Six little cooks

No. 152 — FLAKY PASTE. After mixing together as for puff paste (No. 64), and giving the first application of butter, brush over with whipped white of egg before you fold it to roll out again. Repeat this process each time, or four times in all. " That has nothing to do with dumplings, has it, Aunt Jane?" " No, but I was reminded of it by the directions for glazing. It does not make the paste taste any better; if anything, it will not be quite as tender, but it will flake very elegantly, and is handsome when you are preparing for company." No. 153 — BAKING POWDER BISCUIT. One Ib. flour, one tablespoonful butter and two of lard, three-quarters of a pint sweet milk, one even teaspoonful salt and five of baking powder, sifted with the flour; rub the shortening through with the hand until quite fine, pour in the milk, mix lightly, and roll out on a floured board without any kneading, cut with a round cutter, and bake in a quick oven. "What do you give us biscuit now for, Aunt Jane?" " Because the very same recipe makes capital dumplingpaste, and I want to give you your choice. Now we come to what we shall have to-day — peach dumpling." " Oh, good! I didn't know we had any peaches." " I think the fact has been carefully concealed from you because the peaches are not ripe enough to eat raw ; they are rather hard and green, but they will do very well for a pie or pudding." No. 154 — PEACH DUMPLING. Make a paste by any of the above recipes; roll it out to half an inch thickness, pile as many cut-up peaches on it as you think the paste will cover, mixing through them a tablespoonful of coffee sugar; gather the edges of the paste carefully together, so as to make the dumpling as nearly as possible a round ball ; tie it in a well-floured cloth wrung out of hot water; turn a plate upside down in the kettle to prevent the cloth from sticking to it; plunge the dumpling into boiling water and boil two hours. " Now we will go down to the kitchen," said Aunt Jane, " and while Grace is making the paste, Rose and Edith, between them, can make some cake for tea." "Shall I go into the cellar to make it, Aunt Jane?" asked Grace. " Oh no, that is not necessary for boiled paste, or dough, as some people call it, though dough is properly only what is raised with yeast. It will be just as nice made here, and it is more sociable for us to be all together. Make your paste from the first recipe — simple ' dumpling crust' Now, Rose, as we have had nothing here for a long time but fine cake, you may make some ginger cupcakes, after one of these old recipes." No. 155 — MOLASSES CUP-CAKES. Two cups molasses, two of brown sugar rolled fine, one of rich milk, one of butter, five of sifted flour, five eggs, one heaping tablespoonful ginger, one teaspoonful allspice and one of cloves. Bake in small tins in a moderate oven. If not spiced enough for the taste, add more ginger. "Why do they so often speak of 'rich milk,' Aunty ?r