Bread, cakes, and biscuits

Vera Cruz, Gateau. — Cream together 6oz. each of butter and caster sugar, then work in one by one the yolks of twelve eggs, 3oz. finely shred preserved or candied fruit, a few drops of essence of vanilla, a tablespoonful each of rum and kirschwasser, and lastly the stiffly whipped whites of four eggs alternately with 6oz. creme de riz (very fine ground rice). Mix this all well together, pour it into a well-buttered Solferino mould, and bake in a moderate oven. [illustration: Solferino mould] Solferino mould is a large and rather decorated border mould, somewhat like those used for savarin cakes. Waffeln. — These are also known in France as gauffres, and in America as waffles. They are made in much the same way ; a light batter is prepared, and this is then poured into the well-buttered gauffre tongs or waffle irons, as the utensil is called (this instrument can be bought of any good ironmonger) ; its contents being then cooked over a clear fire, and when crisp and delicately coloured turned out and served dusted with powdered or vanilla sugar. For the French gauffres, put into a basin fib. each of fresh butter (warmed and liquefied), caster sugar, and sifted and warmed flour, a good grate of lemon peel, and three spoonfuls of orangeflower water, and work this all to a smooth batter with sufficient new milk to produce a thin mixture that will flow easily from the spoon ; then let this rest for a couple of hours. Now heat your gauffre tongs over a sharp, clear fire (a charcoal one is best), and when hot butter them well, two-thirds fill with the batter, and set them over the fire, cooking the batter in the closed iron for two or three minutes on each side. As soon as the gauffre is nicely coloured on both sides and crisp, slip it out of the iron and serve at once, dusted with sugar, plain or flavoured. A more delicate kind is made by using single «ream instead of milk, or eggs (either the yolks or the stiffly whisked whites), moistening the batter with liqueur, to taste. American waffles differ from French gauffres (when they do differ) by a little less delicacy : for instance ( teste that authority, Mrs Mary Ronald), lard may be used instead of butter, and the irons may be greased with pork fat. German waffles are much more substantial, as the following will show ; Cream Jib. of fresh butter and work into it gradually about 12oz. of flour alternately with seven eggs, three-quarters of a pint of tepid milk, ljoz. fresh yeast (dissolved in a very little warm milk), and any spice or flavouring to taste. Now knead this dough till it blisters. adding half a gill of rum or arrack, and, after kneading it very thoroughly, cover the pan containing the dough and let it rise in a warm place for three to four hours ; then put the dough into the irons to finish as before. See also Eisenkuchen, previously given.