FRENCH PASTRY
French pastries are nationally popular and are very attractive for tea or fancy dessert service. The maker has wide scope for the display of individuality in devising and decorating pastries. Slices of jelly roll, loaf or sponge cake may be spread with mocha frosting to form individual cakes. Fruit-filled tarts, topped with a bit of meringue, are always popular. The real French pastry is made of puff paste, very tender and flaky, and filled with fruit.
CAKE MAKING (Continued from [page 36])
LEAVENING AGENTS
Baking powder, soda and eggs are used as leavening agents; this is to make the cake light. If the number of eggs is increased in the cake recipe, decrease the amount of baking powder. One egg is equivalent to one teaspoon baking powder in leavening. Egg and milk together should not exceed 1½ cups liquid with three cups flour.
SHORTENING
A large amount of fat makes a cake close-grained; a small amount makes it porous, but it dries out easily. With too much fat, the cake crumbles and it maybe heavy. If melted fat is used in a cake, add it cool. If added hot, the cake will be tough, coarse in grain and less light.
LIQUID
If water is substituted for milk, use seven-eighths cup of water where one cup of milk is called for. If Veribest Evaporated Milk is substituted for whole milk, use one-third cup of evaporated milk and two-thirds cup of water. If cream is substituted for milk, lessen the shortening and use more cream than the milk called for.