Bread, cakes, and biscuits

A full cup means one filled up to the very brim, rather difficult to lift without spilling unless the hand be very steady ; whilst “ short ” measure implies a cup or glass comfortably full, which can be lifted with no anxiety. Roughly speaking, when “ a cup ” is given as a measure it means, generally, half a pint of liquid measure, whilst a “ teacupful ” indicates a quarter of a pint or gill. Butter “ the size of an egg ” means, approximately, 2oz. ; “the size of a walnut,” implies loz. “ A pinch of salt,” again, is reckoned as being from half to a whole teaspoonful of fine salt — as much as a man can grasp well between finger and thumb, but common sense must be used ; a teaspoonful of salt (frequently given in cookery books in soupmaking directions as “a good pinch ”) is sufficient for soup made with 4lb. or 51b. of bones and three pints of water, so clearly the pinch required for a few rolls made with Jib. of flour, and the rest of the ingredients measured by ounces, is of a less capacious character, and the amount gathered by the dainty little finger and thumb of a young girl will be sufficient. I mention these facts (which will seem superfluous to the trained cook) because they have puzzled me horribly in my time, and though I have tried not to give such directions in this book, it is well to have a sort of general idea of what is meant by these terms. If rolls are brushed over with milk just before putting them in the oven, the crust will be nicely browned, while if a morsel of butter is rubbed over them just before lifting them out of the oven, the crust will be crisp. (It is not as well known as it should be that if, when using eggs, you have any unbroken yolks left over, they will keep good, and liquid, for several days if gently placed in a jar or basin with just enough cold water to cover them, and stored in a dark place.) Remember that, in roll making especially, the flour must be of good quality, fine, sifted, dried, and warmed before use. Bannock, unleavened. — Rub from ½oz. to 1oz. of butter or lard or clarified dripping into a full ½lb. of medium oatmeal and a pinch of salt, and work it all to a smooth, stiff dough with absolutely boiling water. Now turn this out on a board slightly dusted with oatmeal, and knead it out into a round, lin. thick ; rub it lightly over with more oatmeal, and toast it before the fire in a toaster, or on the girdle, according to your pleasure, turning it repeatedly till nicely browned on both sides, and serve. This cake (for which a real Highland receipt is given) requires knack and practice, as the cake is apt to break if in the least overshortened. Delicious with butter, honey, or golden syrup. Bannocks. — Rub 2oz. of clarified dripping into £lb. of oatmeal, with a small teaspoonful of baking powder and a pinch of salt ; make it all into a smooth, stiff dough with cold water, roll it out fairly thinly, cut it into triangles, and bake on a hot, greased girdle, turning it once in the cooking; or bake on a buttered baking tin in a very hot oven for a few minutes. Aberdeen. — Beat two eggs well, with a pinch