Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume IV Part 29

Cook the chocolate, sugar, and water over the flame until they are well blended. Mix the flour and milk and add to the hot mixture. Cook until the flour has thickened. Add the b.u.t.ter and vanilla. Cool and fill into the eclairs. Cover the tops with a plain chocolate icing.

COFFEE FILLING FOR eCLAIRS

1/3 c. ground coffee 2 c. milk 1/3 c. flour 3/4 c. sugar 1 Tb. b.u.t.ter 1 tsp. vanilla

Steep the coffee in the milk for 15 minutes. Strain and add the flour and sugar, which have been thoroughly mixed. Cook until the mixture is thickened, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add the b.u.t.ter and vanilla, cool, and fill into the eclairs. Cover the top of the eclairs with icing made by thickening a little strong coffee with pulverized sugar.

CARAMEL FILLING FOR eCLAIRS

1 c. sugar 1-1/4 c. boiling water 1/3 c. flour 1 c. milk 1 Tb. b.u.t.ter 1 tsp. vanilla

Caramelize 1/2 cupful of the sugar, add the water, and cook until the caramel has dissolved. Mix the remainder of the sugar with the flour and moisten with the milk. Add this to the caramel and cook until the flour thickens completely, stirring constantly to prevent the formation of lumps. Add the b.u.t.ter and vanilla. Cool and fill into the eclairs. Cover the tops with a plain caramel icing.

DOUGHNUTS AND CRULLERS

27. NATURE OF DOUGHNUTS AND CRULLERS.--Some kinds of doughnuts and crullers are made of bread dough, and for this reason really belong to breakfast breads instead of to cakes. However, most of the recipes for these two foods include sugar, shortening, milk, eggs, and leavening, making doughnuts and crullers so similar to cake in their composition that they are usually regarded as cake mixtures. The shortening, which is in smaller amounts than is required for most cakes, is supplied largely by the method of preparation peculiar to these cakes; that is, by their being fried in deep fat. Consequently, some of the same conditions apply in their preparation as in the making of other foods that are cooked in this way. As has already been learned, such foods must either contain a sufficient amount of protein material, such as egg, for instance, or be coated with enough material of this kind to prevent the absorption of fat. In the case of doughnuts, this material is supplied as an ingredient.

28. SHAPING DOUGHNUTS AND CRULLERS.--The ingredients used in the making of doughnuts are combined in much the same way as those used in other cake mixtures. A point to remember is that the mixture, like that for cookies, must be stiff enough to handle and roll out, but care should be taken not to use too much flour, for then the doughnuts are likely to be tough. Divide the dough into amounts of a convenient size, place one of these on a well-floured board, and roll out with a rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick. Then, with a doughnut cutter, as shown in Fig. 21, cut as many doughnuts as possible from the rolled dough. If a regular doughnut cutter is not in supply, a round cookie cutter may be used and then a thimble or some other small round cutter applied to remove the center of the pieces thus cut. As here shown, a plate or some other small dish containing flour should be kept handy and the cutter dipped into this occasionally during the cutting to prevent it from sticking to the dough and marring the appearance of the doughnuts. Collect the centers and sc.r.a.ps that remain after the doughnuts have been cut from a piece and set these aside until all the fresh dough has been used. These may then be rolled out again and cut into doughnuts. If desired, however, the centers may be fried.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 21]

29. While doughnuts are usually round and have a hole in the center, they may, for variety, be made in other shapes. For instance, after the dough is rolled out, it is sometimes cut with a sharp knife Into rectangular pieces about 4 inches long and 2-1/2 inches wide and each one of these pieces then cut lengthwise into three strips attached at one end. When cut in this way, the strips are braided and then pinched together at the loose end. Or, the pieces may be made 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, cut into two strips attached at one end, and the strips then twisted around each other and pinched together at the loose end.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 22]

