Part 6

Boil the sugar and water for five minutes and then cool and add the strained orange juice and the maraschino cherry syrup. Now soak two level tablespoonfuls of gelatine in one-half cupful of cold water for thirty minutes and then place in hot water bath to heat. Stir until dissolved and then strain into prepared orange mixture. Now rinse custard cups in cold water and pour in the gelatine and set aside to cool and mould. To serve: Unmold on a saucer and serve with fruit whip.

COFFEE CUSTARD, PARFAIT STYLE

One and one-half cupfuls of cold coffee, One cupful of evaporated milk, One-half cupful of cornstarch.

Place in a saucepan and dissolve the starch in the coffee and then add the milk. Bring to a boil and cook slowly for ten minutes. Remove and add

One cupful of sugar, One teaspoonful of vanilla, Yolk of two eggs.

Beat to blend thoroughly and then partly cool and pour into stem glasses, filling nearly to the top. Set on ice to chill. While chilling place the white of two eggs and one-half glass of currant jelly in a bowl. Now use a Dover egg-beater and beat until it holds its shape. When ready to serve pile high on the coffee custards and garnish with maraschino cherries.

GALATIN A LA MELBA

Cut a slice of sponge cake. Place on a fruit saucer and pour over it three tablespoons of syrup from a jar of peaches and then place two halves of peaches on the cake and top off with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.

MINT GELATINE

Shred the leaves of a bunch of mint and place in a saucepan; add one-half cup of water and cook slowly for ten minutes. Now drain and add

One-half cup of sugar, Three-quarters cup of vinegar.

Stir to thoroughly dissolve and then place one tablespoon of gelatin to soak in one-quarter cup of cold water for ten minutes and add the hot mint preparation. Strain and add two drops of green vegetable coloring into it, and then pour into a pan to mould. Cut into blocks and serve with the meat.

PASTRY

Now it all rests with the cook as to whether we are going to have a cut of pastry that fairly melts in your mouth or a tough doughy mass that is unfit for food.

Any little housewife may turn out delicious, flaky pastry if she will but follow directions carefully. First of all, let us study for a minute just what pastry is. It is a mixture of flour, shortening and water. Each grain of flour is thoroughly coated with shortening and then mixed to a dough with the water. Do I hear you say "Well I know that?" Surely you do. But do you know the real knack of putting it together? For here is the real rub. The minute you knead or squeeze pastry that is the moment you make it tough.

THE REAL SECRET

Sift

Three cups of flour, One teaspoon of salt, Three teaspoons of baking powder,

together twice, and then cut or rub into this two-thirds cup of shortening. If you cut it in, use your griddle-cake turner or spatula and chop it in rather coarse. Now mix to a dough with one-half cup of ice-cold water, using the cake-turner to mix the water in; just keep chopping and turning over until the mixture is formed into a ball of dough. Do not knead or pat with the hand. You cannot hurt this dough if you will just mix it as a man does when mixing mortar with a hoe. Keep working it back and forth, chopping it each time until well mixed. This amount will make the tops and the bottoms for two pies.

To roll the dough, divide it into four parts and then lift one piece on a slightly floured board and roll out the dough, working the rolling pin to and from you and turning the dough as often as necessary to secure the size and shape desired.

Should the dough tear, or not come to the desired shape, just fold it into squares or oblongs and then roll again.

Place on the tin and then trim the edges. Proceed in the same manner with the top crust, and then when ready to place on the pie, fold from corner to corner, making a bias fold and then cut quarter-inch gashes with a knife in centre to allow steam to escape. Lift and cover the pie and then trim to shape. Now do not form the trimmings into a ball, but lay them one piece upon the other in a pile and flatten them with the rolling pin. Roll and fold into shape, and roll as desired.

You can re-roll pastry as often as desired by this method. Keep in the mind the fact that kneading or squeezing the pastry forms it into a sticky mass. This method will give you a delicious, flaky crust. You may spread two tablespoons of shortening upon the top crust and then fold and roll. Fold again and roll; then use as desired.

Sufficient pastry may be made at one time to last for two or three days. Just wrap the dough in wax-paper so that it does not dry out. Various fillings may be used. Fresh or canned fruits, custards, mince meat, etc. If you use fresh fruits place

One-half cup of sugar, Three level tablespoons of cornstarch,

in a bowl and rub between the hands to thoroughly mix and then use this by sprinkling over the fruit. This will prevent the juice from boiling out of the pie while it is cooking and it will form into a jelly when cold.

To use canned fruit, drain the fruit free from the liquid and then cut into thin slices. Measure the liquid and then add

Four level tablespoons of cornstarch, Eight tablespoons of sugar,

to each cupful. Dissolve the starch and sugar in the cold liquid and then bring to a boil. Cook for three minutes and then add the prepared fruit. Cool before placing in the pastry.

