The new Albatross recipe book

Sift 5 oz. Albatross self-raising flour and a pinch of salt. Beat 3 oz. margarine until creamy then blend in 3 oz. sugar until the mixture is very light. Whip in 2 well beaten eggs, then mix in the flour and 2 tablespoons fairly warm water alternately, to make a light batter. Add, if liked, 2 oz. cleaned currants. Turn into greased bun or queen cake tins and bake for 15 minutes in a moderate oven (Regulo Mark 5 or 375-400° Fahr.). ALBATROSS SPONGE MIXTURE You can make an excellent fatless sponge mixture, using Albatross Self-raising Flour. Here is a basic recipe: 4 oz. Albatross Self-Raising 2 eggs - Flour 4 oz. castor sugar 1 tablespoon warm water Break the eggs into a bowl and whip for several minutes. Add the sugar and whip for 5 minutes. When the mixture is thick and of a much lighter tone, add the water then stir in the sifted flour lightly with an over and over movement. Use for the following: SPONGE CAKE Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar into a greased and floured tin measur - ing 54 inches in diameter. Turn the sponge mixture into it and bake for 45 minutes in a slow oven. (Regulo Mark 3 or 345-360° Fahr.). SPONGE SANDWICH Grease and flour two sandwich tins. Divide the sponge mixture between them and bake for 15 minutes in a moderately hot oven. (Regulo Mark 5 or 375-400° Fahr.). SWISS ROLL Use a Swiss roll tin measuring 11” by 12-13”. Grease and warm it. Pour the sponge mixture into it and spread it to the corners. Bake for 8 minutes in a fairly hot oven (Regulo Mark 6 or 410-420° Fahr.),. Heat 2-3 tablespoons apricot or pipless raspberry jam with one of water. When the cake is ready, turn it on to paper sprinkled with a little sugar. At once trim off the edges and as quickly as possible spread the jam on it and roll it up. Leave it wrapped in the paper for a few minutes to help it to keep its shape. ALMOND PASTE ¢ lb. fine castor sugar Juice of 1 lemon ¢ lb. icing sugar 4 teaspoon orange flavour 1 Ib. ground almonds 4 teaspoon vanilla essence 2 eggs This paste should be ample for a large rich cake. Roll the icing sugar and then the castor sugar to break down any small lumps. Add the ground almonds and mix with lemon juice. Add the beaten eggs and essences and work well with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth paste which will roll out without ag cracking. Knead well. Avoid overhandling, as this might cause the paste to become brittle. TO ICE A CAKE ALL OVER Take one third of the almond paste, place on a sugared board and roll out to the size of the top of the cake. Brush the cake top witha smear of apricot puree or beaten white of egg, so that the paste will adhere to it, then place the round of paste in position and level it gently with the rolling pin. Trim off the edges. Roll out the remaining paste in a strip to cover the length and depth of the sides of the cake and, having applied the apricot puree or white of egg, place it in position. Roll it with a straight-sided jar to smooth it. See that the edges are neatly joined. Set the cake aside for several days so that the almond paste will dry before applying Royal Icing. ROYAL ICING 2 lb. icing sugar 3-4 whites of eggs 4 teaspoons lemon juice 1 dessertspoon glycerine A few drops laundry blue Roll out the icing sugar to break down any lumps, then pass through a hair sieve. Put the egg whites and lemon juice in a bowl then gradually add the icing sugar until the right consistency is obtained. The addition of glycerine (optional) will prevent the icing becoming brittle and the blue will keep it white.