Soyer's standard cookery

Lemon Twists. Mix three ounces of flour with the yolks of five eggs and sufficient water to make a paste. Flavor with the juice and the grated rind of a lemon and a pinch of salt. After standing for half an hour roll the paste out very thin, cut it into strips, twist them into curls, and fry in boiling fat. Dust with castor sugar and serve very hot, with jam. Sparrow Cakes. Make a thick batter of flour, eggs, and milk, and flavor with a little salt. Beat thoroughly and then sprinkle it or pour it slowly through a colander into a pan of boiling fat so that the batter falls in separate drops. Cook for five minutes, then drain carefully from the fat, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. Sparrow cakes are mainly used as a garnish with dessert. Another method is to cook them in water instead of oil, and then roll in finely-grated breadcrumbs and brown in the oven; but this does not give such a good result. Honey Cakes. Boil an ounce of sugar in two cupfuls of honey, and then add a quarter of a pound of finely-chopped almonds. After simmering for another five minutes add half a pound of chopped candied peel, the grated rind of a lemon, a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, a pinch of powdered cloves, half a nutmeg grated, as much bicarbonate of soda as will stand on a shilling, and a tablespoonful of rum. Add enough flour to stiffen, and after thoroughly mixing cut the paste into pieces about three inches square, and roll out very thin. Bake in a slow oven, and when cool sprinkle well with sifted sugar. Sponge Cake Tarts. Take some sponge cakes, scoop out the centers, and roll them first in jam and then in chopped almonds or other nuts. In the hollow of each place a layer of whipped cream sweetened with sifted sugar, and on this lay half a stewed peach. Canned ones will serve the purpose. These are eaten cold for dessert or at afternoon tea, and are quickly made in case of an unexpected demand. Rum Rings. Sift twelve ounces of the finest flour, and mix thoroughly with half a pound of butter and the crumbled yolks of four hard-boiled eggs. When well blended add a quarter of a pound of castor sugar and a liquor-glassful of Kirsch, or rum, with just enough milk to make the whole into a stiff dough, being particularly careful not to make this dough too moist. The dough should now be rolled out rather thin and cut into rings. Put these on a buttered plate or baking tin, brush the surface with a little sweetened milk, and sprinkle with grated almonds. Bake in a moderate oven until done. The time will vary with the thickness and size of the cakes. They should be kept two or three days in a tin before eating. Rum Fingers. Whisk three eggs with seven ounces of castor sugar until thoroughly creamed, and gradually add a small glass of rum and a little grated lemon peel. Now blend thoroughly with half a pound of fine flour and three ounces of butter (melted), and when the whole is worked up to a cream set it aside for ten or twelve hours. Then shape the cream into fingers and fry them in butter till lightly browned, after which great care must be taken to drain them thoroughly before they cool. They are usually eaten cold, dusted over with sifted sugar. Supper Cakes. Mix sufficient flour with a pint of hot milk and a little yeast