Cookery for every household

Pink Genoese Pastry. — Add a few drops of carmine to either of the above mixtures just before baking. Note. — Genoese pastry is used for various kinds of fancy cakes. For icing and decoration see p. 594. 2701. Ginger Cakes (Small) 4 oz. flour. 4 oz. butter. 4 oz. sugar. £ tea-sp. ground ginger. 2 eggs. A few drops of ginger essence. £ tea-sp. baking powder. 1 oz. candied lemon peel. Cream the butter, add the sugar, ground ginger, essence of ginger, and the lemon peel chopped finely, and mix well. Then add 1 egg and half the flour, and beat well, then the other egg and the remainder of the flour, and beat again. When the mixture is light and frothy looking, mix in the baking powder, and half fill small prepared tins (see p. 550). Place the tins on a baking sheet, and bake the cakes in a moderate oven until they feel firm to the touch and are nicely browned. Time to bake, 15 to 20 minutes. Probable cost, 9d. 2702. Girdle Cakes Take some pastry (flaky or rough pufl will do) and roll it out to £ inch in thickness. Cut out into squares or oblong-shaped pieces, and place these on a hot girdle. Brown first on the one side and then on the other until the pastry is thoroughly cooked. Then split, butter, and serve hot. Note. — A few currants may be rolled into the pastry before cooking. Time to cook, 10 to 15 minutes. Probable cost, 1d. or 1d. each. 2703. Honey Cakes 1 lb. honey. £ lb. butter. 1 lb. flour. A pinch of salt. £ lb. ground almonds. • A pinch of ground cloves Grated rind of £ lemon. £ oz. carbonate of soda. Sieve the flour, salt, carbonate of soda, and ground cloves into a basin, add the almonds and grated lemon rind, and make a well in the centre. Melt the butter and honey in a lined saucepan, and pour them into the centre of the dry ingredients. Mix together until all is thoroughly blended, then cover the basin and allow the mixture to stand all night. Next day sprinkle the paste with a little flour and turn it out on a baking board. Flour a rollingpin and roll out the paste to £ inch in thickness ; cut in small square pieces or round cakes, and place them on a greased and floured tin. Brush over the top of the cakes with slightly beaten white of egg, and sprinkle with some chopped almonds. Bake in a moderate oven until the cakes feel firm to the touch and are of a pale brown colour. Time to bake, about 15 minutes. Probable cost, 1s. 8d. 2704. Hot Cross Buns 1 lb. flour. £ lb. butter or dripping. £ tea-sp. salt, f oz. German yeast. About £ pt. warm milk. 2 eggs. 2 to 4 oz. currants. £ tea-sp. mixed spice. £ lb. sugar. Candied peel.