Perfection in baking

One and one-half pints molasses, two ounces butter, one-half ounce soda, one-half cup milk; salt, ginger and sufficient flour to make dough stiff enough to roll out. Roll out one-quarter inch thick, lay the whole sheet upon a well-dusted pan, cut with large knife into finger shapes to be two and one-half by four inches in size after they are baked; break before they are cold; before baking, prick well with a fork. Poor Man's Fruit Cake. Rub together one-half pound of brown sugar and three-quarters of a pound of lard; add four eggs, then one and one-half pints molasses, one pint sour milk, one ounce soda, three to three and onehalf pounds flour, two pounds currants, two pounds raisins, one-half pound sliced citron and two pounds of finely sliced apples. Ginger Snaps. Two pounds of granulated sugar, two pounds of brown sugar, two and one-half quarts of New Orleans molasses and Porto Rico molasses mixed, one pint of water, two and one-half ounces of soda, one ounce of salt, three ounces of ginger, two ounces of cinnamon, one pound and fourteen ounces of lard, and last twelve and one-half pounds of soft flour and one-half ounce of ammonia. Work well and have it stiff. Cinnamon Wafers. Same as ginger snaps above, only leave out the ginger; take one ounce more of cinnamon, roll out thin and cut in fingers to be one and one-half by three inches after they are baked. Wash with milk before baking. — 71 — Honey Cakes. Honey cakes are made to a great extent in Germany, for the holidays. Special kinds are identified as original in different cities and shipped to all countries; for instance, the delicious Niirnberger, the Thorner, and Basler honey cakes. The principal dough or stock is usually prepared in September or October and stored away in the cellar in tubs or barrels sawed in two; but as a general rule this first dough is only mixed with part of the rising ingredients, alum or potash, while ammonia or soda is added just before using it. Stoek for Honey Cakes. Twenty pounds of honey, ten pounds of molasses; boil up several times; strain through a sieve in a bowl or tub; with a little water, pound or grind very fine one-fourth of a pound of potash and add to the honey when luke warm. Then mix with enough soft cake flour to make a medium stiff dough. Set away in the cellar. All honey is better. German Honey Cakes and Hearts. Get ten pounds of above dough, into which work one ounce of ammonia, which has been ground and dissolved, with the yolks of two or three eggs. Work well or put under a dough break. First bake a sample at 360 degrees. Roll out one-third of an inch thick, wash with milk or glue water, or still better, desiccated egg food dissolved. Prick the larger ones with a fork. A.meriean Spiced Honey Cake. Three pounds of boiled honey, one pound Of molasses, one-half pound of sugar, one-half of a pound of lard, one ounce of ammonia, a little soda, one pint of milk, spices; add enough soft flour to make a dough like ginger cookies, and bake in the same way. A.m.eriean Honey Cakes. Three pounds of boiled honey, two pounds of sugar, one-half of a pound of lard, four eggs, three-fourths of a quart of milk, spices, one ounce of ammonia; add enough soft flour and one ounce of baking powder to make a dough like molasses cakes. — 72 — Thiols Honey Cuke.