Blue Ribbon cook book

All ingredients should be prepared before commencing to mix any of them. Flour should be sifted, and thoroughly mixed with the baking powder. Pastry flour makes a lighter, more tender cake than bread flour, as it contains less gluten. If bread flour is used, substitute 2 tablespoons corn-starch in each cup. Sugar should be rolled and sifted; eggs fresh trom the ice-box or cellar, as they beat up much lighter and quicker when cold. They should be well beaten, whites and yolks separately, as specified; the yolks to a thick cream, the whites to a stiff froth. Raisins, currants, and all fruits must be thoroughly dry, and floured, before ad<cing to other ingredients. HINTS To Cream Butter—Put the butter in an earthenware vessel (but do not use tin or iron, as they will discolor it), and beat it with a spoon or fork. After beating it about, the butter gradually comes back into a creamy state. Beating, Stirring and Folding—There is a good deal of difference between these. Stirring merely mixes the different ingredients together, while beating carries in air and thoroughly distributes it through the mass, and in baking this air expands and makes the cake light. Folding one ingredient into another is to put the spoon or spatula in edgewise, lift the ingredients and turn them over, repeat until thoroughly mixed. Avoid stirring after beating or folding. To Grate Lemon Peel—There is a right and wrong way to grate it. The flavor comes from an essential oi! found only in the yellow rind at the surface. The white part underneath is bitter, contains no lemon flavor, will curdle milk or cream, and is objectionable. Therefore, grate a lemon carefully, aiming to remove all the yellow surface, but no more. Spices should be of the very best quality. Blue Ribbon spices are not only absolutely pure, but are ground from the best quality of whole stock. Never move a cake in the oven until the centre is thoroughly set. Do not put anything in the oven while the cake is baking, or the cake will probably fall. In general cakes require a moderate temperature, 350° Fahrenheit. Divide the baking time into quarters: during the first, it should begin to rise; the second, it should continue rising and begin to brown; the third, it should continue to brown, rising should be completed; the fourth, it should finish browning and leave the sides of the pan. 80 Blue Ribbon Cook Book The cake is done when it is elastic to the touch and shrinks from the sides of the pan; a toothpick, inserted, should have no dough adhering to it. The time of baking will depend on the size of the cake, and the ingredients, One with molasses or fruit will require a slower oven than a plain one. A sheet cake requires from 30 to 45 minutes; a loaf cake 45 to 70 minutes; a layer cake 20 to 30 minutes; small cakes and cookies from 6 to 15 minutes. Cooking in High Altitudes In all high altitudes the rule is to use less butter and sugar, and baking powder, and more flour and eggs. If too much butter is used in such regions, the cake will fall, so that very rich cakes cannot be made there. The greater the elevation the more difficulty is experienced. Cakes having no butter, like sponge cakes, are easily made in high altitudes. The filling for layer cakes can be made quite rich in such regions, if desired. Chart of Oven Temperature for Cakes SLOW MODERATE HOT 250° - 350°F. 350° - 400°F. 400° - 450°F. Sponge cake. Sheet cakes Plain cookies. Angel cake. Loaf cakes. Pound cake. Gingerbread. Rich fruit cake. Layer cakes. Macaroons. Small cakes. Kisses. Cup cakes. Fruit or molasses cookies. Drop cookies. Wafers. Cakes are divided into two general classes: 1. Butter Cakes—Those containing butter or other shortening. 2. Sponge Cakes—Those which contain no shortening. Essentials for Success . Good ingredients.