—Put into a vessel half a pound of powdered sugar with half a pound of well-washed butter, grate in the rind of half a sound lemon, and, with the hand, mix well for ten minutes. Break in five whole eggs, one at a time, meanwhile mixing for ten minutes longer, always with the hand. Then add gradually half a pound of well-sifted flour, and mix for three minutes. Cover a baking-sheet with brown paper, place on top three tin cake-rings, nine inches in diameter and one inch high. Divide the preparation equally into the three rings; then place in a moderate oven to bake for thirty minutes. Remove, and allow the cakes thirty minutes more to cool. Lift up the paper, with the cakes, turn it upside down on the table, remove the paper, and detach the cakes from the rings by passing a knife all around. Pick and clean thoroughly three pints of fine, sound, ripe strawberries; have a dessert-dish with a fancy paper over, lay one of the cakes on top of this, spread over evenly two tablespoonfuls of whipped cream ([No. 1254]), then cover with half the strawberries, nicely and evenly divided. Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar, then cover with another cake, spread over the same quantity of cream as before, then arrange the other half of the strawberries on top; dredge again with powdered sugar, and lay the last cake over all, sprinkling with more sugar. Slide down a tube (No. 2) into a pastry-bag ([No. 1079]), put into it six tablespoonfuls of whipped cream à la vanille ([No. 1254]), and with it decorate the top of the cake in an artistic manner, and send to the table.
1215. Blackberry Shortcake.
—Prepare and proceed exactly the same as for strawberry shortcake ([No. 1214]), only substituting three pints of well-picked, and thoroughly cleaned, fine, sound, ripe blackberries for the strawberries, and serving the same.
1216. Baba.
—Have ready half a pound of the best flour, one drachm of compressed yeast, and half a gill of warm water. Put three ounces of the flour into a vessel, make a hollow in the centre, and in it lay the yeast and water; with the hands mix the yeast gently with the water for three minutes, then mix all together gradually for three minutes more. Cover the vessel with a towel, and leave it in the warmest place in the kitchen (not on the stove), and after thirty minutes it will rise to twice the size. Lay the remainder of the flour on the table, make a hollow in the centre, putting in it an ounce of powdered sugar and four raw eggs. Mix the sugar and eggs with the hands; then add a gill of cream and half a gill of good Madeira wine. Season with a drachm of very fine salt, and mix all with the flour for five minutes. Make a hollow in the centre again, and into this put five ounces of good, fresh, soft butter; mix well again for two minutes. If the prepared yeast-dough be now raised to its proper height, mix the two pastes together for at least five minutes; return it to the vessel, leave it in the same warm place, covering it as before. When rested one hour, have ready two ounces of cleaned Sultana currants ([No. 1080]), two ounces of cleaned raisins ([No. 1081]), and one ounce of finely chopped citron. Grease with cold butter the inside of a cylindrical copper or tin form large enough to hold three pints. If the paste be now raised to twice the size, mix in the raisins, currents, and citron, stirring for five minutes; put it in the mold, and lay it in a warm place (not on the stove) for another twenty minutes. Then place it in a moderate oven for one hour. When a good golden color, remove, and let it cool slightly. Place a round dish over the mold, turn upside down, lift off the form, and glaze the cake with a glace à l’eau ([No. 1197]). Decorate the top and dish with candied fruits, and send to the table.
1217. Baba au Madère.
—Prepare a baba cake exactly the same as for the above ([No. 1216]); but do not glaze it. Slit the cake in two, and remove the top piece. Pour a pint of cold water in a very clean pan, add half a pound of sugar and half a medium-sized sound lemon. Place it on the stove, and boil well for three minutes; then remove, and at once add a gill of good sherry wine and half a gill of curaçoa. Lay the top part of the cake in a round, flat-bottomed vessel. To avoid breaking it, a wire basket is recommended, with which it can be lowered carefully onto the pan. Pour gradually over it the prepared sauce; let it rest for two minutes, then replace it carefully on top of the other half of the cake. Arrange it nicely on a dessert serving-dish, garnish tastefully with candied cherries, and decorate the border with small, thin slices of candied pineapple.
For Baba au Rhum, substitute Jamaica rum for the sherry.
1218. Baba, Crême à la Vanille.
—Prepare a baba cake as for [No. 1216]. When removed from the mold and laid on a dish, cut it into six equal parts. Take six ounces of apricot marmalade ([No. 1335]), and proceed as follows: take one piece of cake in the left hand, and with a knife in the right, cover both sides, where they were cut, with the marmalade. When finished, arrange the six pieces together on the dish, and give them the same form as before they were cut; to be eaten with the following sauce ([No. 1219]).