The Golden Age Cook Book

SPONGE CAKE. – No. 1

Twelve eggs, the weight of ten in powdered sugar, the weight of six in sifted flour, the grated rind and juice of one lemon. Beat the yolks of the eggs to a cream, add the sugar and stir well, and then the lemon juice and rind. Add the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and fold in the flour as quickly and lightly as possible.

SPONGE CAKE. – No. 2

Four cups of flour, three cups of sugar, one cup of cold water, eight eggs, two even tablespoonfuls of baking powder, the grated peel of an orange. Pour the water on the sugar in a bowl, stir until almost dissolved, beat the whites to a stiff froth, the yolks to a cream, put one cup of flour with the yolks into the sugar and water, beat hard, add the whites of the eggs, mix the baking powder with the flour, and stir into the other ingredients by degrees quickly and lightly. Bake in a shallow pan in a quick oven. When it no longer sizzles it is done. Ice with a boiled icing while hot, flavored with almond extract.

CORN SPONGE CAKE (a Spanish Recipe)

Half a pound of corn meal, half a pound of butter, seven ounces of granulated sugar, seven eggs, two tablespoonfuls of catalan (brandy). Beat separately the whites and yolks of the eggs; when the yolks are beaten to a cream add the sugar, then the whites of eggs, stir the corn meal in lightly, then the butter melted, and the brandy. Mix well, pour into shallow pans well buttered, and bake in a moderate oven from twelve to fifteen minutes, test with a straw. Best when quite fresh.

SPICED GINGERBREAD

One cup of Porto Rico molasses, one cup of boiling water, butter the size of an egg, half a teaspoonful of ground cloves, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one egg, one teaspoonful of ginger, half a teaspoonful of soda, a light half pound of flour, a quarter of a cup of brown sugar. Melt the butter and stir into the molasses, add the spices, then the water. Sift the soda with the flour and add at the last. Currants and raisins stoned and chopped may be added and are an improvement. The cake may be baked in a loaf or in small moulds.

CREAM GINGERBREAD

One cup of Porto Rico molasses, one cup of sour cream, two cups of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of ginger, one even teaspoonful of soda, one egg, a little cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar. Beat the egg, sugar and spice together, add the molasses and one cup of flour, then the cream, after that the other cup of flour with the soda sifted together. It should be a thick batter, and if not thick enough add a little more flour – not more than half a cup. Bake in a shallow pan. When done the cake should be about two inches thick. Ice with boiled icing.

GINGER SPONGE CAKE

Half a cup of milk, half a cup of molasses, one cup of sugar, a third of a cup of butter, a cup and a half of flour, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, a quarter of a teaspoonful of soda sifted together with the flour, two eggs, one teaspoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, and half a teaspoonful of cloves. Bake in a shallow pan.

SOFT GINGERBREAD

One cup of molasses, one cup of butter, one cup of brown sugar, one cup of sour milk, three and a half cups of flour, half a teaspoonful of soda, five eggs, ginger, allspice, cloves and cinnamon to taste. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, stir in the molasses and spice, add a cup of the flour, then part of the milk, mix the soda with the rest of the flour and stir in alternately with the milk. Bake in shallow pans in a moderate oven.

GINGER CAKES

Three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of granulated sugar, one pound of flour, one teaspoonful of ginger, two even teaspoonfuls of soda sifted with the flour. Mix well together. Roll out, cut in small round cakes, brush over with white of egg, and sprinkle with sugar and finely chopped almonds. Bake in a slow oven.

GINGER SNAPS. – No. 1

Rub three-quarters of a pound of butter into a pound of sifted flour and mix in half a pound of brown sugar, add six tablespoonfuls of ginger, one teaspoonful of powdered cloves, and two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, stir in a pint of Porto Rico molasses and the grated peel of a large lemon, add at the last a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in tepid water. Beat the mixture hard with a wooden spoon, make it into a lump of dough just stiff enough to roll. Cut in small cakes and bake in a moderate oven.

GINGER SNAPS. – No. 2

One pint of Porto Rico molasses, one pound of brown sugar, one pound of butter, two pounds of flour, two tablespoonfuls of ginger, two of cinnamon, half a tablespoonful of allspice, a teaspoonful of nutmeg and half an ounce of soda. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add the spice and molasses, mix the soda with half of the flour and stir all together. Roll thin, cut in small cakes and bake in a moderate oven.

