l^ick, and dry the currants, cut the cherries into
moderate-sized pieces, slice the candied peel into
thin shi'eds, blanch and pound the almonds, or
cut them into very small pieces, and crush the
flavoured sugar to powder. Put the butter into
a large bowl, and beat it to cream, either with a
wooden spoon or v;ith the hand. Add very
gradually the sugar, flour, and eggs, and wheii
they are thoroughly mixed work in the rest of
the ingredients. Put them in a little at a time,
and beat the cake between every addition. It
should be beaten fully tliree-quarters of an hour.
Line a tin hoop with double folds of buttered
paper, pour in the mixture, and place it on a
metal baking-sheet with twelve folds of paper
under it, and four or five on the top, to keep
it from burning. Put it in a moderately-
heated oven, and keep the oven at an even
temperature until it is done enough. If the
cake is to be iced, first prepare the almond part :
— Take half a pound of almonds, throw them
into boiling water, and skin them. Pound them
in a mortar with a few drops of oranue-flower
water, one pound of fine white sugar, and as
much white of egg as will make a soft stiff
paste. Spread this over the top of the cake,
and keep it from the edge as much as possible.
Put it in a cool oven, or in a warm place, till it
is dry and hard. To make the sugar icing, put
the whites of six eggs into a bowl without a
speck of the yolk. Beat them for half a minute
just to break them, then add one pound and a
half of finely-sifted white sugar. Work the mix-
ture to a stiff shiny paste, and whilst working it
add occasionally a drop of lemon-juice. Very
white sugar must be chosen. If a drop of
liquid blue is added, it will make it look whiter.
The icing will need to be worked vigorously
from an hour to an hour and a half. The
longer it is beaten the harder it will be. The
cake ought not to be iced until a short time
before it is wanted, as it may get dirty. The
icing should be spread evenly all over it with a
knife to the thickness of a quarter of an inch,
and it should be put in a gentle oven to harden.
It may be ornamented with little knobs of icing
placed round the edge; and on the day of the
wedding a wreath of wliite flowers and green
leaves may be placed round it by way of orna-
ment. If anything more elaborate is required,
a pretty centre ornament may be made with
glazed white cardboard, silver paper, and orange-
blossom; or a stand and a drum, with artificial
flowers, may be hired of the confectioner. Time
to bake the cake, about six houi-s. Probable
cost, 10s., or thereabouts. A cake of the same
size, if bought at the confectioner's, would cost
at least 30s. Sufficient for a cake the size of a
large dinner-plate. This, when placedj«on a
stand and ornamented, will have a verj'' good
appearance.
Wedding Cake isce also Bride Cake).
Weights and Measures.— Every
kitchen should have scales, with weights from
a quarter of an ounce to two pounds placed on
the dresser, and the weights should be kej^t
carefully in order. A set of tin measures with
small spouts or lips, with the contents dis-
tinctly marked upon them, from a gallon down
to half a gill, will also be found very convenient.
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Page 2248
Presented as published in 1892. 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
Pick, and dry the currants, cut the cherries into moderate-sized pieces, slice the candied peel into thin shreds, blanch and pound the almonds, or cut them into very small pieces, and crush the flavoured sugar to powder. Put the butter into a large bowl, and beat it to cream, either with a wooden spoon or with the hand. Add very gradually the sugar, flour, and eggs, and wheii they are thoroughly mixed work in the rest of the ingredients. Put them in a little at a time, and beat the cake between every addition. It should be beaten fully tliree-quarters of an hour. Line a tin hoop with double folds of buttered paper, pour in the mixture, and place it on a metal baking-sheet with twelve folds of paper under it, and four or five on the top, to keep it from burning. Put it in a moderately heated oven, and keep the oven at an even temperature until it is done enough. If the cake is to be iced, first prepare the almond part : — Take half a pound of almonds, throw them into boiling water, and skin them. Pound them in a mortar with a few drops of orange-flower water, one pound of fine white sugar, and as much white of egg as will make a soft stiff paste. Spread this over the top of the cake, and keep it from the edge as much as possible. Put it in a cool oven, or in a warm place, till it is dry and hard. To make the sugar icing, put the whites of six eggs into a bowl without a speck of the yolk. Beat them for half a minute just to break them, then add one pound and a half of finely-sifted white sugar. Work the mixture to a stiff shiny paste, and whilst working it add occasionally a drop of lemon-juice. Very white sugar must be chosen. If a drop of liquid blue is added, it will make it look whiter. The icing will need to be worked vigorously from an hour to an hour and a half. The longer it is beaten the harder it will be. The cake ought not to be iced until a short time before it is wanted, as it may get dirty. The icing should be spread evenly all over it with a knife to the thickness of a quarter of an inch, and it should be put in a gentle oven to harden. It may be ornamented with little knobs of icing placed round the edge; and on the day of the wedding a wreath of white flowers and green leaves may be placed round it by way of ornament. If anything more elaborate is required, a pretty centre ornament may be made with glazed white cardboard, silver paper, and orangeblossom; or a stand and a drum, with artificial flowers, may be hired of the confectioner. Time to bake the cake, about six hours. Probable cost, 10s., or thereabouts. A cake of the same size, if bought at the confectioner's, would cost at least 30s. Sufficient for a cake the size of a large dinner-plate. This, when placed on a stand and ornamented, will have a very good appearance.
Wedding Cake isce also Bride Cake).
Weights and Measures.— Every
kitchen should have scales, with weights from a quarter of an ounce to two pounds placed on the dresser, and the weights should be kej^t carefully in order. A set of tin measures with small spouts or lips, with the contents distinctly marked upon them, from a gallon down to half a gill, will also be found very convenient.
WEL
( 1106 )
WEL