Perfection in baking

Set to raise a soft sponge with two ounces of yeast, one pint of milk, and enough flour. As soon as it breaks, add four to five eggs, one-fourth of a pound of lard or butter, one-half of a pound of sugar, lemon and mace, one pint of warm milk and sufficient flour to make a soft dough; beat well and set to raise; push down; let raise again, then dust bench well with flour; break in small biscuits, roll them up, let raise a little, press flat; lay in center of each some stiff jelly (or better, jam or marmalade); pull up from the sides over the jelly, and - 86 - pinch together well. Set on a cloth well dusted with flour, the pinched side on bottom, cover over and let them raise well. Bake in hot grease, slower than fried cakes. Roll, when cool, in cinnamon sugar. French Crullers. Boil one pint of milk and water with six ounces of lard for two minutes; then add quickly fourteen ounces of pastry flour, let it stand five minutes, then mix in slowly ten to twelve eggs one handful of sugar, vanilla, and a little salt. Keep dough just like eclairs; fill in bag with star tube. Run out on greased paper in rings. Lay the paper with rings on the bottom in your hot grease, until all the rings are loosened. Bake slow, and well through. Dust with sugar and serve with sauce or syrup. German Rye "Bread. GENUINE. The principle point is a sound sour stock and good Straight rye flour. Take two pounds of breadsponge in bowl, two quarts of warm water and sufficient rye flour to make medium stiff dough. Let rest five hours ; then add sixteen quarts of lukewarm water, brake the sponge with it well and add enough of straight rye to medium second sponge, which should be ready in three hours. Then add one pound of salt, three-fourths of a quart of tepid water, and make into dough with more rye flour. After a short rest cut up into loaves, work each one well, roll up, and when in shape set away in dusted straw baskets (round or long). Wash over with water. When half raised prick with wooden stick. When ready for the oven wash over again when on the peel. Oven must have sharp heat, fresh fired. Bake at least one hour General Rules. Keep yeast always in cool, dry place. One teaspoonful of salt is enough to each quart of flour. For all coffee cakes take one-third of cake flour, what is called blended flour. If you have little pieces of dough left over, cover with cold water, and use the next day for sour dough in rye bread. For all coffee cakes desiccated egg food can be substituted for fresh eggs satisfactorily. Use one ounce for every five eggs. Bread, rolls or biscuits, if washed with butter immediately after baking, will shine nicely and will be softer than if not washed. Common buns and coffee cakes can also be made from bread dough. Add some sugar and butter, and work well. Let rest awhile; add some coloring, cinnamon and lemon or vanilla. If you want to keep compressed yeast fresh for a long time, put it in a glass or stone jar and fill with water. When you want to use some, pour off the water slowly, take out what yeast you need, and pour fresh water over the rest. FOR NOTES AND RECIPES. PART IX Icings, Fillings, Fancy Cakes, Colors, etc. Water Icing.