A practical cook and text book for general use

Gems of Entire Wheat Flour No. i. Put three level teacups of sifted entire wheat in your mixing bowl, and two teacups cold water ; stir and beat to a smooth batter, then add from one-half to a whole cup of cold water to make it the consistency of sponge cake. Beat thoroughly two or three minutes in fresh air if possible, fill the hot gem pans and put in a hot oven. In twenty-five or thirty minutes they will be done, and as light as the conventional "pop-overs." Remove them carefully from the pans, and let them stand on a plate five minutes or more before serving. If your oven heats very hot on the bottom, do not have the gem pan "hissing hot," as the crust will be too hard. If the gems fall from the top crust, they were not quite stiff enough ; if too moist when opened let them cool longer. They should present a fine, spongy appearance. When cold put in covered pail or jar. They may be eaten cold or warmed on the oven grate ; or dip them in cold water and lay in a warm gem pan ; cover with a long tin plate and when heated through they will be better than the fresh gems. Gems No. 2. Measure three level teacups of entire wheat flour, and mix with it one heaping table-spoonful of finely crushed nuts, — pecan, walnut, Brazil nut, magnolia, or any kind preferred ; add two cups cold water, beat or stir to a smooth batter ; then add one-half cup or more cold water to make the batter like sponge cake. Incorporate all the fresh air possible in two or three minutes' beating and stirring, or until it is full of air bubbles ; fill the hot gem pans, and put at once into a hot oven. Bake and treat as in the preceding recipe. Gems No. 3. Into three level teacups of entire wheat flour, put two teacups of cold water, and one level tablespoonful of liquid vegetable butter ; stir and beat all the lumps out, then add water sufficient to make a thin batter ; beat to a cream, or until full of air bubbles ; fill the hot gem pans and bake twenty-five or thirty minutes in a hot oven. Do not scorch them. Gems No. 4. Into three cups of entire wheat put one heaping table-spoonful of finely cut raisins, dates or whole sweet currants and one dessert-spoonful of melted cocoanut butter ; mix them with a spoon and complete the process as in the preceding recipe. Banana Gems. Peel and beat to a cream one ripe banana and one tablespoonful of liquid vegetable butter ; add to this three level teacups of sifted entire wheat flour, and two teacups of cold water ; beat and stir until smooth, then add water to make it a little thicker than sponge cake, and incorporate all the fresh air possible in two or three minutes' vigorous beating and stirring. Fill the hot gem pans, and bake half an hour. Treat as other gems, but let them cool for ten minutes before serving. Blueberry Gems. Put three level teacups entire wheat flour in your mixing bowl, two and a half teacups strained blueberry juice, one level table-spoonful liquid vegetable butter, one level table-spoonful sugar, or twice that quantity of date or raisin juice ; stir and beat into a smooth cream, then add sufficient cold water to make it a little thicker than sponge cake batter. Drop into a hot gem pan, and bake thirty minutes in a quick oven. Cocoanut Gems. Into three level teacups of entire wheat flour, mix thoroughly one heaping tablespoonful of freshly grated cocoanut ; add to this two teacups of very cold water and beat to a smooth batter ; add nearly a cup of cold water to thin the batter, and beat until full of air; fill hot gem pans and bake in a hot oven half an hour or until done. If " conditions are right " all the above gems will be as light and delicate as " pop overs," and this obviates the necessity for using baking powder, yeast, chemicals or eggs in gems.