Domestic science, principles and application

6. Fig or Date Cake 1 c. raisins 3/4 c. butter 1 c. figs or dates 1 c. sugar 1 c. walnuts 2 egg yolks 1 c. boiling water 3 egg whites 1 tsp. soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla 2 c. flour 3/4 tsp. allspice and cloves Method. — Look over and chop the raisins, figs, or dates, and pour boiling water (in which has been dissolved the soda) over them. Cream the butter and sugar, add the beaten egg yolks, then the spices and fruit with the water, then the flour, fold in the beaten whites, and add vanilla. Bake 1 hour in a loaf cake pan in a moderate oven. Frost with White Frosting. 7. Eggless Cake 2 c. sugar 1 c. currants 2 c. water 1 tsp. cloves ^ c. lard 1 tsp. allspice 1 c. raisins 1 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 3 3/4 c. flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 c. walnuts 3/4 tsp. salt Method. — Put the sugar, water, lard, fruit, and spices together in a saucepan and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool a little and then add 1 tsp. soda dissolved in a little hot water. Add the baking powder and salt to the flour and sift the flour into the cooled mixture; add the walnuts; beat well, and bake in a slow oven 45 to 50 minutes. This is a large cake and keeps a long time. HOT DESSERTS— PUDDINGS Rich desserts are too heavy to use with a hearty dinner and should be used only to form a part of the meal or lunch. For the most part, fruit is best for dessert with a dinner. Methods of Cooking. — Hot desserts are either steamed or baked. Steaming is done in a steamer over boiling water (moist steaming), or in a double boiler (dry steaming). Moist steaming is required for heavy puddings, and for those that contain citron or fruit. Dry steaming is necessary for custard, and insures a more even cooking. Steaming is a slow process and requires several hours. Preparation of Materials. — Suet. — Break into small pieces, remove the membranes, and chop on a board. Dredge with flour to prevent suet from being sticky. To Clean Raisins. — Look over and pick out any imperfect ones and stems. Wash in a strainer set in a bowl of water. Drain, and cut into small pieces. Always dredge with flour before adding to a batter; this prevents the raisins from sticking together. If raisins are not seeded when purchased, pour boiling water over a few at a time, drain, and press out seeds clean before cutting up the raisins. To Clean Currants. — Wash currants thoroughly in a strainer in a bowl of warm water. Rub them well and change the water several times until it remains clean and all the grit and fine stems are removed. Drain, and dry between towels. Dredge with flour. Citron. — Cut up citron into small pieces; dredge slightly with flour before adding to a mixture. (276) PUDDINGS 277 1. Suet Pudding 1 c. suet cut fine 13^ tsp. salt 1 c. molasses ^ tsp. ginger 1 c. milk 3^ tsp. cloves 3 c. flour 1^ tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. soda 1 tsp. cinnamon }4 c. raisins 3^ c. currants Method. — Mix and sift the dry materials, add the raisins and currants cut fine and floured. Add the molasses and milk to the suet. Add wet mixture to dry. Pour in buttered mold, cover, and steam 3 hours. Serve hot with a pudding sauce. {Basis for 2, ]/i rule.) 2. Bread Pudding 2 c. stale bread crumbs 2 eggs 1 qt. scalded milk 3^ tsp. salt