A manual of home-making

AfteT it has been spread on a cake, it will form a thin enist on top and will keep moist and soft underneath for several days. This method makes a frosting known as twicer-cooked. VariaHons, L Allow a thin layer of mplted sweet chr>ct:>late to flow over the top «jf the frosting aft<T it ha^* bwn spread on the i^ake and a thin cnist has formed on the top. 2. Brown or maple sugar may be atibstituted for whit^o sugar. The sirup must be boiled to a higher temperature (2^0^ Fj before the mixture will Tench the soft-ball stage. 3. Use H cup of dark-colored strained honey and % cup of granulated sugar, or use H cup light-colored strained honey and Vi cup granulated I I I A CAKES 489 sugar. Add 3 tablespoons of water, and boil the mixture until it reaches the soft-ball stage (240** F.), or until it begins to form threads when some of it is dropped from the tines of a fork. Add the sirup to the white of egg in the manner described in Method I. This frosting stiffens but does not grain, and should be spread on the cake immediately before using. 4. Freshly grated cocoanut may be Uberally sprinkled on the top of a cake immediately after the frosting has been spread on it. 5. Chocolate frosting may be made by Recipe I for boiled frosting by adding 2 squares (2 ounces) of chocolate to the sugar and water mixture before it has been cooked. The directions given under Method I may be followed. Another method is to add melted chocolate to the white frosting after it has been beaten and is stiff enough to spread. The amount of chocolate may be varied to suit the individual taste. 6. One-half cup of chopped nuts, figs, raisins, dates, or any combination of nuts and these fruits, may be added to the frosting just bdtore spreading it on the cake. CHAPTER XXm PASTRY By Winifred Moses and Lucile Brewer Pastry is a shortened dou^h, a mixture of flour, ahortening, and liquid put together in different waj's, according to the pur- pose for which it is to be used. Three kinds are in conimoo use: (1) Plain paiitr>% in which the shortening is worked into the (lour by cutting or chopping; (2) pufT pii8tr>% in which the shortening is workcnl into the paste by folding and mlling; (3) flaky pastr>% in which the shortening is worked into the flour by a combination of these two methmls. INGREDIENTS FUmr. Pa8tr>' flour^ made from winter wheat, makes the best pastry. It differs from ordinar}' bread flour made from spring wheat in (bat it contains less ghitcn and more starch; it is softer, whiter, and more velvety. One 4>f the In^st tests for winter wheat tlour is that it easily retains the impress of the fingers, while spring wheat flour tends to fall apart as quickly as the pressure id removed. Bread Hour may l>e made to approximate pastry flour in effect by substituting two tablespoons of cornstarch for two tablespoons of Hour in each cup. Liquid, Water is used as the liquid in making pastry. It should be j nearly ice cold as possil>le, except wlien beef drippings and wa water are used* To make ptustry ten<ler, the sniallejst possible amount of water that will hold the ingredients together is u8o<l. The actual amount depends on the water-absorbing quality of 49(1 PASTRY the flour, and on the amount of fat usee! — the more fat, the less moist u re required , FaL