LADIES’ COLUMN

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 676, 21 October 1921, Page 2

LADIES’ COLUMN

(By “Ru-ru”) In this week's column, “Ru-ra” is giving l some excellent recipes for Christmas cakes, as they ought always to be made at least two months before they are cut. Before making a {rich cake it is best to prepare all the fruit the day before. The currants, after being washed, ought to be thoroughly dried l , which they will hardly be if used the same day. Stone and stem the raisins (the unstoned ones are always of superior flavour). Cut very finely peel (citron is much better than orange or lemlon peel.) Almonds do not need to be blanched as unblanched they help to make the cake of a richer and darker colour, If brandy or sherry, or both, are being used, it is best to soak the fruit in it over night. This improves the flavour of a cake immensely. All the following recipes “Ru-ru” has found most successful. The following has often been used for a wedding cake :

Christmas or Bride Cake. (1).

l}4lb flour, lib butter, lib sugar, 12 eggs, %lb peel, 21b raisins, 11b currants, 141 b sultanas, 141 b preserved ginger, 1 table spoonful of mace, 1 table spoonful of cinnamon, 2 nutmegs (grated), 1 wine glass of sherry, 1 wine glass of 1 brandy, 141 b almonds, 1 desert spoonful of golden syrup.

Method.—Beat butter and sugar thoroughly, then the eggs, one by one, beating each a few minutes as they go in. Sift the flour,, add 1 good "tea spoonful of baking powder, and the cinnamon and nutmeg, add alternately the fruit and the flour, mix golden syrup with 3 table spoonfuls of milk, till thin enough to add. When all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed pour all into a cake tin, which has had a double lining of brown paper placed round and at the bottom, and bake 7 or 8 hours. Soak fruit in brandy, etc., over night. ; Ckistmas Cak® (2). 1141 b flour, lib butter, lib sugar, 2ib currants, 141 b mixed peel, 114 tea spoonfuls of carb. soda, 8 eggs, 1 large table spoonful of marmalade, 1 wine glass of brandy, 1 grated nutmeg. Method.—Beat butter and sugar to cream, and yolks of eggs. When well beaten add flour and fruit, then whites of eggsi, beaten to a stiff froth, then the brandy. Bake for 5 or 6 hours.

Christmas Cake (3).

1141 b flour, lib butter, 11b sugai% lib currants, lib raisins, lib sultanas, 141 b mixed peel, 141 b almondst, 10 eggs, 2 .tea spoonfuls baking powder. Method).—Beat butter well, add sugar, then beat in the yolks only, add fruit, then flour, with bakingpowder, lastly, the well-whipped whites of eggs. Scir all thoroughly. Bake in moderate oven for 7 hours. After this cake has been made sometime, make a lot of small holes with a knitting needle and fill with brandy. The following is an excellent recipe of Christmas cake where children have to be considered: —

lib butter, lib sugar, 8 eggs, 11b fruit, *4lb almonds, %lb lemon peel, lib 2oz flour. Method.—Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add eggs one at a time, lastly, flour and fruit. Have oven very hot at first, and let it cool slowly. Bake 4 hours.

Apple Cake. (Very nice).

Four cupfuls flour, 2 ditto sugar, 3 cupfuls of sliced apple, 1 cupful of raisins, 1 cupful of currants, 6oz butter, small piece of peel, 2 good tea spoonfuls of carb. soda, 14 tea spoonful of mixed spice, 1 tablespoonful of cocoa.

Method.—Peel core and slice up the apples. Put them on to stew, without water, but don’t let them burn. When stewed let them cool, then beat in the fruit and sugar, lastly flour and soda (well sifted). Bake for about 2% hours.

Lemon Cream.

21bs vegetable marrow, 141 b butter, 4 large lemons, 2141 b sugar. Boil marrow in pieces till soft, strain it, add other ingredients, and boil all together for half an hour or little longer. This is an excellent substitute for lemon cheese.

Strawberry Shortcake.

Into 141 b flour rub 141 b butter, add 2 table spoonfuls sugar, i.% tea spoonfuls of baking powder. Mix with 1 egg and a little milk (lirst keep enough to roll). Roll out; not too thin, and cook in moderate oven. Prick with fork. Slice when cold, <, m t fill with strawberry conserve and whipped cream. Then replace top and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Jewish ’Butter Biscuit’s.

lib flour, %lb butter, y 2 lh sugar, 2oz cinnamon, loz Jordan almonds, large piece of citron peel. Mix all drj ingredients, leaving out cup. of flour for rolling, and then work butter and eggs in. Place almond on each biscuit.

Passion Fruit Cream.

(Pretty Supper Dish).

Half pint passion fruit juice, % pint whipped cream, 3 or 4oz sugar, %oz gelatine. Put fruit through a sieve, add whipped cream and sugar, and then gelatine, dissolved in very little water. Line a mould’ with pink jelly, and when set add' the rest.

Banana Jam.

101 b bananas, cut up into half inch pieces, 7,1 b sugar, large tea spoonful of citric acid, water (about 2-break-fast cupfuls). Boil all togethe urntil it comes to reddish colour.

Orange Foof.

Juice of 4 large oranges, 3 wellbeaten eggs, 1 pint cream, nutmegarid sugar to taste. Set on fire and cook slowly, , but do not boil. It should! be as thick as melted butter. When cool pour into glass dish. Serve with cream. POINTS TO REMEMBER.

A bottle of spirits of camphor is a friend to< be relied upon when travelling, for it quickly relieves many discomforts. If the face is. bathed in camphor water on a hot day it has a cooling and effect. A little camphor in 'water will relieve train sickness. Camphor will keep away mosquitos if the exposed parts ox the body are bathed with it, and iti 9 excellent to use as a wash when one has been bitten by an insect.

To remove shine from a black cloth skirt, ;rub it well with a piece of flannel dipped in spirits of turpentine, and dry in the open air. To clean paint.—Use common whiting on a damp cloth, and rub evenly. This does not spoil the paint in any way.

Embroidery needles and others kept in a bottle will escape rusting.

THE DIGNITY OF LABOUR,

What a glorious world this would be if all its inhabitants could say with Shakespeare’s shepherd: “Sir, I am a true labourer; I earn what I wear; owe no man hate; envy no man happiness. Glad of other men’s good, content w\th my flock.” Bishop Selwyn used 1 to tell of an old Maori chief who had views on this subject, just as clear as Shakespeare’s. Said he to the Bishop: “Here are. two kinds of gentleman, gentleman gentleman, and piggy gentleman, gentleman gentleman, he do anything that has to be donq, but piggy gentleman, he too fine to work.”