The handy dictionary of cookery

Put into a basin half a pound of flour ; rub into it two ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, and one teaspoonful of baking-powder. Beat up the yolks of two eggs well in a basin, put the whites on a clean dry plate ; add' to them a pinch of salt. Take a clean dry knife and whip them up to a stiff froth. Have ready a pan of fat on the fire ; when the blue steam is rising mix in the yolks and whites very lightly. Drop a teaspoonful into the hot fat; fry a pale brown. Sprinkle some sugar over, and serve hot. Note. — They should rise to double the size. {Suitable for Children.') Put into a basin six ounces of flour, a teaspoonful of baking-powder ; mix them well together. Rub finely into it two ounces of butter, and two tablespoonfuls of fine sugar, beat up an egg with two tablespoonfuls of milk. Pour it in the centre ; make into a paste ; turn it out on a floured board. Knead lightly ; form into small balls ; make a hole in the centre ; drop them into boiling fat five minutes. Put them on kitchen paper, sprinkle sugar over, and serve. Note. — A blue steam must be seen rising from the fat before the dough nuts are put in ; they will then be a golden colour, and crisp on the outside. If they are put into the fat before it is hot enough they will be greasy and soft. Dripping*, To Clarify. The same dripping or clarified fat may be used for a very long time for frying. When it becomes brown and mixed with sediment, place it in an iron pan, let it heat till a steam rises. Have ready a deep basin containing hot water ; pour the hot dripping into this, very little at a time, to prevent it flying up ; stir well. When quite cold the purified dripping will form a solid cake on the top, which must be taken off and wiped dry, and is then ready for use again. A quicker way is to put the dripping and cold water together in a pan and bring to the boil ; pour into a basin and cool. When cold remove and 'wipe the cake of clarified dripping. Dr. Kitchener’s Soup. Take five quarts of liquor that beef or mutton has been boiled in, also one quarter of a pound Scotch barley (previously soaked all night). Put it into stock to boil ; boil one hour. Take one quarter of a pound of fat bacon ; cut it up into small squares. Put three ounces of dripping into a stewpan : when melted and boiling, put in four ounces of chopped onions and the bacon ; a little flour among them makes theih brown quicker. When they are browned, stir into the pan gradually to a paste four ounces of coarse oatmeal. When all are brown, add a little of the stock to the stewpan, then the rest gradually. Simmer for an hour. Dropped Scones. Put into a bowl half a pound of flour, a quarter of a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of salt. Mix all very carefully together with the tips of the fingers. Add nearly a pint of butter milk, stirring it carefully with a wooden spoon until there are no lumps. Grease a hot girdle, place the batter on it in spoonfuls, keeping them well separated. When slightly firm, and air bubbles rise, turn with a broad knife. Duck, Roast.