Bread, cakes, and biscuits

Brot Torte. — Blanch and pound Jib. of sweet almonds, moistening them in the mortar as you pound them with a few drops of water to prevent their stiffening ; then work into them first Jib. finely sifted sugar, adding gradually (keeping it stirred all the time) the grated rind of a lemon, a pinch of cinnamon, and two or three cloves pounded (or mixed spice to taste) ; moisten about 6oz. crumb of brown (in Austria it is of course the local black) bread, with a full tablespoonful of Tokay or Spanish wine, stir this into the mixture, and then beat in two whole eggs and the yolks of six more; beat this all together till it is quite light and frothy (this will take half an hour), then add the stiffly- whipped whites of four eggs, and bake in a well-buttered fancy mould. The heat of the oven should be even and moderate, for if too hot the torte will be raw in the centre and hard outside. Leave it in the mould till nearly cold, then turn it out, and when perfectly cold ice with the following : Rub 12oz. of cane loaf sugar on the peel of an orange till it has absorbed all the yellow part, then pound and sift it, adding a very little more finely sifted sugar if it does not weigh quite 12oz. ; put this sugar in a delicately clean pan with the juice of half a large orange, stirring it all well with a wooden spoon till the sugar dissolves, then add in gradually the rest of the orange juice, stirring it all the time over the fire, till it is of the proper icing consistency. Now lift off the pan, and keep the icing mixture stirred gently for half an hour. It is well worth this trouble, which makes it beautifully light and easy to spread. Mask the cake with it in the usual way, and set it away in a warm dry place to dry and stiffen before serving it. Christ-Stollen ( Christmas Rolls). — Put 2lb. of flour into a pan and make a hollow in the centre of it, dissolve six spoonfuls of good yeast in a third of a pint of tepid milk, pour this into the bay in the flour, draw down sufficient of the flour to make a small pond of the batter, dust it with a little fresh flour, and leave it in a warm place to rise. When it has risen nicely add to it Jib. of creamed butter and a teaspoonful of salt, working it all well together into a nice dough with the flour. When this is all thoroughly blended, stir in gradually lb. of sultanas or well washed and dried currants. Jib. of caster sugar, 3oz. or 4oz. of blanched and finely shred almonds, and either a tiny pinch of pounded cloves or half the finely grated rind of a lemon, as you please, keeping up the kneading all the time. When everything is well mixed in and the dough is smooth, set it in a warm place and again let it rise ; then divide it in half, shape each into a roll, and place it on a well floured baking sheet, let it rise for a few minutes again, then cook for three-quarters of an hour ; when ready take them out, brush them over at once with liquefied butter, and dust them with caster sugar mixed with a little powdered cinnamon. These cakes are better if kept for two or three days before eating.