Candied peel looks nicest and goes farthest if cut into thin strips instead of being chopped. Almonds should be blanched. Pour boiling water upon them, leave them to soak for a few minutes, then rub ofl the skins and put them into cold water to whiten; dry, cut into thin strips or chop them. Only the yellow part of the lemon rind should be grated and used. To obtain the juice of a lemon, first roll it backwards and forwards on a board to soften it. Then cut in halves, and squeeze out the juice with the back of a wooden spoon or on a lemon squeezer; strain before using. Though there is no limit to the variety of cakes that can be made, the greater number may be classi- fied under one of four general heads: 1. Pound Cakes: — ^As the name implies, the typical pound cake has equal weight of various ingredi- ents, a pound to a pound of sugar, butter, eggs, flour, fruit, etc. Though this proportion is not always followed, a pound cake has always a considerable quantity of butter, eggs, and sugar. The usual method of mixing is, therefore, to beat the butter and sugar to a cream, then add eggs and flour alter- nately, beating the mixture well between each addition. Last of all, the fruit and flavoring are added. Much of the success of these cakes depends upon good beating so as to blend ingredients and to enclose as much air as possible. Pound cakes need very careful baking — a moderate and uniform heat of oven for a considerable time, then gradually decreasing heat is essential. 2. Plain Cakes:— These, containing as they do a smaller proportion of eggs and butter, are generally mixed by rubbing the shortening into the sugar, then the dry ingredients are mixed in and the whole ■ made into a paste with beaten eggs and other liquids. These cakes are not made so moist as pound cake, and generally require rather quicker baking. Individual recipes may give individual ways of mixing. 3. Sponge Cakes: — The chief ingredients of the best quality of sponge cake are eggs and sugar; flour must be used, but its weight is relatively small. Strictly speaking, a sponge cake contains no butter, and for this reason can be given to invalids and children to whom butter after cooking would be indigestible. The usual method of mixing is to beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy, this is sometimes done over gentle heat; just before baking, the sifted flour and flavoring are carefully mixed in. If butter is used, it is first melted, and, when cool, but still liquid, added to the mixture. When baking, very moderate and yet uniform heat is required. 4. Gingerbreads: — See page 52. The baking of cakes is one of the most difficult parts of cake making. No matter how carefully the mixture has been prepared, the success or failure of the cake will very much depend upon the proper regulation of ^he heat of the oven. Ovens require very close observance; some are inclined to burn at the bottom, while in others the top is the hottest part, and it is only by experience and careful watch- ing that the faults and capabilities of individual ovens can be learned. The most correct way of gauging the heat of an oven is with the thermometer. The degrees of heat would be nearly the following: From 400° to 450° — A hot oven. From 300° to 350° — A moderate oven. From 250° to 275° — A slow oven. There are also one or two popular tests which may be applied by novices, such as the following: Sprinkle a little dry flour on a tin and place it in the oven. If there is sufficient heat to bake a cake, this will be brown in about five minutes. Or, put a piece of white paper in the oven, and if at the end of five minutes it is a good yellow color, the heat is moderate and suitable for most cakes. After a very little experience the heat of the oven can easily be judged by simply feeling it with the hand.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Candied peel looks nicest and goes farthest if cut into thin strips instead of being chopped. Almonds should be blanched. Pour boiling water upon them, leave them to soak for a few minutes, then rub off the skins and put them into cold water to whiten; dry, cut into thin strips or chop them. Only the yellow part of the lemon rind should be grated and used. To obtain the juice of a lemon, first roll it backwards and forwards on a board to soften it. Then cut in halves, and squeeze out the juice with the back of a wooden spoon or on a lemon squeezer; strain before using. Though there is no limit to the variety of cakes that can be made, the greater number may be classified under one of four general heads: 1. Pound Cakes: — As the name implies, the typical pound cake has equal weight of various ingredients, a pound to a pound of sugar, butter, eggs, flour, fruit, etc. Though this proportion is not always followed, a pound cake has always a considerable quantity of butter, eggs, and sugar. The usual method of mixing is, therefore, to beat the butter and sugar to a cream, then add eggs and flour alternately, beating the mixture well between each addition. Last of all, the fruit and flavoring are added. Much of the success of these cakes depends upon good beating so as to blend ingredients and to enclose as much air as possible. Pound cakes need very careful baking — a moderate and uniform heat of oven for a considerable time, then gradually decreasing heat is essential. 2. Plain Cakes:— These, containing as they do a smaller proportion of eggs and butter, are generally mixed by rubbing the shortening into the sugar, then the dry ingredients are mixed in and the whole ■ made into a paste with beaten eggs and other liquids. These cakes are not made so moist as pound cake, and generally require rather quicker baking. Individual recipes may give individual ways of mixing. 3. Sponge Cakes: — The chief ingredients of the best quality of sponge cake are eggs and sugar; flour must be used, but its weight is relatively small. Strictly speaking, a sponge cake contains no butter, and for this reason can be given to invalids and children to whom butter after cooking would be indigestible. The usual method of mixing is to beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy, this is sometimes done over gentle heat; just before baking, the sifted flour and flavoring are carefully mixed in. If butter is used, it is first melted, and, when cool, but still liquid, added to the mixture. When baking, very moderate and yet uniform heat is required. 4. Gingerbreads: — See page 52. The baking of cakes is one of the most difficult parts of cake making. No matter how carefully the mixture has been prepared, the success or failure of the cake will very much depend upon the proper regulation of the heat of the oven. Ovens require very close observance; some are inclined to burn at the bottom, while in others the top is the hottest part, and it is only by experience and careful watching that the faults and capabilities of individual ovens can be learned. The most correct way of gauging the heat of an oven is with the thermometer. The degrees of heat would be nearly the following: From 400° to 450° — A hot oven. From 300° to 350° — A moderate oven. From 250° to 275° — A slow oven. There are also one or two popular tests which may be applied by novices, such as the following: Sprinkle a little dry flour on a tin and place it in the oven. If there is sufficient heat to bake a cake, this will be brown in about five minutes. Or, put a piece of white paper in the oven, and if at the end of five minutes it is a good yellow color, the heat is moderate and suitable for most cakes. After a very little experience the heat of the oven can easily be judged by simply feeling it with the hand.

Ryzon baking book