Practical household cookery

cream; let them steep thus for half an hour in a cool place For mixing this paste, follow in all respects the directions given for Victoria paste, adding the orange peel after having put the paste in the mould, and mixing it with the yeast dissolved in a little tepid water ; after which let it ferment and bake as described in the foregoing. Note. — It is advisable to put these cakes back in the oven for two or three minutes after they are turned out of the mould, to prevent their becoming shrivelled on the surface, or shrinking and falling in. 796. SAVOT CAKE. Ingredients : Four ounces and a half each of potato flour and finest Vienna flour, fourteen eggs, and one pound of pounded sugar. Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs, put the former in a basin and the whites into an egg-bowl, in a cool place, add the sugar to the yolks, with a pinch of salt and a few drops of either orange, lemon, orange-flower, vanilla, or bitter almond essence Work these together with a wooden spoon until the whole presents the appearance of a thick creamy batter, then the whites must be whisked into a firm snowy froth. Meanwhile let both flours be well mixed in with the batter, and as soon as the whites are satisfactorily whisked, mix them also with the paste by adding them in small quantities at first, until it has become smoothly diluted, then add the remainder of the ingredients, and mix thoroughly well together. Chop very fine one pound of either beef or veal suet, then melt it in a stewpan and strain through a cloth, pour this into the mould, turn it round in all directions, so that the fat may touch all the angles and recesses, afterwards pour it out, and turn the mould on a plate and let it stand in a warm place for a few minutes, that the fat may be entirely drained off; then shake about three-quarters of a pound of finely-pounded sugar into the mould, in order that it may effectually cover the whole of its inside with a perfectly smooth surface. When this is done, pour the mixture in the mould, put this on a baking-sheet in the oven, which must be heated moderately, and particular care taken to keep it closed as much as possible while the cake is baking, and do not increase its temperature. When the cake is of a light colour, it must be turned out of the mould, reversed on the baking-sheet, and returned to the oven for two or three minutes longer. 797. PLUM CAKE. Ingredients required : One pound and a half each of flour, currants, and butter; one pound each of pounded sugar and dried cherries slightly chopped, and one pound of candied citron, orange and lemon peel in equal quantities all shred small; half a pound of ground almonds, eight whole eggs, half an ounce of ground spice, consisting of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg mixed in equal proportions, a teaspoonful of salt, and a pint of brandy. Put the butter in a large white earthen pan, and work with a wooden spoon until it presents the appearance of a creamy substance; then add gradually the flour, sugar, and eggs, still working the paste with the wooden spoon. When thoroughly mixed, add gradually also the remaining ingredients and work it well together, then pour into a convenient-sized tin hoop (previously lined with double bands of buttered paper) and place it on a baking-sheet with two sheets of buttered paper under the cake, and put it in a moderately-heated oven to bake to a light colour, taking care not to increase the heat during the operation. / 798. PLAIN SEED-CAKE.