" Not more so than some we have made. It is because
the directions are so very full that it seems long. It is
an old English recipe, and a real English housekeeper nev-
er cares how much time she spends on any thing that is
to be very nice. Here we like to get through everything
as fast as possible, and use our time for something else."
4< I have often read about cheese-cakes in English sto-
ries," said Edith, " such as Miss Edgeworth's and Mrs.
Barbauld's, and the children always seemed to think them
a great treat."
" Here is another recipe, which seems very much like
our modern 'floating island/"
o
158 SIX LITTLE OOOKS.
No. 143 — A GOOD CREAM.
To one quart of boiled milk add the yolks of six eggs
well beaten up with four tablespoonfuls white sugar✪ A Good Cream; ( if
not sweet enough for your taste you can add more sug-
ar;) let the milk stand a few minutes before you put in
the eggs. Beat the whites of the eggs to a froth and
then stir them in the hot cream ; they will rise to the top
and then may be taken off and drained, and after your
cream is dished you can put the froth on the top. You
boil whatever flavor you choose in the milk, and call your
cream after the flavor.
" That's simple enough, any way," said Rose.
" Yes, it's very simple, but I think our taste now-a-
days requires that the eggs and milk should be thickened
together by a little boiling. But here's something I know
you never saw."
No. 144 GlNGERBREAD-NuTS.
Two pounds flour, one of butter, half a pound brown
sugar, one quart sugar-house molasses, two ounces ginger,
one teaspoonful allspice, one of cinnamon, and the same
of cloves✪ Gingerbread-Nuts. Cut up the butter in the flour, crush the sugar
AUNT JANE'S COOKING GLASS. 169
fine with the rolling pin, mix it with the flour, and after-
ward add the spice and molasses. Flour your pie-board
and take the dough, a large handful at a time, and knead
it in separate cakes; then knead all very hard together
for a long time. Cut the lump in halves, roll it out in
two even sheets about half an inch thick, and cut in little
cakes the size of a cent. Bake on buttered tins in a very
moderate oven, as gingerbread is more apt to scorch than
any other cake.
" Why, what mites of cakes, Mrs. King," said Edith.
" Hardly larger than a thimble."
" Oh, they didn't have nickel cents in those days,"
replied Mrs. King. " This means an old-fashioned cop-
per cent, more like the top of this little canister in size.
I remember the gingerbread-nuts perfectly, and very
good they were; but it required a world of patience to
make them. Another way, and one I liked better, was to
roll them into little balls like marbles. Here is a recipe
that I used to think very good. I don't know how I
should like it now."
No. 145 — HONEY CAKE.
Four cups flour, four eggs, two cups honey, one tea-
spoonful pearlash, nutmeg or cinnamon to taste✪ Honey Cake.
11
160 SIX LITTLE COOKS.
"What is pearlash, Aunt Jane?>:
" A kind of alkali formerly used in cooking, which was
afterward supplanted by saleratus, and now by soda.
Pearlash is a refined preparation of potash, which is made
from wood ashes."
"Then it must be what they make soap with," said
Grace.
" Yes, the same thing. Lye is an alkali in a liquid
form. From this dear old receipt-book I can give you a
direction for making soap, if you like — both hard and
soft."
Six little cooks
1910Page 53 · 3 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
" Not more so than some we have made. It is because the directions are so very full that it seems long. It is an old English recipe, and a real English housekeeper never cares how much time she spends on any thing that is to be very nice. Here we like to get through everything as fast as possible, and use our time for something else."
4< I have often read about cheese-cakes in English stories," said Edith, " such as Miss Edgeworth's and Mrs. Barbauld's, and the children always seemed to think them a great treat."
" Here is another recipe, which seems very much like our modern 'floating island/"
o
No. 143 — A GOOD CREAM.
To one quart of boiled milk add the yolks of six eggs well beaten up with four tablespoonfuls white sugar; ( if not sweet enough for your taste you can add more sugar;) let the milk stand a few minutes before you put in the eggs. Beat the whites of the eggs to a froth and then stir them in the hot cream ; they will rise to the top and then may be taken off and drained, and after your cream is dished you can put the froth on the top. You boil whatever flavor you choose in the milk, and call your cream after the flavor.
" That's simple enough, any way," said Rose.
" Yes, it's very simple, but I think our taste now-adays requires that the eggs and milk should be thickened together by a little boiling. But here's something I know you never saw."
No. 144 — GINGERBREAD-NUTS.
Two pounds flour, one of butter, half a pound brown sugar, one quart sugar-house molasses, two ounces ginger, one teaspoonful allspice, one of cinnamon, and the same of cloves. Cut up the butter in the flour, crush the sugar
fine with the rolling pin, mix it with the flour, and afterward add the spice and molasses. Flour your pie-board and take the dough, a large handful at a time, and knead it in separate cakes; then knead all very hard together for a long time. Cut the lump in halves, roll it out in two even sheets about half an inch thick, and cut in little cakes the size of a cent. Bake on buttered tins in a very moderate oven, as gingerbread is more apt to scorch than any other cake.
" Why, what mites of cakes, Mrs. King," said Edith. " Hardly larger than a thimble."
" Oh, they didn't have nickel cents in those days," replied Mrs. King. " This means an old-fashioned copper cent, more like the top of this little canister in size. I remember the gingerbread-nuts perfectly, and very good they were; but it required a world of patience to make them. Another way, and one I liked better, was to roll them into little balls like marbles. Here is a recipe that I used to think very good. I don't know how I should like it now."
No. 145 — HONEY CAKE.
Four cups flour, four eggs, two cups honey, one teaspoonful pearlash, nutmeg or cinnamon to taste.
"What is pearlash, Aunt Jane?>:
" A kind of alkali formerly used in cooking, which was afterward supplanted by saleratus, and now by soda. Pearlash is a refined preparation of potash, which is made from wood ashes."
"Then it must be what they make soap with," said Grace.
" Yes, the same thing. Lye is an alkali in a liquid form. From this dear old receipt-book I can give you a direction for making soap, if you like — both hard and soft."
Records on this page
A Good CreamGingerbread-NutsHoney Cake