The next two lessons on baking may be devoted to
the making and baking of short pastry. The best fat
for children’s use is good fresh hard dripping or
* vegetaline,’ which may be cut up very finely with a
broad flat knife, and never touched with the hands.
The proportion of ij oz. of fat to 3 oz. of flour is the
most successful, and then a little baking-powder may
be used. Great care must be exercised not to allow
the children to mess it about with their hands.
The teacher may show the class that fingers can be
used to rub in fat as well as showing them that the fat
can be cut up with a knife, but it is well to let children
practise the latter only at the first lesson.
The addition of the water is often a great difficulty,
but a teaspoonful of water✪ Short Pastry to each ounce of flour is the
best proportion, though it must be varied if the flour is
damp or the dripping hard. Some teachers use a
46
INSTRUCTION IN COOKERY
wooden spoon for mixing, but it is much easier for the
children to mix it dry or 4 short ’ with a knife than with
a spoon, but it must be a broad-bladed knife. At the
first lesson the children should always make turnovers
or flat tarts, such as treacle tarts baked in flat tin plates.
The treacle may be stiffened by the addition of about
^ oz. of white bread crumbs in which a little ginger
has been mixed.
Jam turnovers may be made by cutting a round the
size of a saucer, and folding it by the lines with a little
jam✪ Jam Turnovers in the middle. It may be turned over and brushed
with sugar and water. This gives it a glazed appear-
ance much admired by the pupils. At the next practice
of pastry more ambitious things may be taught. The
teacher should again demonstrate pastry-making and
the preparation of the fruit for a fruit tart ; the cutting
of the strips for the edge, and the making of the edge
nicely. The easiest way to do this is to make it with
a fork. These pies can be very successfully baked in
the small gill pie dishes, and if they are to be served
at dinner, it is well to have a little extra fruit stewed
separately.
Small cakes and scones may be made at almost any
lesson when the oven is free, and the children, of
course, love these dearly, and they find a ready sale.
The bread lesson, which is the last of the baking
series, is dealt with fully in Chapter II. The following
points should be emphasized in baking lessons :
Baking is cooking in a hot oven by dry heat.
A very hot oven is required for pastry and bread.
A moderate oven for small cakes and for baking meat.
A slow oven for large cakes and milk puddings.
The oven must be the right heat at the moment the
food is put in.
THE PROCESSES OF COOKERY
47
If the ventilator is pulled out the food will be browner
and crisper.
If it is becoming too brown it may be covered with
paper.
The oven door must never be banged, and never be
opened wide suddenly.
Boiling Lessons — The boiling of fish and potatoes
might well be demonstrated at the first lesson, and the
boiling of meat and potatoes and root vegetables at
the second lesson; the steaming of potatoes should
also be taught.
Page 20 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1908. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The next two lessons on baking may be devoted to the making and baking of short pastry. The best fat for children’s use is good fresh hard dripping or * vegetaline,’ which may be cut up very finely with a broad flat knife, and never touched with the hands. The proportion of 1½ oz. of fat to 3 oz. of flour is the most successful, and then a little baking-powder may be used. Great care must be exercised not to allow the children to mess it about with their hands.
The teacher may show the class that fingers can be used to rub in fat as well as showing them that the fat can be cut up with a knife, but it is well to let children practise the latter only at the first lesson.
The addition of the water is often a great difficulty, but a teaspoonful of water to each ounce of flour is the best proportion, though it must be varied if the flour is damp or the dripping hard. Some teachers use a
wooden spoon for mixing, but it is much easier for the children to mix it dry or 4 short ’ with a knife than with a spoon, but it must be a broad-bladed knife. At the first lesson the children should always make turnovers or flat tarts, such as treacle tarts baked in flat tin plates. The treacle may be stiffened by the addition of about ½ oz. of white bread crumbs in which a little ginger has been mixed.
Jam turnovers may be made by cutting a round the size of a saucer, and folding it by the lines with a little jam in the middle. It may be turned over and brushed with sugar and water. This gives it a glazed appearance much admired by the pupils. At the next practice of pastry more ambitious things may be taught. The teacher should again demonstrate pastry-making and the preparation of the fruit for a fruit tart ; the cutting of the strips for the edge, and the making of the edge nicely. The easiest way to do this is to make it with a fork. These pies can be very successfully baked in the small gill pie dishes, and if they are to be served at dinner, it is well to have a little extra fruit stewed separately.
Small cakes and scones may be made at almost any lesson when the oven is free, and the children, of course, love these dearly, and they find a ready sale.
The bread lesson, which is the last of the baking series, is dealt with fully in Chapter II. The following points should be emphasized in baking lessons :
Baking is cooking in a hot oven by dry heat.
A very hot oven is required for pastry and bread.
A moderate oven for small cakes and for baking meat.
A slow oven for large cakes and milk puddings.
The oven must be the right heat at the moment the food is put in.
If the ventilator is pulled out the food will be browner and crisper.
If it is becoming too brown it may be covered with paper.
The oven door must never be banged, and never be opened wide suddenly.
Boiling Lessons — The boiling of fish and potatoes might well be demonstrated at the first lesson, and the boiling of meat and potatoes and root vegetables at the second lesson; the steaming of potatoes should also be taught.
Records on this page
Short PastryJam Turnovers