1216. Baba. — Have ready half a pound of the best flour, one drachm of compressed yeast, and half a gill of warm water. Put three ounces of the flour into a vessel, make a hollow in the centre, and in it lay the yeast and water; with the hands mix the yeast gently with the water for three minutes, then mix all together gradually for three minutes more. Cover the vessel with a towel, and leave it in the warmest place in the kitchen (not on the stove), and after thirty minutes it will rise to twice the size. Lay the remainder of the flour on the table, make a hollow in the centre, putting in it an ounce of powdered sugar and four raw eggs. Mix the sugar and eggs with the hands; then add a gill of cream and half a gill of good Madeira wine. Season with a drachm of very fine salt, and mix all with the flour for five minutes. Make a hollow in the centre again, and into this put five ounces of good, fresh, soft butter✪ Baba; mix well again for two minutes. If the prepared yeast-dough be now raised to its proper height, mix the two pastes together for at least five minutes; return it to the vessel, leave it in the same warm place, covering it as before. When rested one hour, have ready two ounces of cleaned DES SEATS. 351 Sultana currants (No. 1080), two ounces of cleaned raisins (No. io8i),and one ounce of finely chopped citron. Grease with cold butter the inside of a cylindrical copper or tin form large enough to hold three pints. If the paste be now raised to twice the size, mix in the raisins, currants, and citron, stirring for five minutes; put it in the mold, and lay it in a warm place (not on the stove) for another twenty minutes. Then place it in a moderate oven for one hour. When a good golden color, remove, and let it cool slightly. Place a round dish over the mold, turn upside down, lift off the form, and glaze the cake with a glace a 1'eau (No. 1197). Deco- rate the top and dish with candied fruits, and send to the table. 1217. Baba ail Madere. — Prepare a baba cake exactly the same as for the above (No. 1216); but do not glaze it. Slit the cake in two, and remove the top piece. Pour a pint of cold water in a very clean pan, add half a pound of sugar and half a medium-sized sound lemon. Place it on the stove, and boil well for three minutes; then remove, and at once add a gill of good sherry wine and half a gill of cura§o✪ Baba ail Maderea. Lay the top part of the cake in a round, flat-bottomed vessel. To avoid breaking it, a wire basket is recommended, with which it can be lowered carefully onto the pan. Pour gradually over it the prepared sauce; let it rest for two min- utes, then replace it carefully on top of the other half of the cake. Arrange it nicely on a dessert serving-dish, garnish tastefully with can- died cherries, and decorate the border with small, thin slices of candied pineapple. For Baba au Rhum, substitute Jamaica rum for the sherry.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

1216. Baba. — Have ready half a pound of the best flour, one drachm of compressed yeast, and half a gill of warm water. Put three ounces of the flour into a vessel, make a hollow in the centre, and in it lay the yeast and water; with the hands mix the yeast gently with the water for three minutes, then mix all together gradually for three minutes more. Cover the vessel with a towel, and leave it in the warmest place in the kitchen (not on the stove), and after thirty minutes it will rise to twice the size. Lay the remainder of the flour on the table, make a hollow in the centre, putting in it an ounce of powdered sugar and four raw eggs. Mix the sugar and eggs with the hands; then add a gill of cream and half a gill of good Madeira wine. Season with a drachm of very fine salt, and mix all with the flour for five minutes. Make a hollow in the centre again, and into this put five ounces of good, fresh, soft butter; mix well again for two minutes. If the prepared yeast-dough be now raised to its proper height, mix the two pastes together for at least five minutes; return it to the vessel, leave it in the same warm place, covering it as before. When rested one hour, have ready two ounces of cleaned [illustration: DES SEATS. 351] Sultana currants (No. 1080), two ounces of cleaned raisins (No. io8i),and one ounce of finely chopped citron. Grease with cold butter the inside of a cylindrical copper or tin form large enough to hold three pints. If the paste be now raised to twice the size, mix in the raisins, currants, and citron, stirring for five minutes; put it in the mold, and lay it in a warm place (not on the stove) for another twenty minutes. Then place it in a moderate oven for one hour. When a good golden color, remove, and let it cool slightly. Place a round dish over the mold, turn upside down, lift off the form, and glaze the cake with a glace a 1'eau (No. 1197). Decorate the top and dish with candied fruits, and send to the table. 1217. Baba ail Madere. — Prepare a baba cake exactly the same as for the above (No. 1216); but do not glaze it. Slit the cake in two, and remove the top piece. Pour a pint of cold water in a very clean pan, add half a pound of sugar and half a medium-sized sound lemon. Place it on the stove, and boil well for three minutes; then remove, and at once add a gill of good sherry wine and half a gill of curaçoa. Lay the top part of the cake in a round, flat-bottomed vessel. To avoid breaking it, a wire basket is recommended, with which it can be lowered carefully onto the pan. Pour gradually over it the prepared sauce; let it rest for two minutes, then replace it carefully on top of the other half of the cake. Arrange it nicely on a dessert serving-dish, garnish tastefully with candied cherries, and decorate the border with small, thin slices of candied pineapple. For Baba au Rhum, substitute Jamaica rum for the sherry.

Records on this page

BabaBaba ail Madere

The table