Miss Parloa's kitchen companion

In the morning knead the dough again, and let it rise once more. When it is spongy again, sprinkle a board with flour, and turn the dough on it. Do not knead it this time. Roll it down to the thickness of half an inch. With a jagging-iron or a sharp knife, cut the dough into any shape you like. One of the best is what is called the twist ; cut long narrow strips of the dough, double these, and twist loosely. Let the doughnuts rise on the board for twenty minutes. They should be covered all the while with a light cloth. Fry in lard for about six minutes. HOW TO ICE AND DECORATE CAKE. When cake is to be iced it is always best to spread a thin coating of icing over it while the cake is still warm. Unless the first coat be put on thin and rough, the second one will not stick. Now spread the cake thickly with icing. If the royal icing be used, draw a clean knife through it in the manner in which the cake is to be cut, whether it be squares or slices. With the softer icings this is not possible, as they would run together again. Let the icing harden ; it will take only about an hour for the surface to become hard, but several hours for it to get dried all through. Never put it in a warm place to dry. If the cake is to be decorated, the work can be done as soon as the surface of the icing is dried. There will be required one or two small bags, made of rubber sheeting, also several confectioners' small tubes. In making a bag a square of rubber sheeting, about a foot square, is folded from two opposite corners, which gives it a triangular shape. Stitch this ; then cut off a small piece at the bottom, and press a tube into the opening (see illustration for sponge fingers, p. 746). Fill the bag with royal icing, and press this out in any design you please. Tubes come in tin and brass ; but. as the tin do not keep their shape, it is better to buy those made of brass. Both tubes and bags can be obtained at a confectioners' supply store. One must not expect to rival a regular confectioner in the work of icing and decorating. It takes a good deal of practice to do the work well. It is a good plan to draw some designs on sheets of paper, place a sheet of clear glass over this, and decorate with icing ; scraping off and using the icing again and again until you can execute the work satisfactorily. When a name or date is to be placed on the cake, color a little of the icing with a few drops of cochineal or a little dissolved chocolate. Put a very small plain tube in a bag, and then pour in the colored icing. Trace the name or figures on the centre of the cake, and follow the pencil lines with the tube. Or a pretty design can be made by using the white icing with a rather large tube that is serrated on one side and slightly flattened. This will give broad, flat letters. Ornament these letters with bright candied fruits, cut in small pieces. After one learns how to use the bag and tube the variety of decorations that may be used on cakes is limited only by one's ability in designing. Royal Icing.