The European cookbook for American homes (from Italy, Spain, Portugal and France)

Dissolve yeast in water and stir in % cup of flour; beat to a smooth batter, cover with a cloth and put in a warm place to rise (about 30 minutes). Sift remainder of flour into a bowl, add sugar, eggs, cream, butter, wine and salt, and beat 5 min- utes. When yeast batter has doubled in bulk combine the two mixtures and beat another 5 minutes. Cover, and let rise until mixture has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour, then work in fruit. Butter a 3-pint mold, fill % full with mixture and let rise 20 minutes. Bake 1 hour in moderate oven (350°F.). The cake may be iced or dressed with the following: 2 cups water !/4 cup sherry 1 cup sugar lA cup curac^o 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 cup assorted candied fruit Mix water, lemon juice and sugar and boil 3 minutes; remove from fire and add sherry and curacao. Cut baba in halves cross- wise and remove top piece to a flat dish with cut side up. Fill this evenly with the syrup, let stand 2 or 3 minutes, then re- place over lower half. Arrange on service plate and decorate top with candied fruit. SAVARIN This cake, named for Brillat-Savarin, is made like the baba without the addition of fruits and soaked in a sugar syrup 366 THE EUROPEAN COOKBOOK flavored with kirsch, or any desired flavor. It is usually gar- nished with whipped cream or a marmalade of fruits. LITTLE CAKES OF LISIEUX (Gateaux de Lisieux) Y2 cup butter l/2 cup almonds, ground i% cups cake flour % cup powdered sugar i egg white i egg yolk i teaspoon vanilla Granulated sugar Work butter into flour until mixture reaches the consistency of coarse meal. Add egg white, vanilla, almonds and sugar. Knead to a smooth round piece of dough. Wrap in paraffin paper and set in refrigerator over night. In the morning roll out dough y2 inch thick, cut into rounds, brush with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 10 to 15 minutes in a moderately hot oven (375° F.). LADY FINGERS (Biscuits a la Cuillere) 5 eggs 1 cup cake flour 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 1 cup powdered sugar Put egg yolks, grated rind and sugar into a bowl and beat thoroughly for 5 minutes. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add flour, sifted 3 times and mix gently; then add egg whites. Beat 1 minute and put in a pastry bag. Squeeze out in strips 4 inches long and 1 inch wide on a baking sheet covered with heavy paper. Dredge with powdered sugar and bake 15 minutes in a moderate oven (350° F.). Remove paper when cool. These lady fingers are a specially appropriate accompani- ment for dessert wines, haut sauternes or champagne. FRENCH 367 DAINTY MOUTHFULS (Bouchees de Dames) Put in to pastry bag with tube l/2 preparation for lady fingers. Butter and flour a baking sheet, and squeeze out about 50 small macaroon shapes. Dtkt with powdered sugar and bake 12 minutes in moderately hot oven (3750 F.). Let cool; remove from pan and lay upside down on table. Make a half- inch cavity in center of each with a sharp knife and fill with any preferred cream filling. Put together in pairs to enclose cream and spread with following: Chocolate Glaze: Put 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water and 8 ounces grated chocolate in saucepan over fire, stir to a smooth syrup and cook until syrup will spin a thread at tip of spoon. Remove and use. GATEAU DE MADELEINE