HARD GINGERBREAD

Two cups of Porto Rico molasses, one cup of brown sugar, one cup of butter, two tablespoonfuls of ginger, flour to make the dough stiff enough to roll. It requires to be kneaded thoroughly. It is better that the dough be made the day before the cakes are to be baked that it may dry a little, as they are spoiled if too much flour is added. Roll thin, cut in oblong cakes with a jagging iron, or in any way to suit the fancy.

BRANDY SNAPS

One pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, three-quarters of a pound of maple syrup. Mix the ingredients well together and drop on greased paper; if it runs too much add flour, if not enough add more maple syrup.

PEPPER NUTS. – No. 1

Two pounds of flour, one and a half pounds of sugar, half a pound of butter, three eggs, two even teaspoonfuls of soda sifted with the flour, pepper to taste. Beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar and beat very light, then the eggs and flour. Roll out and cut in small, round cakes, bake a light brown. They will keep a long time.

PEPPER NUTS – No. 2

Half a pound of butter beaten to a cream, then add three-quarters of a pound of sugar, three egg yolks beaten light, half a cup of cream, two ounces of almonds chopped very fine, half a teaspoonful of almond extract, a little fine cut citron, and one pound of flour sifted with an even teaspoonful of soda. Mix well together, roll out and cut in small, round cakes and bake a light brown.

TEA CAKES

One pint of cream, four heaping tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar, two eggs, a little cinnamon; beat well together and stir into it enough flour to roll. Roll out about a quarter of an inch thick, brush over with white of egg and sift sugar and cinnamon over it, cut into cakes about a finger long and one inch wide. Bake a delicate brown.

FIG CAKE

Half a cup of butter, one cup of granulated sugar, half a cup of milk, two cups of flour, two rounded teaspoonfuls of baking powder, the whites of four eggs. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, stir the milk and one cup of the flour together and add to the butter and sugar. Sift the remaining cup of flour and the baking powder together, beat the whites of egg to a stiff froth and stir alternately with the flour into the other ingredients. Grease three layer cake tins well, divide the batter evenly and bake from seven to ten minutes.

Filling. – Boil without stirring until it is clear one cup of sugar wet with a little water; remove from the fire and stir into it three-quarters of a cup of figs chopped fine and a quarter of a cup of currants, washed and dried. Spread two of the layers with this, put them together and ice top and sides with a plain icing made as follows: The whites of two eggs beaten to a froth and one and a half cups of powdered sugar stirred into it and flavored with almond extract.

GINGER LAYER CAKE

Two cups of flour, one cup of Porto Rico molasses, one cup of milk, the third of a cup of butter, one egg, one slightly heaping teaspoonful of soda sifted with the flour, one heaping teaspoonful of ginger, one cup of currants. Beat the egg a little, add the molasses with the butter melted and stirred into it, then the currants, about half the milk, all of the flour, beat well and add the rest of the milk. Bake in two cakes in a quick oven from twelve to fifteen minutes. Use the chocolate filling, given for chocolate layer cake, and ice the top and the sides with the same.

ORANGE CAKE

Beat to a cream the yolks of four eggs with one cup of granulated sugar, to which add the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one-half cup of milk alternately with one and a half cups of sifted flour into which a teaspoonful and a half of baking powder has been well mixed. Beat well and bake in three layers if the pans are large, or four if small, in a quick oven from seven to ten minutes, try with a broom straw, and when it comes out clean remove from the oven. Don't let them bake a moment too long, or they will not absorb the icing.

Filling. – The whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, to which add a cup of powdered sugar, pouring it in all at once and beating hard, then the grated rind of an orange – select one dark in color – and the juice. The mixture should be like a thick cream. Spread thickly on the cake while hot, and to what is left add enough sugar – about half a cupful – for frosting to harden. Ice the top and sides. This is a delicious cake, easily and quickly made.

PINEAPPLE CAKE

Make the cake by the same recipe as for orange cake. Bake in three layers.

Filling. – The whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth and a cup of powdered sugar. Grate enough fresh pineapple to have three-quarters of a cup of fruit. Strain, add the juice to the whites of eggs and sugar. Divide it, and into one part add the fruit strained from the juice. Use this for the filling. To the rest beat in half a cup of sugar and half a teaspoonful of almond extract, and ice the top and sides of the cake. It should be done while the cake is hot. This, as well as the orange cake, will keep in tin fresh for a week.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Half a cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three whole eggs, or the whites of six, one cup of milk, three cups of flour, two even teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and one teaspoonful of soda. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs beaten together, sift the cream of tartar and soda in the flour, add the flour alternately with the milk. Bake in four or five layers.

Chocolate Filling. – Take two unbeaten whites of eggs and a cup and a half of powdered sugar and beat them together. Stir over the fire until smooth and glossy two ounces of Baker's unsweetened chocolate grated, with half a cup of powdered sugar and four tablespoonfuls of boiling water, remove from the fire and stir while hot into the eggs and sugar, and when it is cool spread the top and sides, and set the cake in the oven for a moment to dry the icing.

POOR MAN'S CAKE (a Norwegian Recipe)

Twenty yolks of eggs, five whites of eggs, a pound and a quarter of sugar, one pint of sweet cream or rich milk, a sherry glass of cognac, one cup of melted butter, a little pounded cardamom seed, and enough flour to roll thin. Beat the eggs together until light, add the sugar and beat again, then the cream, cognac and butter. Melt the butter and pour off from the salt. Cinnamon may be used instead of cardamom seed. Roll the dough as thin as paper, cut with a jagging iron in oblong pieces, slit one end with the iron and pass the other end through it. Fry in boiling fat, drain on paper, and when perfectly cold put in a stone jar. These cakes will keep for months.

VENISON CAKES (a Norwegian Recipe)

Six eggs beaten light with three-quarters of a pound of sugar, one cup of sweet cream or rich milk, a pound and a half of flour. When these ingredients are well mixed add four ounces of well washed butter, stir well together. Mix with the flour a little less than an even teaspoonful of ammonia, powdered fine – the cakes will rise better – and flavor with cardamom or cinnamon. Roll the dough with the hands until about the thickness of the little finger, cut in pieces about three inches long – the ends bias – lap them and snip with scissors or a knife around the outside to make points, then fry in boiling fat as crullers. These also keep a long time.

SEED CAKES

A cup and a half of granulated sugar, a cup and a half of butter, four eggs, one tablespoonful of caraway seed and flour to roll. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the yolks beaten light, then the caraway seed. Beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth and add alternately with the flour – do not make the dough stiff. Roll thin, cut in small cakes and bake in a quick oven.

DROP CAKES

A cup of butter, a cup and a half of sugar, four eggs, a pint of flour, a cup of currants, half a cup of sweet milk, a teaspoonful of baking powder. Drop with a teaspoon on greased pans and bake in a quick oven ten minutes.

LEBKUCHEN

Half a pound of granulated sugar, half a pound of strained honey, half a pound of candied orange peel, half a pound of citron, half a pound of almonds blanched and cut fine, an even teaspoonful of bicarbonate of potash pounded very fine and a sherry glass of rum poured over it twenty-four hours before it is used, an even teaspoonful of cloves, an even teaspoonful of cinnamon, an even teaspoonful of powdered cardamom seed, the rind of half a lemon grated, and two eggs. Put the honey in a saucepan and let it come to a boil, pour it over the sugar in a mixing bowl and stir well, then add the flour, mix thoroughly, and set in a cool place for twenty-four hours. Then cut all the fruit fine and mix with the other ingredients thoroughly, beat the eggs and add to the mixture, put in the rum and potash last, stir well, and let it stand for an hour or two. Roll the dough out about a quarter of an inch thick, cut into cakes about three inches wide and five long, bake in a quick oven ten or fifteen minutes. Do not use more than two ounces of flour in rolling out the cakes. Ice them while hot.

Icing. – Half a pound of sugar and the juice of half a lemon and the same quantity of water as of lemon juice; stir together and spread on very thin.

MACAROONS (a Bavarian Recipe)

Blanch and chop fine half a pound of almonds. Beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, add half a pound of sugar and then the nuts. Drop from a small spoon on paraffine paper on a baking sheet and bake a delicate brown in a cool oven.

