Cream the shortening and sugar; add egg and milk, and beat well; add flour, baking powder, and cinnamon sifted together; add raisins; beat well, drop from a teaspoon two inches apart on a greased baking sheet, and bake in a moderate oven about twelve minutes.

520.--WALNUT WAFERS

2 eggs 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup flour 3/4 cup chopped nut meats 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat eggs until light; add sugar, and beat well; add dry ingredients sifted together; beat well, add nuts, pour into a greased dripping pan, and bake in a moderate oven about ten minutes. Cut in squares while hot.

Mixture may be baked in tiny scalloped tins if preferred.

FOOTNOTES:

[11] The amount of soda in these recipes is based upon the use of old-fashioned jug mola.s.ses; canned mola.s.ses varies greatly in acidity and, especially when freshly opened, requires little or no soda. If canned mola.s.ses is used, therefore, baking powder should wholly or partly take the place of soda.

CHAPTER XXIII

ICINGS AND FILLINGS

521.--BOILED ICING[12]

1/3 cup boiling water White of 1 egg 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Boil water and sugar to 240 F., or until the sirup forms soft ball when tried in cold water; add cream of tartar and vanilla, and pour slowly upon the stiffly beaten white of egg, beating constantly until thick enough to spread without running. For caramel flavor melt one-third of the sugar first.

522.--CARAMEL ICING

1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon b.u.t.ter 1/3 cup milk Few grains salt

Put ingredients in saucepan, and boil to 240 F., or until a soft ball can be formed when tested in cold water. Beat until creamy, and spread while warm. Chopped nut meats may be added.

523.--CHOCOLATE ICING

2 squares chocolate Confectioners' sugar 1/4 cup boiling water 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate, add boiling water, and mix well; add confectioners'

sugar until of right consistency to spread; add vanilla and beat well.

Coffee may be used in place of water.

524.--COCOA ICING

1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter 2 tablespoons cocoa 2 tablespoons milk Confectioners' sugar

Heat b.u.t.ter and milk in a saucepan, remove from fire, add cocoa, and enough confectioners' sugar to thicken. About one cup of sugar will be required.

525.--COFFEE ICING

Follow directions for Boiled Icing (see No. 521), using strong coffee in place of water. Or to recipe for Quick Icing (see No. 528) or Cream Icing (see No. 526) add one teaspoon of instantaneous coffee.

526.--CREAM ICING

1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla Heavy cream

Sift sugar and add cream until of right consistency to spread (about two tablespoons); add flavoring, and beat well.

527.--ORANGE ICING

Juice of 1/2 orange Confectioners' sugar Grated rind of 1/4 orange

Mix sugar with orange juice and rind until icing is firm enough to spread.

528.--QUICK ICING

1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter Confectioners' sugar 2 tablespoons boiling water 1/4 teaspoon flavoring

Pour boiling water over b.u.t.ter; stir in sugar enough to thicken; add extract, and beat well before spreading. (A little more than one cup of sugar will usually be required.)

529.--APPLE FILLING

3 baked apples 1 cup confectioners' sugar White of 1 egg

Press apples through a sieve; beat white of egg until stiff; add half of sugar, and beat well; add apple and remaining sugar gradually, and beat until very light. Spread between layers and on top of cake. Two tablespoons of tart jelly may be beaten with the apple.

530.--COFFEE CREAM FILLING

Follow recipe for Cream Filling (see No. 531), but use one-half cup strong coffee in place of one-half cup of milk. Or add one teaspoon of instantaneous coffee to the recipe.

531.--CREAM FILLING

1-1/2 cups milk 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 egg slightly beaten 1/4 cup cornstarch 1 teaspoon flavoring

Scald milk, mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg; add to milk, and cook over hot water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens; cook fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and flavor before spreading.

532.--DATE AND FIG FILLING