30. FRYING DOUGHNUTS AND CRULLERS.--After the doughnuts have been cut in the desired shape, the next step is to fry them. The equipment required for this process consists of a pan or a kettle into which the fat is put, a long-handled frying basket into which the doughnuts are placed, and a receptacle containing hot water into which the doughnuts can be dipped after being fried. Put into the kettle a sufficient amount of fat, which may be any vegetable fat or oil, to cover the doughnuts well, allow it to become hot enough to brown an inch cube of bread in 40 seconds, place several doughnuts in the bottom of the basket, as shown in Fig. 22, and then lower the basket into the hot fat, when it will be found that the doughnuts will rise quickly to the top of the fat. Allow them to brown on one side and then turn them over with a fork and let them brown on the other side. Be careful not to let the fat become too hot during the frying, or the doughnuts will become darker than is desirable before the inside is cooked. If it is found that the fat is getting too hot, turn off some of the heat or remove the deep-fat kettle from the excessive heat.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 23]

31. As soon as the doughnuts have become an even brown on both sides and have fried through thoroughly, lift the basket out of the fat and rest it on the edge of the frying kettle. Then, as shown in Fig. 23, remove the doughnuts one at a time from the basket with a fork and dip quickly into the pan of boiling water and remove again at once. Dipping the doughnuts into boiling water removes any excessive fat that may remain on the surface. Upon taking them from the water, place them, as in Fig.

24, on a piece of paper that will absorb as much of the remaining fat as possible. When these precautions are taken, the doughnuts will be found to be less greasy and not so likely to disagree with the persons who eat them. After the surface has become dried, the doughnuts may be improved by sprinkling them with pulverized or granulated sugar.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 24]

32. If a large number of doughnuts are made and the hot-water method of drying them is adopted, it will be found that considerable fat will remain in the water. It will therefore pay to allow the fat to become cool and remove it from the surface of the water. Fat in which doughnuts and crullers are fried, after being poured from the dregs that collect in the bottom and reheated, may be clarified by adding several slices of raw potato to it and allowing these to become brown in it. This treatment will remove any foreign taste that the fat may have and make it possible to use the fat again for frying purposes. Fat in which croquettes have been fried may be treated in the same way and used the second time.

33. RECIPES FOR DOUGHNUTS.--A variety of doughnuts that are made light by means of chemical leavening can be prepared, as the following recipes indicate. Sometimes yeast doughnuts are preferred, so a recipe for doughnuts of this kind is also given. If the directions previously given are carefully applied in carrying out any of these recipes, excellent results may be expected. Some persons are prejudiced against the use of doughnuts, claiming that they are indigestible. While this may be true of doughnuts improperly made, those made of good materials and by correct methods are always a favorite and justly so.

DOUGHNUTS (Sufficient for 2 Dozen Doughnuts)

3 Tb. b.u.t.ter 1 c. sugar 3 eggs 1 c. milk 4-1/2 c. flour 6 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Cream the b.u.t.ter, add the sugar and then the eggs, and beat thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and sift the dry ingredients into this mixture. Divide into amounts that can be handled conveniently, roll out, cut, and fry in deep fat.

POTATO-AND-BARLEY DOUGHNUTS (Sufficient for 2 Dozen Doughnuts)

2 eggs 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. mashed potatoes 1 Tb. fat 1/3 c. sour milk 1/2 c. barley flour 1-1/2 c. wheat flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. mace 1/4 tsp. soda 2 tsp. baking powder

Beat the eggs and add the sugar and mashed potatoes. If solid shortening is used, melt it and add to the other ingredients. Pour in the sour milk, mix and sift the barley and wheat flour, salt, mace, soda, and baking powder, and add these to the mixture. Turn the dough out on a board in a quant.i.ty that can be handled at one time and knead for a little before rolling it for cutting. Cut and fry in deep fat.

