Bread, cakes, and biscuits

Cake, Scotch ( New Year's) Bun. — Put 4lb. of flour into a pan, reserving a little to work it up with, hollow this out in the centre, and put in 1lb. of butter broken up ; mix together one and a half gills of yeast with half a pint of warm water, and work this with the flour and butter to a smooth dough. If not moist enough, a little more water may be used, but be careful about this, as at the best this cake is distinctly solid. Set aside one-third of the dough for a cover ; now mix together 1oz. powdered cinnamon, 1oz. powdered cloves, and 1oz. ground ginger ; then mix separately 1 1lb. stoned raisins, 1 1lb. washed and dried currants, 4oz. shred almonds, and 8oz. very finely shred candied peel. Spread out the larger portion of dough, lay the fruit on it, and strew it thickly with the mixed spice ; now mix it all well together, kneading it thoroughly and steadily. Then roll out the cover, lay the bun on it, cover it neatly in a square, cutting the corners, and after pricking it all over with a fork, binding it into shape with bands of stiff buttered paper, bake in a pretty sharp oven, and glaze it with a beaten egg just before taking it out of the oven. This is only a modified edition of Meg Dod’s famous recipe, which, as it is largely made in Scotland, is though very nice, portentous in its solidity, not to say indigestibility. Cake, Seed. — 4oz. butter, 4oz. lard, loz. sugar, lflb. of flour, 4oz. lemon peel, half pint of milk, four large eggs, ioz. carraway seeds, loz of baking powder, a little essence of lemon, and a few drops of prepared turmeric. Work the butter and sugar to a cream, then add the eggs, one by one ; and wheand when the eggs are well mixed with the butter and sugar stir in allthe other ingredients, fill up the moulds, and bake in a moderate oven (a 2lb. cake will take forty-five minutes . Shortbread. — 1lb. each of flour and butter, 4oz. rice flour, and 4oz. caster sugar. Mix these ingredients well together with tho tips of your fingers till you get a soft dough, then shape into a round or a square, pinch up the edges neatly, prick the top over with a fork, and bake it (on a flat baking tin) for fifteen or twenty minutes in a fairly hot oven. Leave it on the baking tin till cool, as it is apt to break if handled while hot ; if liked, strips of candied peel, or comfits can be placed on the top. This method of making shortcake is the real Scotch way, but requires practice, as it is difficult to form a paste with only the above materials. One egg, or a very little milk, helps the process. Or : 1 1lb. of flour, 1lb. rice flour, 1lb. butter, 1lb. caster sugar. Rub these ingredients together till they begin to mould easily when pressed, then knead them into two cakes, and bake in an oven hot at first, but cooling down gradually. Simnel. — A quaint old legend accounts for the Simnel cake in this way: Simon and Nell were an old couple, whose children had left home — some married, some in service — but, according to the old custom, they were to come home for a visit on Midlent, or “ Mothering ” Sunday ; in preparation for which event the old couple had made ready sundry delicacies, amongst which was a rich cake, that was duly mixed and only required cooking. Unluckily,