Paul Richards' book of breads, cakes, pastries, ices and sweetmeats

1077.— CORN GRIDDLE CAKES. Take one pound of wheat flour, one pound of cornmeal, two ounces of baking powder, four ounces of sugar, four ounces of butter, four eggs, and a little salt. Mix with milk and bake like Wheat Cakes No. 1072. 1078.— RICE GRIDDLE CAKES. Make the wheat cake batter, and add one cup or more of soft boiled rice. 1079.— GERMAN PAN CAKES. Take one pound of flour, twelve eggs, a little salt; mix with cream or milk. Separate the eggs; stir the flour with the milk, smooth; add the yolks and salt, add the whites of the eggs beaten to a froth. Have the frying pan hot, put in some butter, and fry in rather thick cakes to a nice brown color on both sides. Dust with sugar and cinnamon and serve. 1080.— APPLE PAN CAKE. Use the batter No. 1079. Peel and slice very thin some good cooking apples, or chop like mince meat. Mix with the batter, and fry in butter on both sides till the apples are soft. Dust with sugar and cinnamon. 1081.— POTATO PAN CAKE. Take half a pound of boiled and cooled potatoes, grate or rub through a sieve; add two ounces of flour and two ounces of sugar; mix with twelve yolks and five ounces of melted butter; add a pinch of salt, the grated rind of half a lemon, a little mace; mix well and add the beaten whites of the eggs. Fry in butter on both sides. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. 1082.— THE USE OF FRUITS IN CAKES AND BUNS. When using fruit in buns or coffee cakes, the fruit should be prepared the day before using. Raisins, currants and chopped peel are often used in very dry condition; they draw moisture from the cakes and make them dry. It is pref- erable to moisten the quantity of fruit used for each day, the day before, with a light syrup; the fruit gets soft and regains the natural shape. In this way it is more acceptable in cakes and much better to eat. 1083.— EGG- WASH AND OTHER GLAZINGS FOR BREAD, ROLLS AND BUNS. To give a glazing to breads and rolls after baking, a thin wash of cornstarch is generally used for breads which are not baked in steam. The wash is made with one and one-half ounce to two ounces of cornstarch and one quart of boiling water. Potato starch gives the best gloss, and can be made from raw grated potatoes Peel and grate four medium-sized potatoes in one pint of water; mix well and strain through a sieve, the starch will settle on the bottom after a few minutes; add about one more pint of boiling water, and stir on the fire till it is clear and like mucilage; then it is ready for use. A wash for buns is made from gelatin or gum arable, which has also to be used while the buns are hot. Dissolve one ounce of gum in cold water; when soft, pour over about three pints of boiling water and stir till dissolved; add a little alum or salt, and keep the wash in a cold place. Egg-wash may be made of different degrees of strength by mixing yolks of eggs with water or milk. For a rich-looking wash a little burnt sugar is often added, or egg color. The wash is applied to the goods before baking. 1084.— THE MANIPULATION OP BREAD- MAKING RECIPES. At the closing of this chapter on Bread- Making I would like to say a few words in regard to working of the recipes. The difference of the flours used in all parts of this country make it difficult to state the exact quantity of flour and liquids used; and to insist upon the exact amounts would certainly invite failure, and would cause the mixtures to be either too slack or too firm, according to the strength of the flour. For this reason much depends on the intelligent judgment of the workman, to add to or decrease the amount of flour and liquid. The treatment of yeasts, sponge and doughs, and the use of the thermometer has been explained in the opening of this chapter.