These soft mixtures of dough, or batters vary in con-
sistency or stiffiiess from one cup of flour for each cup
of wetting to two cups of flour for each cup of wetting,
but the largest proportion of them are graded between
the two extremes, and the most desirable occupy a
middle ground, varying little from a cup and a half of
flour to each cup of wetting — provided winter or soft
wheat flour, which is preferable for all soft doughs and
batters, be used.
But before mixing any of them the eflect that will be
produced by the introduction of eggs into such mixtures
should be carefully considered. Four medium-sized
eggs beaten lightly and mixed with a pint of milk will,
when baked, thicken the milk into a custard stiff"
enough to retain its form when cold. And by this
standard the thickening quality of Q^'g when beaten
lightly and mixed with milk may be approximated. If
the ^gg be beaten until very light its thickening power
diminishes ; but it then contributes materially to the
lightness of the mixture. The white of the ^%% is much
more valuable for imparting lightness to a batter of soft
dough than the yolk, while the latter on account of its
richness is most valuable for use in creams, custards,
sauces, and puddings.
The effect of butter on these mixtures is to make
them short or tender and to enrich them. If many eggs
are used in batter mixtures, butter, or ' * shortening ' ' of
some kind, is necessary to counteract the toughening
tendency of the eggs.
Introduction. igi
To make a perfect batter cake or muffin the manner
of mixing or putting the ingredients together is equally
as important as a careful adjustment of the proportions
of those ingredients, and the methods of mixing may
with propriety be varied when different proportions of
the same ingredients are used.
It is always best to sift baking powder and salt with
the flour, that they may be freed from lumps and equally
distributed through it. It is also best to sift the flour
just before using it.
In making a very thin batter the flour should be put
in the mixing bowl, and the milk or other wetting added,
a portion at a time, so the batter may be well whipped
or beaten before being made too thin.
CHAPTER XV.
BREAD-MAKING.
Bread-making is a neglected art. In hotels, restau-
rants, boarding houses, and private families, bad bread
is abundant, and good bread seldom found. Every-
where bad bread is the rule, good bread the exception.
Yet good bread is one of the most nutritious, satisfying,
and inexpensive articles of human food, while bad bread
is one of the most innutritions, unsatisfying, and ex-
pensive.
Page 81
Presented as published in 1899. 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
These soft mixtures of dough, or batters vary in consistency or stiffness from one cup of flour for each cup of wetting to two cups of flour for each cup of wetting, but the largest proportion of them are graded between the two extremes, and the most desirable occupy a middle ground, varying little from a cup and a half of flour to each cup of wetting — provided winter or soft wheat flour, which is preferable for all soft doughs and batters, be used.
But before mixing any of them the effect that will be produced by the introduction of eggs into such mixtures should be carefully considered. Four medium-sized eggs beaten lightly and mixed with a pint of milk will, when baked, thicken the milk into a custard stiff" enough to retain its form when cold. And by this standard the thickening quality of egg when beaten lightly and mixed with milk may be approximated. If the egg be beaten until very light its thickening power diminishes ; but it then contributes materially to the lightness of the mixture. The white of the egg is much more valuable for imparting lightness to a batter of soft dough than the yolk, while the latter on account of its richness is most valuable for use in creams, custards, sauces, and puddings.
The effect of butter on these mixtures is to make them short or tender and to enrich them. If many eggs are used in batter mixtures, butter, or ' * shortening ' ' of some kind, is necessary to counteract the toughening tendency of the eggs.
Introduction. igi
To make a perfect batter cake or muffin the manner of mixing or putting the ingredients together is equally as important as a careful adjustment of the proportions of those ingredients, and the methods of mixing may with propriety be varied when different proportions of the same ingredients are used.
It is always best to sift baking powder and salt with the flour, that they may be freed from lumps and equally distributed through it. It is also best to sift the flour just before using it.
In making a very thin batter the flour should be put in the mixing bowl, and the milk or other wetting added, a portion at a time, so the batter may be well whipped or beaten before being made too thin.
CHAPTER XV.
BREAD-MAKING.
Bread-making is a neglected art. In hotels, restaurants, boarding houses, and private families, bad bread is abundant, and good bread seldom found. Everywhere bad bread is the rule, good bread the exception. Yet good bread is one of the most nutritious, satisfying, and inexpensive articles of human food, while bad bread is one of the most innutritions, unsatisfying, and expensive.