Some teachers of cookery have recommended sifting the one Or two teaspoon fuls of baking powder over a cake after it was mixed and beating thoroughly just before pouring into the pan in which it is to be baked. But as soon as the powder comes in contact with the moist surface of the dough some gas will be lost, and moreover, it is doubtful whether two teaspoonfuls of baking powder can be evenly mixed through a quart of cake batter without much beating which does not improve the quality of the cake at that stage and de- lays the baking. The accepted plan at present is to sift with the flour the baking powder or cream of tartar and soda or the BREAD AND OTHER DOUGHS. 113 soda alone when it is to be used with some sour milk or molasses. The sooner the process is completed after the acid and soda meet each other the better. Therefore we keep all the materials dry until the last moment, then mix quickly and bake at once. Similar recipes are found in all cook books, and once the general proportions and the office of each ingre- General Directions RYE MUFFINS. client are learned, it is easy to make many variations. The process of mixing is practically the same in all cases. Prepare the fire and dishes for cooking, be- fore mixing any of the ingredients measure every- thing, sift all dry materials together, add liquids, mix all thoroughly, and cook immediately. Changes in the proportions of materials often lead to a change in the manner of mixing them. For ex- ample, when a small quantity of shortening is used in batters, it may be melted and beaten in, l>ut if a large Manner of Mixing n4 PRINCIPLES OF COOKER?. proportion is required, it should be rubbed till creamy and blended with the sugar as for cake, or mixed into the Hour as in pastry making. For stiff doughs which are to be rolled, it is essential that the fat should be put in cold since even a small quantity, if warm, will tend to make the dough soft and sticky. We grease 'Shortening" pans, griddles, etc., because fat prevents adhesion ; in the same way fat in a dough keeps the particles sepa- rate and makes it break apart readily, so that we call it "short" or "tender." Hence shortening is any form of fat that will accomplish such a result. To give like results, more shortening is required with bread flour high in gluten than with pastry flour low in gluten. Eggs in doughs, as in other cases, have the quality of making particles hold together, just the reverse of shortening. Any dough containing much &gg will be elastic and spongy, and if cooked too quickly will be tough. " Doughs to be made rich with butter, like pound cake, may be saved from heaviness by the use of eggs. PASTRY AND CAKE Shortcake and pastry are. illustrations of the use of much fat in doughs and the result is brittle and tender. Success in pastry-making depends more upon keeping the ingredients cold and handling the dough deftly than any special formula or order of mixing. When but a small amount of shortening is used, a small quan- tity of baking powder is helpful ; this, of course, is omitted in puff pastry, in which the weights of the PASTRY AXD CAKE. 115 Hour and butter arc equal, and it is not essential in other cases.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Some teachers of cookery have recommended sifting the one Or two teaspoon fuls of baking powder over a cake after it was mixed and beating thoroughly just before pouring into the pan in which it is to be baked. But as soon as the powder comes in contact with the moist surface of the dough some gas will be lost, and moreover, it is doubtful whether two teaspoonfuls of baking powder can be evenly mixed through a quart of cake batter without much beating which does not improve the quality of the cake at that stage and delays the baking. The accepted plan at present is to sift with the flour the baking powder or cream of tartar and soda or the BREAD AND OTHER DOUGHS. 113 soda alone when it is to be used with some sour milk or molasses. The sooner the process is completed after the acid and soda meet each other the better. Therefore we keep all the materials dry until the last moment, then mix quickly and bake at once. Similar recipes are found in all cook books, and once the general proportions and the office of each ingre- General Directions RYE MUFFINS. client are learned, it is easy to make many variations. The process of mixing is practically the same in all cases. Prepare the fire and dishes for cooking, before mixing any of the ingredients measure everything, sift all dry materials together, add liquids, mix all thoroughly, and cook immediately. Changes in the proportions of materials often lead to a change in the manner of mixing them. For example, when a small quantity of shortening is used in batters, it may be melted and beaten in, but if a large Manner of Mixing proportion is required, it should be rubbed till creamy and blended with the sugar as for cake, or mixed into the Hour as in pastry making. For stiff doughs which are to be rolled, it is essential that the fat should be put in cold since even a small quantity, if warm, will tend to make the dough soft and sticky. We grease 'Shortening" pans, griddles, etc., because fat prevents adhesion ; in the same way fat in a dough keeps the particles separate and makes it break apart readily, so that we call it "short" or "tender." Hence shortening is any form of fat that will accomplish such a result. To give like results, more shortening is required with bread flour high in gluten than with pastry flour low in gluten. Eggs in doughs, as in other cases, have the quality of making particles hold together, just the reverse of shortening. Any dough containing much egg will be elastic and spongy, and if cooked too quickly will be tough. " Doughs to be made rich with butter, like pound cake, may be saved from heaviness by the use of eggs. PASTRY AND CAKE Shortcake and pastry are. illustrations of the use of much fat in doughs and the result is brittle and tender. Success in pastry-making depends more upon keeping the ingredients cold and handling the dough deftly than any special formula or order of mixing. When but a small amount of shortening is used, a small quantity of baking powder is helpful ; this, of course, is omitted in puff pastry, in which the weights of the PASTRY AND CAKE. 115 Hour and butter arc equal, and it is not essential in other cases.

Principles of cookery