Harper's cook book encyclopædia

when this is thoroughly mixed in add one wineglassful of sherry, one half cupful of milk, half a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, the rind of half a lemon, and 4 ozs. of best butter. Beat all the time. Now stir in enough flour, a little at a time, to make a soft dough. Knead this for fifteen minutes and shape into rings about two inches across and half an inch thick. Bake in a slow oven. While still hot, cover with the following icing : Put 1 lb. of sugar and one cupful of water in a suitable vessel, and boil until it feathers. Beat the whites of five eggs to a stiff froth, and add the syrup, a little at a time, beating constantly. Now add 4 ozs. of almonds, which have been previously blanched and pounded into a paste with a little rosewater to prevent them from getting oily. Continue to beat the icing until nearly cold, and then cover the rings with it. When this is done, set the rings in a cool place to dry. Filbert Cakes. — Blanch 4 ozs. of shelled almonds and beat them to a paste, adding a few drops of orangeflower water from time to time to prevent them from getting oily. Blanch 4 ozs. of shelled filberts, toast them, and pound to a powder. Beat the yolks of twelve eggs for a half-hour, and when very light, add the almonds, the filberts, and Y2 lb. of stale sponge cake, which has also previously been powdered. Melt Y2 lb. of butter and add to this mixture. Stir thoroughly to mix the whole well. From 1 Y2 lbs. of sugar make a heavy syrup by adding about a cupful of water and boiling it till of the proper thickness. Add this to the mixture already made, stirring constantly and well. Place over the fire a few minutes when it is completely mixed, until a thick paste is formed. Drop this a teaspoonful at a time on floured tins and bake in a hot oven. Fruit Cake. — Cream together Y2 lb. each of powdered sugar and butter, and beat into it the whipped yolks of six eggs. Now stir in lb. of sifted flour, a half table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, and a half-teaspoonful of ground cloves. Add the stiffened whites of six eggs, and a small wineglassful of brandy. Have ready Y2 lb. of currants, Y2 lb. of seeded and halved raisins, and Y\ lb. of citron cut into bits. Mix the fruit, dredge with Y2- lb. of flour, and beat into the cake batter. Bake in a deep tin lined with buttered paper. Another way : — One pound of powdered sugar and 14 ozs. of butter are first creamed as smoothly as possible, warming them a little at first if the weather is very cold. Twelve eggs are then beaten to the extreme of lightness, and worked into the butter and sugar alternately with I lb. of flour, stirring very hard. When well mixed, add one table - spoonful of cinnamon, two of mace, two of cloves, sifting them all, and one grated nutmeg, with a gill of cream and half a pint of brandy. Then 3 lbs. of raisins, seeded and halved, 2 lbs. of sultanas, picked, washed, and dried ; 1 lb. of currants, ditto, and 1 lb. of citron cut into strips — all the fruits being well dredged with flour. Mix them in by degrees all through the mass, keeping out onequarter of the citron to strew on the top, and stir for ten or fifteen minutes as hard as possible. A table-spoonful of orange-flower water added at the last gives a delicate, perfumed flavor.