The encyclopædia of practical cookery

CORNFLOUR. — Sometimes known as Corn-meal or Indian-meal. This is a fine Hour made by grinding the kernels of Indian-corn. Since its introduction into this country it has steadily gained favour amongst all classes until it has become a staple commodity here, due in a great measure to the excellent quality of the Cornflour introduced and the innumerable dishes to which it can be applied. Preparations of Indian-corn have reached us under various titles, such as Coralline, Hominy, Maizena, Oswego, Polenta, and others, each being of sufficient importance to be described under a special heading. Cornflour, or fine corn-meal as it is sometimes called, is prepared by rubbing Indian-corn or maize between stones until all the hard outside shell of the corn is removed and only the soft, floury kernel remains ; this is then further ground into flour, or fine meal. Cornflour is frequently mixed or blended with other flours or ground starches ; but that supplied by such a firm as Brown and Poison would probably be quite pure flour of the Indiancorn. The value of Cornflour as a food has been disputed, the impression prevailing that if continued it is injurious. Letheby writes something to that effect of the grain ; but other chemists declare that it contains more fatty oil than anj other cereal, although somewhat poorer than wheat in albumenoid, or flesh-forming matter. Anyhow it is much consumed all over the world, and is very useful to the cook and confectioner, as the following receipts will testify. It has a sweet taste, somewhat insipid to those who are unaccustomed to it, but by others declared to be more delicious than any other meal. Cornflour Batter Cakes. — Put lib. of Cornflour in a basin with lib. of wheat-flour, 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder, Cornflour — continued. and 1 pinch of salt. Stir gradually into the above ingredients lqt. of milk or milk-and-water, then add 1 teacupful of melted lard. When well mixed and smooth, spread the mixture out on iron plates in thin cakes (see Fig. 521), and fry them over a slow fire ; turn when cooked on one side, and cook the other. These cakes are very nice when eaten hot. Cornflour Blanc-mange. — Boil 1 pint of milk with 3oz. of loaf sugar ; mix 2 table-spoonfuls of Cornflour in a cup with a little cold water, stir it in with the boiling milk, and boil it a few minutes. When off the fire, beat in 1 table-spoonful Fig. 522. Cornflour Blanc-mange. of butter, add salt to taste and any flavouring ; wet the inside of a suitable mould with cold water and pour in the preparation. When cold, turn out and garnish with preserved fruits (see Fig. 522). Cornflour Breakfast Cakes. — (1) Mix together lqt. of sifted Cornflour, 1 teacupful of wheat-flour, and 1 tablespoonful of salt; then stir in gradually lqt. of warm water, thus making a soft dough ; put a cloth over the pan and leave it till morning. Next day, dissolve 1 saltspoonful of bicarbonate of soda in 1 pint of warm milk-and-water, and with this mixture reduce the dough to a batter, stirring it very hard. Cover the batter, and place it in front of the fire to rise for fifteen minutes. Put a small piece of lard in a frying-pan, melt it, put in the batter in the shape of small crumpets, and fry them, turning with a knife when brown on one side. When cooked, put the cakes on a hot dish, and serve them. These cakes can be eaten with either dripping, butter, or treacle.