Miss Parloa's kitchen companion

Another way of cooking the apple sauce is to prepare it as above, and then turn it into a deep earthen bakingdish. Cover with a large plate, and bake in a slow oven for two hours. * Evaporated Peach Sauce. Wash and soak the peaches as directed for apples. In the morning put them into a stew-pan with half a cupful of sugar, and cook slowly for three hours. Cool, and use. More or less sugar may be used if the quantity given does not suit the individual taste, but the addition of sugar will not increase the healthfulness of the dish. IN no department of cookery does the average housekeeper need less instruction than in cake-making. It is the one thing pertaining to cookery that nearly every American girl learns. There are a few principles, however, which, if acted upon, will make the \vork easier and the results more certain. Remember that cake and pastry do not belong to the necessaries of life ; therefore, if you cannot afford good materials for them, do not attempt to provide them for your table. The First Steps. In making cake the work should be done in this order : See that the oven is right for baking, and if coal be used, that there is enough on the fire to last through the baking. Butter the baking-pans, always using washed butter. If the pans be large, line them with thin brown paper, spreading it smoothly on the well-buttered pans. Measure the sugar, flour (which should first be sifted), butter, spice, and seasoning. Count the eggs ; then break them, and separate the yolks from the whites. If you are to use baking-powder, or soda and cream-of-tartar, add them to the sifted flour. Mix well, and sift again. If fresh lemons or oranges are to be used, grate the rind and squeeze out the juice. Pour hot water into the bowl in which the cake is to be mixed. If the water be boiling hot, turn it out again immediately, but if only moderately hot let it stand for about half a minute. Wipe the bowl, and put in the butter. Work it with a spoon until soft ; then beat it until light and creamy. Gradually beat the sugar into the butter. When the mixture is light and creamy, add the flavor and spice, if any are to be used. Now beat in the well-beaten yolks of the eggs, and the milk (if milk be used), a little at a time. Add the flour and the well-beaten whites. Beat vigorously for half a minute. Spread the batter evenly in the pans, having it a little deeper at the sides than in the centre. This will insure a level surface for the loaf when it is baked. The more quickly the beating and mixing of the cake are done, the lighter and finer will be the cake. If cake is to be baked in sheets and not to be iced, sprinkle powdered sugar over it before putting it into the oven. This will give a smooth, sugary crust. The sugar used for cake should be fine granulated in nearly all cases. Powdered sugar makes a dry cake ; coarse granulated sugar does not melt, and the cake made with it is coarse and heavy. Baking Cake.