A manual of home-making

Bakinjx |xiwder in a mixture of soda and an acid which wi yield u gas when fiqiiid is added. The acid constituent varies with the type of the baking jrowder. It may be an acid tar- trate, a phospliale, or an almnrniim salt. Most commercial baking powders contain a third ingredient, starch, wliieh ab- sorbs moisture and so prevents any premature reaction between tlie soda and the acicL All fjaking powders, whether home- made or commercial, Mhonld iie kept in a closely covered jar. Baking powder is generally used in a mixture in which siweet milk is used a8 the liquid. Tv a tea«^|x>onH of baking fjowdef mil leaven one cup of flotir if no eggs are used. If «*ggs are us€?d| the total amount of ilie baking powder may be tiecreased 34 teaspoon for each rgg used. It is possible to make baking powder at home by combining cream of tartar and .soda in the correct proportions. It is not, however* entirely practicalile. because of the difficulty in lieing accurate in measuring and tliorough in mixing. The correct proportion, by mc^asure, to combine is 2} 2 parts of cream tartar to 1 part of baking soda anti }i part of cornstarch; by weight, 2^/io parts of cream of tartar, lo 1 part of soda and J^2 P^i** f^f cornstarch. The ingredients should be very care* fully measured and thoroughly mixed by sifting. YemL Yeast is discussed under yeast breads, page 497. i Eggs. Eggs give firmness of texture, lightness, and richness to bat- ters and doughs. Also they act as a leavening agent by entrap* ping air as they are beaten. When heated, the albumen, hke the gluten of wlieat Hour, liardefis and helps to form a framew*ork to hold up the other ingredients. The tendency is opposite to that of fat» since eggs tend to bind together the ingrediexits, and fat tends to separate them. Preserved eggs that have a good flavor and odor may be used. One egg may be consideredi BATTERS AND DOUGHS All the equivalent of J-^ teaspoon of baking powder in leavening power. Shoriemng. Fats, such as butter, butter 8ubBtitutes> knl, lard mibstitutes, tried-out meat fats, f*hickerj fjit, aud olive und cut torij^eed oils, are used for shurteniniij. YvlI iuakp8 the texture of battel's and doughs tnore .eiose-grained and more tender than they would otherwise iie. It also improves the flavor in mo8t cases. Mut- ton fat may l>e used satisfactorily under certain conditions (page 521). Fat necessitates the use of more leavening, since it oils the particles of flour anrl makes it easy for the gas to escape. A cake rnatle with a small amount of fat will l>e porous and will dry out quickly. Too much fat will make the cak©J heavy and cause it to crund>le* If nielttnl fat is added to a cak€ batter, it should not be hot, since hot fat is likely to make a cake tough, coarse-grained, and heavy. Since fats vaiy in their water-content, proper substitution cannot be made by using ef|ui\'alent amounts. One cup of butter is equivalent to: 1 cup of lard or lard sulw stitute miims 2 tablespoons; 1 cup of chicken fat; 1 cup of cottonseed or olive oil minus 2 tablesptmns. If cream is usefl in place of milk, the fat-content must be allowetl for in metLsuring the shfirtenitig. One cup of 18 per cent cream is equivalent to % euf> t)f milk plus 3I2 tablespoons of fat. One cup of 40 per cent cream is equivalent to ^2 ^^P o^ milk plus 7H tablespoons of fat. Sugar,