The hearthstone; or, Life at home

Icing. — Whites of four eggs, one pound of powdered white sugar, lemon or other seasoning. Break the whites into a broad, clean, cool dish. Throw a small handful of sugar upon them, and begin whipping it in with long, even strokes of the beater. A few minutes later throw in more sugar, and keep adding it at intervals until it is all used up. Beat with a regular sweeping motion of the whisk, until the icing is of a smooth, fine and firm texture. Half an hour's beating should be sufficient, if done well. If not stiff enough, add more sugar. If the seasoning is lemon-juice, allow, in measuring the sugar, for the additional liquid. Lemon-juice, or a very little tartaric acid, whitens the icing. Use at least a quarter of a pound of sugar for each egg. Frosting made this way hardens in one-fourth the time required under the former plan, and not more than half the time is required in the making of it. Pour the icing by the spoonful on the top of the cake, and near the centre of the surface to be covered. If 530 THE hearthstone; or, life at home. the loaf is of such a shape that the liquid will settle of itself to its place, it is best to do so. If it is spread, use a broad-bladed knife, dipped in cold water. It is best to dry it in the sun where there is no dust. Frosting for Cakes. — Allow for the white of one egg twelve heaping teaspoonfuls of white powdered sugar. Beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, then stir in the sugar gradually, and continue the stirring for ten or fifteen minutes. Season with lemon-juice. To frost a common-sized loaf of cake, allow the white of one egg and half of another, • Royal Icing for Cakes. — Have ready a pound of the best white sugar, which pound well and sift through a silk sieve; put it into a basin with the whites of three eggs; beat well together with a wooden spoon, adding the juice of half a lemon; keep beating well until it becomes very light and hangs in flakes from the spoon ; if it should be rather too stiff in mixing, add a little more white of egg; if, on the contrary, too soft, a little more sugar; it is then ready for use when required. To Color Icing Yellow. — Icing may be colored yellow by putting the grated peel of a lemon or orange in a thin muslin bag, straining a little juice through it, and squeezing it hard into the egg and sugar. Cranberry syrup and strawberry juice color a pretty pink. Mrs. Reynolds' Recipe for Icing. — Beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth ; melt one pound and a-quarter of loaf-sugar, and, while boiling hot, pour it over the eggs, stirring it until the whole is thoroughly mixed. Then add a large spoonful of powdered starch, a spoonful of vinegar, and flavor it with oil of lemon. Handsome and delicious frosting can be made by using the yolks of eggs instead of the whites. Proceed exactly as for ordinary frosting. It will harden just as nicely as that does. This is particularly good for orange cake, harmonizing with the color of the cake in a way to delight the soul of the aesthetic. Sponge Cake. — The weight of eggs in fine white sugar, half the