To prevent the lower crust from becoming soggy just before putting in the filling, brush it well with a good salad oil, or shortening, taking care that each part is covered. This will give you a tender, flaky lower crust.

Just before the pie is ready to put into the oven brush it well with a wash of egg and milk, using

Yolk of one egg, One-half cup of milk, Two teaspoons of sugar.

Stir to dissolve the sugar and mix in the egg. Then wash the pie. This will keep a week in a cool place.

The correct temperature to bake a pie is 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This means a moderate oven. Too much heat will brown the crust before the filling inside has had the time to cook. Custard pies--this includes those made of eggs, milk, lemon meringes, sweet potato and pumpkin--require a slow oven--250 degrees Fahrenheit.

PASTRY FOR CUSTARD PIE

The most important point in the custard pie is the crust, which will either make or mar the pie. So to begin with, the pastry should be light and delicate. To make pastry for custard pie place in a bowl

Three cups of flour, One teaspoon of salt, Three teaspoons of baking powder, Two tablespoons of sugar.

Sift to mix and then rub in one-half cup of good shortening, and then mix to a dough with one-half cup of ice water. When mixing the pastry to a dough, it is important that it should be cut and folded together much after the method used in cutting and folding the whites into a cake. Care at this point in making the pastry will prevent it from becoming tough. Now wrap the pastry in wax or parchment paper and place on the ice to thoroughly chill for two hours. Now if the pastry is made either the day before or early in the morning and then allowed to blend, it will be delightfully light and flaky.

Now to prepare for the pie: This amount of pastry will be sufficient for two large pies, one custard and one lemon, for variety. The trimmings can be made into little tarts, turnovers or cheese straws. Divide the pastry into two parts and then roll out one part on a lightly floured board until sufficiently large to fully cover the pie tin.

Now fold carefully in half and then in quarters and lift on the pie plate and open covering the pie plate, easing on the pastry. Trim the edges and then roll out the trimmings into a long narrow strip. Cut into strips three-quarters inch wide and then brush the edge of the pastry on the pie plate with water and add this narrow strip as a reinforcement to build up the edge. This will prevent the custard overflowing.

Now brush the pastry in the bottom of the pie plate with melted shortening, taking care to thoroughly coat the entire surface with the shortening. Then pour in the prepared custard. Reserve about one tablespoon of the custard to brush the pastry around the edges. Place in a slow oven and bake until the custard is firm in the centre.

To test if custard is baked, gently insert a silver knife into the custard, taking care that the knife does not pierce the crust.

Brushing the pastry with the shortening before pouring in the custard prevents the moisture from soaking into the crust.

TO MAKE THE MERINGUE

Beat the whites of two eggs in a bowl, which is free from grease, until stiff, and then cut and fold into the stiffly beaten whites of the two eggs

One-half cup of pulverized sugar, Three tablespoons of cornstarch.

Sift the sugar and cornstarch to thoroughly mix and then carefully cut and fold into the whites of eggs.

On just how careful you are in cutting and folding this mixture will determine the success of your meringues. After the whites are beaten stiff they are full of little air bubbles, which if stirred break down and become watery and then the entire mixture becomes flat and tough. To prevent this, sprinkle the prepared sugar over the stiffly beaten white of egg and then with a spoon cut down through the centre and fold over; turn the bowl half-way around, then cut and fold again. Repeat this until sufficiently mixed, then place on the hot pie, sprinkle with granulated sugar and place in the oven to brown. Open the oven door and let stand for a few minutes, then remove to a place free from drafts where it will cool slowly, so as to prevent a sudden shrinking of the meringue, due to a sudden chill.

To make cocoanut pie, add one-half cup of cocoanut to the custard pie just before putting in the oven.

PEACH CUSTARD PIE

Crush a sufficient number of pared peaches to measure one cup. Place in a mixing bowl and add

One-half cup of sugar.

Now place in a saucepan

Three-quarters cup of milk, Two tablespoons of cornstarch.

Stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil. Cook for two minutes and then pour very slowly, while beating hard to blend, on the peaches and sugar that are blending in the mixing bowl.

Add

Yolks of two eggs, One-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon.

Beat again and then pour into prepared pie plate lined with pastry and bake in a slow oven. Use whites of eggs for meringue.

CUSTARD PIE

Now to prepare the filling for the custard pie, place in a mixing bowl

One-half cup of sugar, One and one-quarter cups of milk, Yolk of one egg, Two whole eggs, One-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg.

Beat with an egg-beater to thoroughly mix and then pour into the prepared pastry lined pie tin. Use white of egg for meringue.

LEMON CUSTARD PIE

Place in a saucepan

One cup of sugar, One and one-half cups of water, One-half cup of cornstarch.

Stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil, and cook for five minutes. Now add

Rind of one-quarter lemon, grated, Juice of two lemons, Yolks of two eggs.

Beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into pie plate prepared as for custard pie. Bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes and then cover with meringue made of whites of eggs.

NORTH CAROLINA PEACH CUSTARD PIE

Prepare the pastry and line a pie plate with it, then rub with shortening as directed in the custard pie. Now cover the bottom thickly with sliced peaches and then prepare a custard as follows: Place in a mixing bowl

Three-quarters cup of sugar, Three-quarters cup of milk, Yolks of two eggs, One whole egg, One-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon.

Beat to thoroughly mix and just before pouring the custard over the peaches dust them well with sifted flour. Pour on the custard and bake in a slow oven until firm. Use whites of eggs for meringue.

Raspberries and plums may be used in place of the peaches for variety. When making these pies, always use the regulation custard pie tin, the ones with the straight sides.

CIDER JELLY PIE

Place in a saucepan

Three-quarters cup of brown sugar, Two cups of cider, Eight tablespoons of cornstarch.

Dissolve the starch and then bring to a boil. Cook for three minutes and then remove from the fire and add

One-half teaspoon of cinnamon, One tablespoon of vinegar.

Beat to mix and then cool and bake between two crusts.

APPLE DOWDY

Grease well with shortening a deep pudding pan and then place a layer one inch thick of thinly sliced apples and then sprinkle well with sugar and dust with cinnamon. Repeat this until the dish is full and then cover with a crust of plain pastry. Bake for forty-five minutes in a moderate oven and let cool.

To serve: Loosen the pastry from the sides of the pan, place a large platter over the pie and invert. Cut into wedge-shaped portions and serve with cream, custard or fruit sauce.

COUNTRY STYLE GREEN APPLE PIE

Pare the apples and then cut into thin slices. Now place a layer of apples in a pudding pan and sprinkle each layer with

Two tablespoons of flour, Six tablespoons of brown sugar, One-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon.

Repeat this until the pan is full. Now place a crust on top and bake in slow oven for forty minutes. To serve: Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the crust. Invert the plate over the pie and turn the pie upside down upon the plate. Cover with fruit, whip and cut into wedge-shaped pieces and serve with custard sauce.

CONGRESS PIE

Use an oblong pan similar to that used in making cheesecake. Line with plain pastry and then place three cups of bread crumbs in a bowl and add

Two cups of boiling water, One-half cup of syrup, One cup of brown sugar, Four tablespoons of shortening, One teaspoon of cinnamon, One-half teaspoon of nutmeg, One-half teaspoon of cloves, One cup of finely chopped nuts, One cup of raisins or currants, One cup of marmalade or fruit butter.

Beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into the prepared pan and bake in a slow oven for one-half hour. Cool and then ice with water icing. Cut into two-inch oblongs.

DOWDY, NEW ENGLAND STYLE

Apples or peaches may be used. Wash the fruit and then pare and cut into thin slices. Measure two pints of the prepared fruit and dust over it so as to thoroughly coat each piece with

One teaspoon of cinnamon, One-half cup of flour.

Then pat smoothly in baking dish and cover with

One cup of brown sugar, Four tablespoons cold water.

Cover with a crust the pastry and bake in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes. Let cool and then run a knife around the edge of the baking dish and loosen the crust from the dish. Place a large platter over the dowdy and then invert. Dust the dowdy lightly with nutmeg and serve with fruit or vanilla sauce.

APPLE CUSTARD PIE

Line a pie tin with plain pastry. Now place one and one-half cups of thick apple sauce in a sauce pan and add

One cup of sugar, One-third cup of cornstarch, One-half cup of cold water.

Dissolve starch in water.

Place on the fire and bring to a boil and then cook slowly for five minutes. Cool and then add

One-half teaspoon of nutmeg, One well-beaten egg.

Pour into prepared tins and bake for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.

SHORTCAKE

The shortcake is typical of Scotland. It is a mixture of flour, sugar and shortening worked to a paste and then rolled one-half inch thick and then decorated in various ways. The thrifty Scotsman, after leaving the mother country and settling in the new America, felt that the use of much shortening was too expensive, and so his thrifty housewife, who was willing and even anxious to be a partner to him, coöperated by cutting down on the amount of shortening and still turn out a rich palatable cake. This is how she does it: Place

Two cups of flour, One-half teaspoon of salt, Two level tablespoons of sugar, Two level tablespoons of baking powder,

in a bowl and sift three times. Now rub in six tablespoons of shortening and then add seven tablespoons of water and work to a smooth elastic dough. Turn on a prepared pastry board and mould into shape to fit the pie tin with the hands. Wash the top of the dough with milk and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. Remove, cool and cut into wedge sections like pie and serve with cheese or fruit.

