Standard Paper-Bag Cookery

CAKES baked in paper bags will be as brown as if baked without the bag and will retain their moisture infinitely better; therefore plain loaf cakes and all fruit cakes are greatly improved by the paper bag cooking. While drop cakes, oatmeal cookies and the like can be baked directly on the bottom of the bag, better results as far as form is concerned, will come from using very thin tin moulds or baking sheets or paper souffle cases. Before putting a cake in the oven, particularly if it be a fruit cake, it will be found advisable to set on the bottom of the oven, a shallow pan with a little water in it. Put in the bag, close the oven door and leave ten minutes with the gas on, then reduce the heat at least one-half. Bag cooking prevents cake crusting over and thereby permits it to rise to its full height. It also saves from burning. Midway in the baking the position of cakes can be changed, those on the grid itself set low on the broiler and vice versa so all will cook evenly. To test whether the cake is done or no, make a hole in the bag top and thrust in a clean straw or thin knife blade. If it comes out dry with no stickiness, the cake is done. Cheese Cakes. — These are a modern adaptation of the old " flawns," a favorite Eastertide cake. As formerly made, there was a tedious separation of curds and whey ; but the housewife of today eliminates that by taking a Neufchatel or cream cheese as the foundation. This is crumbled fine and added to the other ingredients, allowing to each Neufchatel cheese, one small cupful of sugar, the grated rind and half the juice of one lemon, a half cupful each sifted cracker crumbs and currants, one tablespoonful melted butter, half a nutmeg grated, half a cupful of cream or rich milk, a saltspoonful of salt and four eggs. Crumble the cheese and crackers together, beat the eggs and add, together with sugar, salt and spices. Next add the butter and cream and lastly the currants, lemon juice and rind. Mix thoroughly and fill patty tins lined with puff paste. Ornament the top with currants and slender strips of citron, put in buttered bag. Seal and bake in a quick oven. Cinnamon Cake. — Cream one-quarter cup of butter and one cup of sugar, add one-half cup of milk, one well beaten egg, one and three-quarters cups of flour sifted twice with three even teaspoons of baking powder, and pour in a shallow pan to make a sheet rather than a loaf. Just before setting the cake into the oven sprinkle cinnamon and granulated sugar over the top. Put into a bag. Seal and bake twenty minutes. Serve fresh and cut in squares. English Fairy Cakes. — Sift together six ounces of flour and a half teaspoonful of baking powder. Grate a lemon rind and add to the sifted flour together with three ounces chopped candied cherries. Beat to a cream four ounces of butter and four of sugar, then add three eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly. Add the flour and cherry mixture and stir lightly. Have ready some buttered patty-tins, half fill with the batter, bag, and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes.