The home cook book

Mix into two cups and a half of sugar a piece of butter the size of a walnut. Next add three eggs not beaten. Beat hard, and stir well to lighten the eggs. Next add a little salt and one small teaspoon of soda dissolved in cold water, one grated nutmeg and extract of lemon, to taste. Stir all together and add two small teaspoons of cream of tartar, mixed into one cup of flour. Stir again, and add enough flour to make the dough stiff enough to roll out easily. Use plenty of flour on the board and rolling-pin. Roll about quarter of an inch thick. Cut into oblong pieces, score each one in the centre, and give it a slight twist after dipping the hand in flour. Roll all before beginning to fry, as they stiffen by standing and are easier to fry. Fry in a deep porcelain or granite kettle (a round bottom is best) and turn often while cooking. Use plenty of lard and brown a light brown. Lift out with a flat skimmer, and while hot sift over powdered sugar. When the lard becomes brown, set it aside and use fresh lard. Before frying try a small piece of dough in the fat to see if it is the right heat. If too hot the cakes will be too brown. Keep the crullers in a stone pot. DAINTY FINGERS Beat together half a pound of sugar and half a pound of butter. Add five eggs, the whites and yolks of which have been beaten separately, one teaspoon of mace, half a wine- Lady Finger Pans glass of brandy, and half a pound of flour. Stir thoroughly together and drop in lady-finger pans for baking to a delicate brown. When done and while warm fasten the fingers together, painting with the white of an egg upon the flat side. DOUGHNUTS Mix one cup of sugar with butter the size of an egg. Add three eggs, half a teaspoon of salt, and one cup of milk. Mix two teaspoons of baking powder with the flour you use and stir in flour till you have a dough stiff enough for rolling and cutting in shape. Fry in deep, hot lard, and turn often, DROP CAKES Stir together a cup of sugar and a cup of butter. Instead of butter you may use lard or drippings. Dissolve two teaspoons of soda in two tablespoons of cold water, and stir into a cup of New Orleans molasses and a cup of sour milk mixed together. Add the sugar and butter, a cup of currants lightly dredged, and half a teaspoon each of ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir in sifted flour until the dough is as stiff as fruit cake, and then drop from a spoon upon a greased paper laid in a pan. Bake in moderate oven. EBONY FINGERS Use the receipt for "Coffee Cake," bake in lady-finger pans, and put the flat sides of the cakes together with an icing made by stirring powdered sugar into orange- juice and beating thoroughly before using. FIG ECLAIRS Steam one pound of figs over hot water one hour. Then chop fine and add a pint and a half of Catawba wine (or less of sherry) and half a cup of sugar, and cook until like a jelly. Bake yellow or white cake in sheets. Split the sheets and spread the fig mixture between. Press together, cut in lady-finger size pieces, and ice on three or four sides. FRUIT COOKIES