Common Sense in the Household: A Manual of Practical Housewifery

by Marion Harland

Almond Icing.

• Whites of four eggs.
• 1 pound sweet almonds.
• 1 pound powdered sugar.
• A little rose-water.

Blanch the almonds by pouring boiling water over them and stripping off the skins. When dry, pound them to a paste, a few at a time, in a Wedgewood mortar, moistening it with rose-water as you go on. When beaten fine and smooth, beat gradually into icing, prepared according to foregoing receipt.

Put on very thick, and, when nearly dry, cover with plain icing.

This is very fine.

Or,

Mingle a few bitter almonds with the sweet. The blended flavor of these and the rose-water is very pleasant.

Martha’s Cake (For Jelly.) ✠

• 3 eggs.
• 1 cup sugar.
• Butter, the size of an egg.
• 1 cup flour.
• 1 teaspoonful cream-tartar, sifted in the flour.
• ½ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in a tablespoonful milk.

Bake in jelly-cake tins, and spread, when cold, with fruit-jelly.

This is, although so simple and inexpensive, an admirable foundation for the various kinds of jelly, cream, and méringue cake, which are always popular. It seldom fails, and when well mixed and baked, is very nice. If prepared flour be used leave out soda and cream-tartar.