A textbook of domestic science for high schools

EXPERIMENT 74. — Take temperature of fat when it begins to heat with a laboratory thermometer that will register 450° F. Note temperature of fat when it bubbles. What is the cause of the bubbling? Heat until it stops bubbling and begins to smoke. Note temperature. Drop in a slice of potato. What causes the bubbling in the fat? What is the temperature of fat when it is hot enough for frying ? Note odor of acrolein. EXPERIMENT 75. — Heat in separate pans small amounts of butter, lard, cottolene, and other commercial fats. Which burns most easily? Which has the highest burning point? Cost of Fat for Frying. — When making doughnuts put a definite weight of lard and any fats used locally for frying, in kettles of the same size. Fry an equal number of dough- nuts in each. Weigh the lard and the other fats which are left after frying, computing the amount and cost of the fats used. Estimate the cost of frying a dozen doughnuts in each kind of fat. Rule for testing fat. — When the fat begins to smoke, drop in an inch cube of bread from the soft part of the loaf. If it browns in forty seconds the temperature is right for frying any cooked mixture, as croquettes; if it browns in sixty seconds it is right for uncooked mixtures, as doughnuts. Fried Potatoes Wash and pare potatoes. Slice thinly on a vegetable slicer into a bowl of ice water. Let stand an hour, drain, and dry between towels. Fry in hot fat, stirring while frying to make them brown evenly. When a light brown put into a colander. Sprinkle lightly with salt. French Fried Potatoes Select small potatoes of uniform size. Wash, pare, and cut into eighths lengthwise. Soak 1 hour in cold water. Dry well and fry in hot fat until the center of the potato is cooked. Drain well in a colander or on brown paper. Sprinkle with salt, and serve. Doughnuts Yolks of 4 eggs or 2 whole eggs \ ts. salt 1 c. sugar \ ts. each cinnamon and nutmeg 3 tb. melted butter Flour to make a dough just \ c. milk and \ c. water stiff enough to handle, about 4 ts. baking powder 4 c. To the beaten eggs add sugar and butter. Beat well, add water and milk, then 2 c. flour sifted with the baking powder, salt, and spices. Add more flour till of the right consistency. Toss one third of the mixture on a floured board. Knead lightly. Roll to \ inch or more in thickness. Cut with a doughnut cutter and fry in deep fat. Drain well. Doughnuts should come quickly to the top of the fat, brown slightly on one side, then be turned to brown on the other. If the fat is not hot enough, they will absorb fat ; if too hot, they will brown before sufficiently risen. When they are slightly cool, put them in a paper bag, one at a time, with 3 or 4 tb. powdered sugar, and shake gently to coat them with sugar. Crullers I c. butter 4 c. .flour, or enough to 1 c. sugar make dough 2 eggs, beaten separately 4 ts. baking powder 1 c. milk \ ts. nutmeg Powdered sugar and cinnamon Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, beaten yolks and beaten whites. Mix dry ingredients, add alternately with the milk. Put on floured board, roll thin, and cut in pieces two by three inches. Cut 3 or 4 parallel incisions, run finger in and out of them, and drop into deep fat. Fry the same as doughnuts, and roll in powdered sugar and cinnamon. Potato Croquettes