Housekeeper.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 410, 17 March 1904, Page 6

Housekeeper.

PLUM CAKE. S^EQUIRED: Three-quarters of a jI«SK P oand oi flonr « nallE a pouud of j MSk butter, half a pouad of sugar, half a pouad of sultanas, half a pound of glace cherries, quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, quarter of a pound of mixed peel, two lemons, half an ounce of powdered cloves, pudding-spice and cinnamon mixed, one teaspoonful of baking-powder, half a teaspoonful of salt, six eggs, half a gill of milk. Line the oake-tin with three layers of greased paper. Next cream together the butter and sugar. Well whißk the eggs, and add them gradually to (he sugar and butter, at the same time adding, in small quantities, the flour, Bait, and baking powder, which should all be sieved together. Stalk and clean the sultanas, halve the cherries, shell and shred the almonds, chop the peel. Mix these together on a plate; also the lemon-rind and spice. Stir these into the batter, &o, in the basin, Mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Place the tin on a tin of saHd. Bake about two and a half hours, TO BLANCH ALMONDS. This is a rery quick way. Put them in a Baucepan with enough cold water to cover them. Let the water just boil. Then strain it off. Rinse the almonds quickly in cold water and rub in a cloth The skins will come off quite easily. TO COOL THE OVEN. If the oven gets too hot while a cake i B baking, put a small basin v- cold water on the loner shelf. This will cool it. Some people always keep a tin or basin of hot water In the oven when baking pies and cakes, as thep say the the steam helps to make them light. TO PREVENT A CAKE FROM BURNING. In the recipe for a rich cake one is always told to line the tin with greaßed paper. If time is limited, try this plan instead. Run some salad oil all over the tin. Pat the cake into it, and to bake stand it on something about half an inch high in another and larger tin—a penny flat-iron stand does capitally to stand the smaller tin on. This will quite prevent the bottom and.sides from burning? but, of course, the top must be covered with paper in the usual way. TRUSSING POULTRY OR GAME. Always out the skin of the leg-about half an inch below the joint instead of just at the joint. Then break the joint as usual and pull out the sinews. The bit of skin round and below the joint must be held in scalding water till the outer skin will peel off. Prepared in this way the flesh does not shrink away from the end of the leg in cooking, and, consequently, the bird looks much better when served. CHEAP TIPSY-OAKE, If you want to make a cheap tipsy-cake use half home-made lemonade and half (or even less) of brandy to soak it, _ Many people much prefer it made in this way, and some people use sherry instead of brandy to mix with the lemonade.