CHOCOLATE MACAROONS (a Bavarian Recipe)

Two ounces of almonds chopped fine, the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, stir in six ounces of sugar and an ounce and a half of grated chocolate, then add the almonds. Bake in a cool oven.

SODA CAKES

Three egg yolks, a pint and a half of cream, three-quarters of a pound of butter, an even teaspoonful of soda, one pound and a half of sugar, and flour enough to roll. Roll very thin and cut in small cakes; put half a blanched almond in the middle of each. Bake in a slow oven.

WALNUT WAFERS

Beat two eggs very light and add to them half a pound of brown sugar; beat again and stir in half a cup of flour with a quarter of a teaspoonful of baking powder, a third of a teaspoonful of salt and half a cup of walnut meats slightly chopped. Drop in small spoonfuls on buttered tins, not too close together, and bake brown. The dough should not be too thin; try one or two and if too thin add a very little more flour.

JODE CAKES (a Norwegian Recipe)

Three egg yolks, a pint and a half of cream, three-quarters of a pound of butter, an even teaspoonful of soda, one pound and a half of sugar and flour enough to roll. Roll very thin and cut in small cakes; put half a blanched almond in the middle of each. Bake in a slow oven.

FROSTING

Three-quarters of a cup of powdered sugar to the white of one egg, flavoring to taste. Beat the white of egg to a stiff froth and turn all the sugar into it; see that the sugar is free from lumps, beat hard and flavor according to the cake.

BOILED ICING

One cup of granulated sugar, five tablespoonfuls of boiling water, the white of one egg beaten to a stiff froth. Put the sugar and water over the fire and boil until it threads from the spoon; then turn it into the beaten egg, beat briskly for a few minutes, flavor with vanilla, lemon or almond, according to the cake. While the cake is still warm, sprinkle with flour and spread the icing on with a broad knife.

Pies

PLAIN PASTRY

Four cups of sifted flour, one cup of butter, a pinch of salt, three heaping teaspoonfuls of granulated sugar, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, four tablespoonfuls of ice water and the yolks of two eggs. This quantity will make two pies. Rub the butter, flour, salt and sugar together thoroughly, then add the yolks of eggs, lemon juice and water and work all together into a paste. Put the dough on a pastry board, divide in four equal parts, roll each part the size required for the pie plates.

PUFF PASTE

One pound of flour, one pound of butter and one cup of ice water. Sift the flour, weigh it and turn into a mixing bowl; pour the water gradually into it, stirring constantly with a spoon; turn the dough out on the pastry board and beat or knead it until it blisters and is so elastic that it can be stretched without tearing. Then set it away on ice. Wash the butter, squeeze out the salt and water and lay it on a plate on ice. Roll the dough as nearly square as possible, lay the butter in the center of it, fold over one side of the paste, then the other, flatten slightly with the rolling pin, fold over the ends of the dough until they meet; turn the dough over and roll twice, fold again and put the paste on the ice; let it remain for twenty minutes. Repeat this twice, allowing the pastry to rest twenty minutes each time. This makes in all six rolls and three times of rolling. Press very lightly with the rolling pin, cut off each time what is needed for a pie or number of patties, that the dough will not be worked over more than is necessary. The trimmings may be used for cheese straws by cutting and sprinkling them with grated Parmesan cheese and a dash of cayenne pepper; or may be baked in crescents for garnishing. In baking, rinse the pans with cold water and brush the pastry over with beaten egg. Make the pastry in a cool room.

TO MAKE ONE SQUASH OR PUMPKIN PIE

One cup of squash, one egg mixed unbeaten with the squash, a cup and a half of sugar, one milk cracker rolled fine, half a teaspoonful each of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, a pinch of salt and a dash of cayenne pepper. After these are well mixed, add half a cup of milk. Bake in either puff or plain paste.

SWEET RISSOLES

Roll out some puff paste into a thin sheet, cut as many rounds with a large patty cutter as are needed; put a spoonful of any kind of jam, strawberry, raspberry, currant, etc., or mince meat or purée of apples on each, moisten the edges of the pastry with water, fold one-half over the other, making them into half moons, brush with beaten egg and bake in a quick oven. They may be varied by sifting coarse sugar and nuts over them before baking.

