Obs.—This, if carefully made, resembles a pound cake, but is much less expensive, and far more wholesome, while it has the advantage of being very expeditiously prepared. Great care, however, must be taken to avoid mixing with it too large a proportion, or a coarse quality of soda; as either will impart to it a far from agreeable flavour.
GOOD SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD.
With one pound of flour mix well two ounces of sifted sugar, and one of candied orange-rind or citron, sliced small; make these into a paste with from eight to nine ounces of good butter, made sufficiently warm to be liquid; press the paste together with the hands, and mould it upon tins into large cakes nearly an inch thick, pinch the edges, and bake the shortbread in a moderate oven for twenty minutes, or longer, should it not be quite crisp, but do not allow it to become deeply coloured.
Flour, 1 lb.; sugar, 2 oz.; candied orange or citron, 1 oz.; butter, 8 to 9 oz.: 20 minutes or more.
Obs.—This, to many persons, is a very indigestible compound, though agreeable to the taste.
A GALETTE.
The galette is a favourite cake in France, and may be made rich and comparatively delicate, or quite common, by using more or less butter for it, and by augmenting or diminishing the size. Work lightly three-quarters of a pound of good butter into a pound of flour, add a large saltspoonful of salt, and make these into a paste with the yolks of a couple of eggs mixed with a small cupful of good cream, or simply with water; roll this into a complete round, three-quarters of an inch thick; score it in small diamonds, brush yolk of egg over the top, and bake the galette for about half an hour in a tolerably quick oven: it is usually eaten hot, but is served cold also. An ounce of sifted sugar is sometimes added to it.
A good galette: flour, 1 lb.; butter, 3/4 lb.; salt, 1 saltspoonful; yolks of eggs, 2; cream, small cupful: baked 1/2 hour. Common galette: flour, 2 lbs.; butter, 3/4 to 1 lb.; no eggs.
SMALL SUGAR CAKES OF VARIOUS KINDS.
To make very sweet rich sugar cakes mingle, first working it very small with the fingers, half a pound of butter with each pound of flour: if more than this proportion be used the paste will be too soft to permit the addition of the proper number of eggs. Next, blend thoroughly with these three-quarters of a pound of dry sifted sugar, and the grated rinds of two small fresh lemons (for lemon-cakes the strained juice of one is generally added), or a dessertspoonful of cinnamon freshly pounded; or from one ounce to two ounces of carraway-seeds; or a similar proportion of the finest powdered ginger; or three-quarters of a pound of very dry well cleaned currants. A slight pinch of salt should be thrown in with the sugar. If to be made into flat cakes proceed to moisten these ingredients gradually with from two eggs to four slightly whisked, and when they form a firm paste, proceed quickly to roll and to stamp them out with a cake tin; for as the sugar dissolves with the moisture of the eggs, the paste will otherwise become so lithe as to adhere to the board and roller. When it is to be merely dropped on the baking-sheets, it will require an additional egg or more. The cakes should then be placed quite two inches apart, as they will spread in the baking.