PEACH SHORTCAKE

Yolk of one egg, One-half cup of sugar.

Cream well and then add

Three tablespoons of shortening, Four tablespoons of water, One cup of flour, Two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, One-half teaspoon of vanilla.

Beat to thoroughly mix and then bake in well-greased deep layer-cake pan in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. Cook and then split and fill with well-drained canned crushed peaches. Place together. Now place white of egg and one-half glass of apple jelly in a bowl; beat with Dover egg-beater until the mixture forms into a stiff meringue.

BANANA SHORTCAKE

One-half cup of sugar, Four tablespoons of shortening, One egg.

Place in a mixing bowl and then cream well, then add

One and one-quarter cups of sifted flour, Three level teaspoons of baking powder, One level teaspoon of vanilla extract, One-half cup of water.

Beat to mix and pour into well-greased and floured oblong baking pans. Now spread the top of the cake with three bananas sliced very thin. Place in a moderate oven and bake for thirty-five minutes. Use the white of egg and half glass of apple jelly for a meringue.

OLD VIRGINIA SHORTCAKE

Sift the flour and then fill a quart measure, using a tablespoon to lift the flour. Care should be taken not to shake or pack the flour down, as the quart of flour should weigh just one pound. Place in a bowl and add

Three level tablespoons of baking powder, One teaspoon of salt, Three-quarters cup of sugar.

Sift again to mix and then rub in one-half cup of shortening. Place one and one-half cups of buttermilk in a pitcher and add one teaspoon of baking soda. Stir to thoroughly dissolve the soda and then use this to mix the flour to a dough. Knead well in the bowl with a spoon and then turn on a slightly floured board and roll or pat out one inch thick. Cut with a large biscuit cutter and brush the top with shortening and bake in a hot oven for eighteen minutes.

APRICOT SHORTCAKE

One-half cup of sugar, Four tablespoons of shortening, Yolk of one egg.

Cream until light and frothy, and then add

Four tablespoons of water, One cup of flour, Two level teaspoons of baking powder.

Beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into well-greased layer cake pan. Bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. Split and fill with cooked apricots and then place in a bowl

White of one egg, left over, One-half glass of jelly.

Beat to thoroughly mix with the Dover egg-beater until it forms a stiff meringue. Pile on top of cake and garnish with single piece of apricot.

HUCKLEBERRY SHORTCAKE

Place in a mixing bowl

Three-quarters cup of sugar, One egg, Four tablespoons of shortening, Two cups of flour, Four teaspoons of baking powder, Three-quarters cup of water.

Beat and mix and then pour into well-greased oblong pan and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. Cool and then split, and fill with the prepared berries and serve with custard sauce.

To prepare the huckleberries for the shortcake, place in a saucepan

Two cups of stewed huckleberries, One-half cup of cornstarch, One cup of brown sugar.

Stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. Add one-half teaspoon of nutmeg and then cool and use for the filling.

LEMON DUMPLINGS

Place in a bowl:

One tablespoon of baking powder, One cup of flour, One and one-half cups of fine bread crumbs, One cup of chopped suet, One cup of brown sugar, Juice of one lemon, Two eggs, Grated rind of one-half lemon, One and one-half cups of milk.

Beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into well-greased mould and boil for one and one-quarter hours. Serve with lemon sauce.

PEACH CAKE

Place in a mixing bowl

Three-quarters cup of sugar, One egg, Four tablespoons of shortening, Two cups of flour, Four level tablespoons of baking powder, Three-quarters cup of water.

Beat just enough to mix and then pour into a deep well-greased and floured layer-cake pan. Cover the top thickly with diced peaches and then place in a small bowl

Six tablespoons of flour, Four tablespoons of sugar, Two tablespoons of shortening, One teaspoon of cinnamon.

Rub between the tips of the fingers until crumbly and then spread on the top of the peaches and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes.

PEACH DUMPLINGS

Place in a mixing bowl

Two cups of flour, One teaspoon of salt, One teaspoon baking powder, One tablespoon sugar.

Sift to mix and then rub in one-half cup of shortening; then mix to a dough with one-fourth cup of ice-cold water. Set on ice for one hour, then roll out one-eighth inch thick and cut into four-inch squares. Fill with pared and stoned peaches, placing two tablespoons of brown sugar and one-half teaspoon of nutmeg in each dumpling. Brush the edges with water and then fold the pastry together. Place on a well-greased baking sheet and add one-half cup of water to the pan and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes.

APPLE CAKE

Place in a bowl

Two cups of flour,

and then add

One-half teaspoon of salt, Three teaspoons of baking powder, One and one-half teaspoons of nutmeg.