SOUR-MILK DOUGHNUTS (Sufficient for 3 Dozen Doughnuts)

4 c. flour 1-1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. soda 4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg 1 c. sugar 1 Tb. b.u.t.ter 1 egg 1-1/4 c. sour milk

Mix and sift the dry ingredients and chop in the b.u.t.ter. Beat the egg, add the milk, and stir these into the dry ingredients. After mixing thoroughly, roll about 1/4 inch thick on a board, cut in the desired shape, and fry in deep fat.

DROP DOUGHNUTS (Sufficient for 2 Dozen Doughnuts)

2 c. flour 3 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 c. sugar 1 egg 1/2 c. milk 1 Tb. melted fat

Mix and sift the dry ingredients. Beat the egg, add the milk to it, and pour the liquid into the dry ingredients. Add the melted fat. Drop by teaspoonfuls into hot fat and fry the same as for doughnuts.

YEAST DOUGHNUTS (Sufficient for 3 Dozen Doughnuts)

1 c. milk 1 yeast cake 5 c. flour 2 eggs 1/2 c. sugar 1/4 c. melted b.u.t.ter 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. mace

Scald the milk and cool to lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast cake and add it to the milk and a sufficient amount of the flour to make a sponge. Allow this to rise until double in bulk. Then add the eggs, sugar, melted b.u.t.ter, salt, and mace. Beat thoroughly and add enough flour to make a dough. Knead this until it is smooth and elastic and let it rise until double in bulk. Roll out on a board into a sheet about 3/4 inch thick.

Cut into long strips about 3/4 inch wide, twist, stretch, and shape like a figure 8. Let these stand on the board or in a pan until they are light and then fry in deep fat.

PUDDINGS AND PUDDING SAUCES

NATURE OF PUDDINGS

34. Many kinds of puddings are used for desserts. Some of them closely resemble cake mixtures, while others are similar to custards, but are thickened with a cooked or a raw starchy material. Formerly, puddings were always boiled in a bag, but now desserts of this kind are prepared by boiling, steaming, or baking. To improve the flavor of puddings, sauces of a contrasting flavor are usually served with them.

35. Puddings are often considered to be rather indigestible foods and in many cases this is true. For this reason, it is not wise to include them to any great extent in the diet of children. Because of the ingredients used in them, they are a heavy food and are usually high in food value.

Consequently, some thought should be given to their selection so that they may be suitable for the rest of the meal in which they are served.

It seems to be the custom to serve a rich dessert with a heavy meal, but, as is well known, it is less proper with such a meal than with a light meal. A little attention given to this matter will enable the housewife to prepare menus that will provide the family with a properly balanced meal.

36. The time of day and the season of the year for the serving of puddings are also matters that should receive consideration. It is much better to serve desserts of this kind with a noon meal than with an evening meal. Then, too, warm puddings with sauce will be found much more appetizing in the cool season of the year than in warm weather. On the other hand, cool desserts or fruits served as desserts are very much more acceptable in warm weather than during the cold seasons.

PUDDING SAUCES

37. The sauces served with puddings deserve just as much attention as to selection and preparation as the puddings themselves. For instance, a sour sauce that is not rich, such as lemon sauce, should be served with a rich, sweet pudding, while a rich, hard sauce or perhaps a chocolate sauce is the proper kind to serve with a bland, flavorless pudding.

So that the housewife may be perfectly familiar with a variety of sauces and thus know the nature of the sauces mentioned in connection with the puddings themselves, a number of recipes for pudding sauces are given.

Some of these are intended to be served hot and others cold, while a few may be served either hot or cold, as preferred. Selection may be made from these for any pudding that is accompanied by a sauce when served.

Care should be taken to have the sauce appropriate for the pudding and to follow explicitly the directions given for making it.

LEMON SAUCE NO. 1

1/2 c. sugar 1 Tb. corn starch Few grains of salt 1 c. boiling water 2 Tb. b.u.t.ter 2 Tb. lemon juice