite smooth. Whip the whites to a stiff froth and add to the yolks and sugar, then beat in slowly 1 cupful of dried and sifted flour, and the grated rind iof a large lemon. Lino a cake tin with buttered paper, pour in the cake and bake for half an hour in a hot oven. Lemon curd is delicious for tarts. To make, mix together the juioe of six lemons, the grated rind of four, 11b of l:>af sugar, the yolks of six eggs and a fib of butter. 'i>tir over the fire till the sugar is dissolved and it begins to thicken. i Meringues,—Whisk the whites of 6 eggs to a stiff froth. 1 then mix 6 tablespoons--1 ful of iomg sugar quickly and thoroughly into the froth. Place a sheet of white paper slightly greased on a board, and with a tablespoon lay out tho mixture into heaps about the size of an egg and 2 inches apart, taking care that they are as near as possible the same shape and size. Shake a little sugar over them and put in a moderate oven at once. When tho meringues are a straw colour and hard to touch take them out'and remove I the paper carefully, then press the inside in with a small spoon and replace them in the oven on a baking sheet to dry for lan hour or more. The oven must only t be just warm; in fact, it is best to leave I the door open. When the meringues are cold whip some cream flavoured with vanilla or any flavouring one may fancy. Fill the hollow of each meringue with it, and put them in pairs by placing together the under side of each. Serve on glass dish. These meringue cases (without the cream) will last for a long time if put in a biscuit tin. An Excellent Short Paste.—soz clarified beef dripping (or butter) and lib flour. Flour your hands, then put the flour (dry and sifted) in a basin and cut up the fat. Rub it into the flour until all is crumbly, flouring tho hands when necessary. Mix to a stiffisfl dough with warm water, place on a floured paste board. Roll with a floured roller as quickly and lightly as possible. Suitable for tarts, tartlets, puffs, etc. If more pastry is made than is required, it will keep tor two or three days if covered with flour and placed in a crock or tin. If well made in a coo) place this pastry is beautifully short ana light. Burton Jam Puffs.—Roll out the above pastry fairly thin and cut into pieces 5 inches long by 2 inches wide. Spread onehalf with jam (not a liquid jam for choice) or lemon cheese cake, wet the edges, fold over, press and trim with a paste jagger. Bake in a quick oven. Servo hot or cold, powdered with castor sugar. If made the right shape and piled two and two on each other on a lace paper these puffs make an inexpensive but generally appreciated sweet. Round Scones.—llb flour, 2oz butter, loz sugar, ioz carbonate of soda, Jcz cream of tartar, half pint sweet milk. Mix the dry things on a sheet of paper, and pass through a sieve into a basin, then rub in the butter very finely. Divide the dough into three pieces, make each piece very smooth on top, and the size of a small dinner plate. Glaze over with yolk of egg mixed with a spoonful of milk and a very little castor sugar. Quick oven for ten minutes. For a Good Short Crust. —Take lib of self-raising flour and mix with it a good pinch of salt and loz of sifted sugar. Take 6oz of clarified beef dripping and rub it well into the flour, then mix with tepid water as lightly as possible. Use a knife for mixing, but finish with the hands, and make the pastry as dry as possible. Swiss Sponge Cake.—Boat the whites and yokes of 6 eggs separately, and to the yolks add 2 cups of castor sugar, with tho grated rind of a lemon. Beat ■J cups of sifted flour lightly in, and at. the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs and, finally, the juice of a small lemon. Turn into a greased tin, and bake in a slow oven lor an hour, turning the tin round occasionally, so that it may rise evenly. Wine Cakes.—Required: lib of brown sugar, 3oz of butter, powdered cinnamon, cloves' and allspice to taste, 3oz of treacle, two beaten eggs, a small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, and enough flour to make all into a drop batter. Mix all thoroughly, and drop on to a baking sheet. Bake carefully;. When cool put together with white icing. Rice Cake.—Required: 11b fionr. Jib of rice flour, Jib sugar. Jib butter, four eggs, two teaspoonsful of baking powder, one ’teaspoonful essence of vanilla, salt and milk. Beat the butter to a cream, add the yolks of the. eggs and tee sugar, beat very lightly. Then add the flour, baking powder, pinch of salt, vanilla and sufficient milk to make a nice thick hatter. Beat up the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and add them last. Mix all very lightly, and bake for two hours in a moderate oven.