COOKERY CORNER

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4220, 6 December 1939, Page 4

COOKERY CORNER

MERINGUE—A FINISH TO SWEETS. Meringue gives a pleasant and pretty finish to many summer sweets, and it has the advantage that it can be used hot or cold. Although it contains few ingredients and is simple to make, meringue is far too often leathery, or overcrisp, instead of melting in the mouth. The secret of success lies in the beating and the baking. To cover a pudding for three or four people, two whites of eggs and three tablespoons of fine castor sugar will be required; a few drops of vanilla essence are an improvement. First whisk the egg whites until they are stiff and there is no moisture to be seen. Fold in the sugar gradually, beating the egg as this is done. If the sugar is added too quickly the egg white is liable to fall, and it is then difficult to stiffen it up again. Do not stop beating until the eggs are smooth, stiff and glossy. Add the vanilla towards the end. Spread the meringue on the pudding, sift with icing sugar, and put in a cool oven for a few minutes until the meringue feels crisp to the touch on top and is tinged biscuit colour. Do not on any account let it get brown. If the pudding is to be a cold one the meringue can be decorated with cherries, strips of angelica, or blanched almonds before it is put in the oven. This meringue may be put on any kind of open fruit or custard tart to give an extra finish, or in stewed fruit when there is no cream available.

Meringue shells to be filled with cream, or nut or chocolate meringues, can be made with the same mixture. Put spoonfuls on a baking sheet' covered with rice paper, or force through a tube. For chocolate meringues add two tablespoons of chocolate powder. For nut meringues add three ounces of finely chopped walnuts or almonds, or some desiccated coconut. If cream meringues are wanted, scrape out a little of the inside and fill with whipped cream. These small meringues should not be allowed to colour at all. The oven must be very cool, as they should only dry. If necessary leave the oven door open and let them take about an hour to get crisp. BETTER PIE CRUSTS. All of the books tell us that perfect pastry should have these three qualities: Tenderness, crispness and flakiness. But I’ve tasted so many pie crusts that could best be described as brittle, bready or oily. By dint of considerable experimentation we’ve discovered that the answer to success in pastry making lies in a few simple precautions. Here they are:— Flour: Be sure to sift the flour before measuring. Cake flour makes tenderer pastry than bread flour. If you haven’t any on hand, substitute two tablespoons of cornflour for two tablespoons of the flour in every cup , of bread our used. Salt: Add a full teaspoon of salt to two cups of flour. Fat: Use lard for your pastry. It has greater shortening value than

any other fat, blends more quickly and gives fine flavour. You can use only one half-cup lard to two cups flour where you must use two-thirds cup of any other fat for similar results.

Water: Use very cold water and measure it. Teo much cold water is the reason for most tough pastry. Mixing: Mix quickly and lightly. A wire pastry blenderer costs only 6d and is a handy little device. Rolling: Lightly is the word. Use only a little flour and roll with as little pressure as possible. Baking: Quickly is the secret. A 425 degree F. oven is just right. For spring and summer feature cold, one crust pies. Bake in a single pie shell while you’re washing breakfast dishes and Have it ready for the evening meal. Fill It with fresh berries or peaches and top with whipped cream. These pies are easy, refreshing and perfectly delicious—2 cups pastry flour, -1 cup lard, 1 teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons ice water. Sift and measure flour and resift with salt. Mix in fat with two knives or pastry blender. Add water gradually, pressing dough together. Roll lightly on floured board. For pie shell fit over back of pan, prick liberally and bake at 425 degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes. WELSH CHEESE CAKES. To make Welsh cheese cakes first of all make enough short crust pastry to line the required number of patty tins, taking care to grease the tins thoroughly before lining them with the pastry. Then put a spoonful of raspberry jam into the bottom of each lined tin and three-quarters fill the tins with Welsh cheese cake mixture, which is made as follows: Cream together one ounce of butter and two ounces of sugar. Then beat in two ounces of flour, to which has been added half a teaspoon of baking powder and one egg. Flavour the mixture with a little vanilla or grated lemon rind, and bake the cakes in a moderate oven for 20 minutes. NUT TARTS.

These tarts keep a long time and provide an excellent sweet. Measure J lb each of butter, flour, sugar and ground nuts. Mix these • thoroughly with a quarter of a teaspoon of each of the following: Ground heads of cloves, ground coffee, chopped lemon rind, and powdered cinnamon. When thoroughly worked in break two eggs into centre and go on working. Divide mixture in four, roll out two portions to about Jin thick, shape with the hands and put into round sandwich tins which need not be greased. Bake in a medium oven for about ten minutes. Warm some plum jam and when the tarts are ready spread this on them. Roll out remaining pastry and cover tarts with interlacing strips. Brush with egg and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake another ten minutes. Do not turn out until cold. It is essential to use plum jam, as the sharp taste counteracts the richness.