Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, 17 November 1921, Page 41

Domestic

By Maureen

y;■ ; '■.- ROYAL ICING. -" v t For either Christmas cake or sandwich, lib of icing ;. sugar, white of 1 egg, juice of 1 lemon. Beat the white quite stiff, add the sugar, which has been passed through a hair sieve, and the strained lemon juice. Work with a wooden spoon until the icing looks very white, then spread ' *•■ on the cake with a knife dipped in hot water, and dry in a cool oven. : SUET PUDDING. Mix together 12oz of flour, 6oz of finely chopped suet, 1 teaspoonful of baking powder, and J teaspoonful of salt. * Make into rather a stiff paste with cold water. Shape it into a roll, wrap it in a pudding cloth which has been scalded and well dredged with flour, and secure the ends JgP'-' with string. Plunge it into a saucepan of boiling water '.'.■:?"'■;'" Hind boil steadily for at least 2£ hours. Serve with jam, '": "■','"' ''/treacle, or, if preferred, good gravy. As an accompaniv , A ment to a. joint of roast beef it economises the meat and is S ■i n itself very nourishing. .' ™-I GOLD AND SILVER SANDWICHES. p :','.; ' For gold sandwiches, 2oz each of self-raising flour, ' castor sugar and butter, the yolks of 2 eggs, a little yellow coloring. For silver sandwiches, 2oz each of self-raising flour, castor sugar, and butter, the whites of 2 eggs. Method (for both cakes): Beat the butter and sugar to a . cream, add the flour and either the yolks or whites beaten very light. Bake in two round buttered tins for about 10 minutes. When cold, put the cakes together, sandwich fashion, with a layer of jam between. If wanted very nice, ice over with royal icing. RICH PLUM CAKE. This cake should be made in November for Christmas, when it could be iced and decorated. lib each of selfraising flour, raisins (stoned and halved), and currants; . 12oz each of butter and castor sugar, ill) mixed candied peel (thinly sliced), 2oz ground almonds, 6 to 8 eggs, a wineglass-fill of brandy. Beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar, yolks of eggs. flour, etc., lastly the whites beaten |i very stiff, and the brandy. Line a tin with two or three thicknesses of greased paper, pour in the mixture, and bake 3£ to 4 hours in a moderate oven. The mixture should not bo too moist or the fruit will sink. When cold, cover with waxed paper and store in an air-tight tin until required for icing. ROLLED BEEFSTEAK. Take about 21b of steak, cut in one piece and flatten it with a rolling pin, spread with 6 to Soz of veal force-

(:.v meat rather highly seasoned, roll up tightly and bind firmly with tape. Heat ljoz of butter in a stewpan, put in the meat, and fry quickly until the whole surface is browned, then add a pint of stock, cover closely and cook slowly for about two hours. Place on a hot dish, thicken the gravy with a tablespoonful of flour, boil for three or four minutes, season to taste and strain over the meat. This dish could very well be cooked in an earthenware casserole in the oven, while a simple forcemeat of breadcrumbs, chopped suet, or fat bacon, herbs and seasoning, might bo substituted for the veal. HOUSEHOLD HINTS. If the bands become chapped or roughened after having them in water for a long time, rinse them well and apply a little vinegar, letting it dry on. Candle-grease on a, carpet may bo removed by means of blotting-paper and hot irons. Grass stains on clothing should bo soaked in paraffin. The garment may then be washed as usual. Equal parts of resin and beef suet melted together make an excellent wax for sealing bottles containing fruit or pickles. To keep cheese fresh, wrap it in a cloth that has been dipped in vinegar and wrung as dry as possible. Keep in a, cool place. When toothbrushes become soft it is possible to make them new again by cutting with scissors an eighth of an inch off the bristles. To remove ink stains from linen, pour melted tallow on the marks. Then wash the article, and the ink and grease will both disappear. To whiten and soften the skin, parboil a few mediumsized potatoes, remove the skin, and use them as you would a piece of soap for washing the hands.