RICHMOND MAIDS OF HONOR

Half a pound of dry curd, commonly called cottage or pot cheese, six ounces of butter, four eggs, a glass of brandy, six ounces of sugar, one white potato, one ounce of sweet almonds chopped fine and a few drops of almond extract, the juice of one and the grated rind of two lemons, and a little nutmeg. Mix the curds and butter together, beat sugar and eggs to a cream, add the potato mashed smooth and fine, the almonds, the grated rind and juice of lemon and the nutmeg; beat well and add to the curds and butter, mix thoroughly and bake in tartlet pans or pie plates lined with puff paste.

CHEESE CAKES

Put a pint of milk on to boil, beat four eggs light and stir into the milk; when it is a thick curd remove from the fire and when cool mash it very fine, add to it four ounces of breadcrumbs. Beat to a cream half a pound of butter and half a pound of sugar, add the curds and bread; beat four eggs until very thick and light and pour them into this mixture; then add gradually one tablespoonful of sherry and one of brandy and one of rose-water, and a teaspoonful of cinnamon, and lastly a quarter of a pound of currants well washed. Line either pie plates or shallow cake pans with puff paste, pour in the mixture and bake in a quick oven. They should be served cold and eaten the day they are baked.

COCOANUT PIE (a Southern Recipe)

One cup of freshly-grated cocoanut, one cup of sugar, three eggs, half a lemon, juice and grated rind, one-half cup of cream, one-half cup of butter and one-half cup of cocoanut milk. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add other ingredients, the yolks of eggs beaten very light with the cream, the lemon juice and rind and lastly the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Line a dish with puff paste, pour the mixture in and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour.

LEMON PIE (a Southern Recipe)

The yolks of four eggs beaten to a cream with one cup of granulated sugar and the grated rind of one lemon. Peel the lemon, removing every particle of white skin, cut into thin slices; have a pie plate lined with puff paste, arrange the slices of lemon on the paste, add enough milk to the eggs and sugar to fill the plate, pour it in, and bake until set. Beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and stir in two large heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, put on top of the pie and bake a light brown.

MINCE MEAT

One pound of granulated sugar, one pound of raisins, one pound of currants, half a pound of citron, half a dozen lemons, grated rind and juice, the pulp of eight oranges, the grated rind of three, half a pound of almonds blanched and chopped, three pounds of greenings, after they are pared, cored and chopped fine, three heaping teaspoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, an even teaspoonful of allspice, a quarter of a teaspoonful of cloves, an even teaspoonful of salt, three-quarters of a pound of butter melted, a cup and a half of sherry and a cup of brandy. Seed the raisins and soak them with the currants in just water enough to cover, stew until tender, and add when cold with the water to the other ingredients. Mix thoroughly, stirring in the melted butter at the last. Let it stand for several days. The brandy and wine may be omitted and more lemons and oranges used to flavor it. At each baking it is well to add a little sugar and chopped apple. This will keep all winter or longer in a cool place, if the brandy and wine are not omitted.

Candies

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS – No. 1

Six pounds of light brown sugar, one pound of butter, one pound of chocolate, one pint of cream, one pint of milk, paraffine as large as a walnut, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar. Flavor with vanilla. Put all the ingredients together and boil until it is brittle in water; flavor and pour into buttered tins and mark in squares before it is quite cold.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS. – No. 2

One pint of fresh milk, three ounces of chocolate, grated, two pounds of granulated sugar, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar. Stir until melted, then add half a pint of cream, cook until the mixture is brittle in ice water, then turn into a pan well greased and mark in squares when almost cold.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS. – No. 3

A quarter of a pound of chocolate, grated, one large cup of granulated sugar, one cup of milk and a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a quarter of a teaspoonful of cream of tartar. Boil all together, stirring all the time, until the syrup hardens in cold water, and just before taking from the fire add a teaspoonful of vanilla. Beat the syrup as soon as removed from the fire, and keep it up until it is too stiff to beat any longer – if it is beaten a minute and a half it will do well. Turn out of the saucepan into a greased pan and before it is quite cold cut in squares.