Rusks (Boer). — This recipe was procured from S. Africa
during the war, the rusks (found in the Boer camps) having
been much appreciated by the British soldiers : “ To 31b.
of flour mix £lb. fresh butter, £Lb. white cane sugar, and a
teacupful of yeast. Knead well at night with fresh, warm
milk. The sponge should rise well by morning, when you
knead it again, and make it into buns ; set these to rise, then
bake. When the oven is cool, cut each bun in half, put
them on tins, and let them remain all night in the cooling
oven till crisp. These make delicious rusks. For the yeast,
pour about two andahalf pints of boiling water on to |oz. of
hops✪ Rusks (Boer), cover and leave in a warm corner for twelve hours ;
then strain, and stir in two tablespoonfuls each of flour and
sugar. This yeast will be ready for use next day. A little
old yeast helps the fermentation.”
Scones. — These cakes are usually (and best) cooked on a
girdle or griddle, i.e., a round iron plate, with an arched handle
over it — the girdle being formerly hung to the pot-hook
fastened in the chimney, by which the large cooking pot was
suspended above the fire. This girdle is still generally used in
the North, but failing one a clean shallow frying pan kept for
the purpose answers very well. Neither pan nor girdle
should ever be washed, but when you have done using
either, sprinkle well with coarse salt, and rub it with pieces
of paper till the latter is no longer soiled ; this removes any
burnt crumbs that may be sticking to it, which would
ROLLS, &c.
69
spoil the next baking. Before use wipe the girdle well
with a cloth, set it on the fire till thoroughly hot, when it is
rubbed over either with a piece of fat or butter, when it
is ready for use. Some scones can only be baked on the
girdle, others can be baked in the oven.
Scones. — Sift together lib. of flour and two good tea-
spoonfuls of baking powder, then crumble into this about 3oz.
of butter, till it is all like fine bread-crumbs (this must be
done with the tips of the fingers as lightly as possible, or the
scones will be heavy). Take half a pint of cold milk✪ Scones (or
dissolve a teaspoonful of Swiss milk in half a pint of cold
water) and work this by degrees into the flour, &c., till
it is a firm dough ; halve this dough, and knead each into
a flat round cake about the size of a cheese plate ; cut it
across into quarters, brush it over with a little milk and
water. Rub a baking tin with flour (or flour, but do not
grease, the girdle', and cook the cakes on this for half an
hour. If you use the frying pan for these cakes instead of
a girdle, put a couple of bricks, one on each side the opening
of the range, and place the frying pan on these so that it
does not actually rest on the fire. These are not as good
baked in the oven as on the girdle.
New York. — Beat together %oz. bicarbonate of
soda and -{oz. of salt to three pints of milk, then add in five
whole eggs ; stir this all into 2|lb. of fine flour ; butter some
small patty tins, put a good tablespoonful of the mixture
into each, and bake in a good oven.
Brownmeal. — Mix together thoroughly 4oz.
Page 44 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1902. 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
Rusks (Boer). — This recipe was procured from S. Africa during the war, the rusks (found in the Boer camps) having been much appreciated by the British soldiers : “ To 31b. of flour mix £lb. fresh butter, £Lb. white cane sugar, and a teacupful of yeast. Knead well at night with fresh, warm milk. The sponge should rise well by morning, when you knead it again, and make it into buns ; set these to rise, then bake. When the oven is cool, cut each bun in half, put them on tins, and let them remain all night in the cooling oven till crisp. These make delicious rusks. For the yeast, pour about two and a half pints of boiling water on to |oz. of hops, cover and leave in a warm corner for twelve hours ; then strain, and stir in two tablespoonfuls each of flour and sugar. This yeast will be ready for use next day. A little old yeast helps the fermentation.”
Scones. — These cakes are usually (and best) cooked on a girdle or griddle, i.e., a round iron plate, with an arched handle over it — the girdle being formerly hung to the pot-hook fastened in the chimney, by which the large cooking pot was suspended above the fire. This girdle is still generally used in the North, but failing one a clean shallow frying pan kept for the purpose answers very well. Neither pan nor girdle should ever be washed, but when you have done using either, sprinkle well with coarse salt, and rub it with pieces of paper till the latter is no longer soiled ; this removes any burnt crumbs that may be sticking to it, which would
spoil the next baking. Before use wipe the girdle well with a cloth, set it on the fire till thoroughly hot, when it is rubbed over either with a piece of fat or butter, when it is ready for use. Some scones can only be baked on the girdle, others can be baked in the oven.
Scones. — Sift together lib. of flour and two good teaspoonfuls of baking powder, then crumble into this about 3oz. of butter, till it is all like fine bread-crumbs (this must be done with the tips of the fingers as lightly as possible, or the scones will be heavy). Take half a pint of cold milk (or dissolve a teaspoonful of Swiss milk in half a pint of cold water) and work this by degrees into the flour, &c., till it is a firm dough ; halve this dough, and knead each into a flat round cake about the size of a cheese plate ; cut it across into quarters, brush it over with a little milk and water. Rub a baking tin with flour (or flour, but do not grease, the girdle', and cook the cakes on this for half an hour. If you use the frying pan for these cakes instead of a girdle, put a couple of bricks, one on each side the opening of the range, and place the frying pan on these so that it does not actually rest on the fire. These are not as good baked in the oven as on the girdle.
New York. — Beat together %oz. bicarbonate of
soda and -{oz. of salt to three pints of milk, then add in five whole eggs ; stir this all into 2|lb. of fine flour ; butter some small patty tins, put a good tablespoonful of the mixture into each, and bake in a good oven.
Brownmeal. — Mix together thoroughly 4oz.
Records on this page
Rusks (Boer)Scones