A text-book of cooking

General Suggestions for Steamed Quick Bread Mixtures. — A quick bread mixture that is to be steamed should be placed in a covered utensil. If the mold or the can used for steaming has no cover, an oiled paper should be tied over the top. As with all quick breads, the molds for steamed mixtures should be oiled. If the quick bread is a pour batter, the mold should be oiled and then sprinkled with flour. It should never be filled more than two thirds full. A steamer placed over boiling water may be used for the steaming; or a kettle of boiling water containing a rack may be used If the latter device is employed, the boiling water in the kettle should come halfway to the top of the molds. As the water evaporates, add more boiling water. Less time is required in the steaming, if the mold is placed directly in the water. At least one hour is required for steaming breads. The longer brown bread is steamed, the darker it becomes. A mixture in an earthen mold requires more time than does one in a tin or granite mold. (See Experiment 43, p. 100.) PLAIN BROWN BREAD 2 cupfuls graham flour | teaspoonful salt } cupful white flour 1 j teaspoonfuls baking soda $ cupful brown sugar If teaspoonfuls cream of tartar 2 cupfuls sour milk Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly. Turn the sour milk into a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients ; mix well. Turn at once into an oiled bread pan, and bake in the oven from 50 to 60 minutes; or fill one-pound baking powder cans (which have been oiled) two thirds full, and steam at least 4 hours. If the bread is steamed, remove it (after steaming) from the molds and dry in the oven for a few minutes. BOSTON BROWN BREAD 1 cupful rye meal 2 teaspoonfuls baking soda 1 cupful corn meal 2 teaspoonfuls cream of tartar 1 cupful graham flour 2 cupfuls sour milk } teaspoonful salt i cupful molasses Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly. Turn the molasses and sour milk into a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients ; mix well. Turn at once into oiled molds, and steam at least 4 hours. Remove from the molds, and dry in the oven for a few minutes. Graham flour may be substituted for the rye meal. BROWN BREAD WITH RAISINS 2 cupfuls corn meal 2J teaspoonfuls cream of tartar 2 cupfuls bread crumbs 2 cupfuls sour milk 1 teaspoonf ul salt 1 cupful molasses 2\ teaspoonfuls baking soda 1 cupful raisins If dried bread crumbs are used, moisten them with a little cold water before adding to the other ingredients. Cut the raisins in two and sprinkle flour over them. Mix all the ingredients as directed in the recipes above, adding the raisins last. Steam and dry as in the above recipe. * BUTTER BALLS Cut firm butter into half-ounce pieces and place in a pan of ice water. Scrub the butter paddles ; place in boiling water for 10 minutes; and then in the pan of ice water until chilled. Place a piece of butter on one of the paddles and hold the paddle stationary. Shape the butter with the other butter paddle, moving it in a circular direction. Hold the paddle over the ice water while shaping. Place the butter balls in a cool place. What gas is formed in these mixtures to leaven them ? By what means is the gas formed in each mixture ? How much baking soda and cream of tartar should be used in a recipe containing 2 cupfuls of flour, 1 cupful of sour milk, and 1 cupful molasses ? Account for the quantity of baking soda used in each of the Brown Bread recipes. Give two reasons why the paper used to cover a steamed quick bread mixture should be oiled. Why are molds for steamed mixtures filled only two thirds full ? Why should boiling water be used to replenish the water in steaming kettle ? Why is a longer time required for steaming than for baking quick bread mixtures ? Why should butter paddles be cleaned with a brush rather than with a cloth ?