Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Girdle Cake. — Kub three ounces of fresh butter into one pound of Hour; add a pinch of salt, and as much butter-milk or cream as will make a stiff paste. Eoll the paste out thin, and make into small round cakes. Bake on a girdle over the fire, and turn the cake over, so that both sides may be done. In Ireland, a little carbonate of soda is used, instead of butter. Time, five to six minutes to bake. Probable cost, 4d. for this quantity. Sufficient for about one dozen cakes. Glaze. — Glaze is made from clear stock, boiled down until it forms a sort of meat varnish, or strong jelly ; it is used to improve the appearance of many dishes. It is also made in large quantities for use in soups and sauces, and for this purpose is very convenient. It is especially suited for travellers, as it is nourishing, compact, and economical. The knuckle of veal, the legs and shins of beef, and the shanks of mutton are particularly gelatinous, and therefore the best for making glaze. Glaze may be kept foi' some time in small jars, such as are used for jelly, if kept dry. When a little is wanted in domestic cookery, a pint of clear beef stock may be boiled quickly down, to produce about a tablespoonful, or as much as will ornament a joint. The trimmings of meat or poultry, if not wanted for other purposes, may always be boiled down to a glaze. Glaze should be kept in an earthen jar, and when it is wanted for use, ^ this jar should be placed in a saucepan of boiling water, and its contents melted in this way, care being taken that the saucepan is not so full that the water will go into the glaze. Glaze must never be put upon a joint unless the latter is quite dry, and two or three layers should be put on it, with a paste-brush, allowing one layer to dry before another is put on. Glaze should never be melted in a saucepan, as it would be almost sure to get black and burnt if this were done. Glaze for Cold Hams, Tongues, &c. — Take some clear, strong stock, made from the bones of a shin of beef or a knuckle of veal, without either salt, pepper, or herbs, and quite free from fat or sediment. Put it into a copper stewpan, with a little whole pepper, and let it boil quickly until it is as thick as syrup. It must be closely watched, and, as soon as it begins to thicken, stirred without ceasing. Keep trying a little on a plate, and when it sets like jam it is done enough ; it must be boiled until it will do this. If a light-coloured glaze is wanted, more veal than beef should be used. Time, boil as quickly as possible tiU the stock begins to thicken, then put it into another smaller saucepan, and simmer gently until it jellies. On the average, one pound of meat will produce an ounce of glaze. Glaze for Pastry. —A rich yellow glaze is given to meat-pies by brushing them over with the beaten yolk of an egg. A lighter glaze is given by using the white as well as the yolk, and a lighter still by the addition of a little milk, or, for sweet dishes, by brushing the pastry with sugar and water.