SOUR MILK DOUGHNUTS—Beat two eggs light, add one cup of sugar and beat, one-half cup of butter and lard mixed, and beat again. Stir one level teaspoon of soda into one pint of sour milk, add to the other ingredients and mix with enough sifted pastry flour to make a dough as soft as can be rolled. Take a part at a time, roll half an inch thick, cut in rings and fry. Use nutmeg, cinnamon, or any flavoring liked. These doughnuts are good for the picnic basket or to carry out to the boys at their camp.
SUGAR COOKIES—Beat to a cream one cupful of shortening, half lard and half butter, one cupful granulated sugar. Add one cup rich sour cream and two eggs unbeaten, four cupfuls flour sifted with one teaspoonful soda and a half teaspoonful baking powder. Stir just enough to make a stiff dough, toss on to the lightly floured molding board and knead another cupful of flour into it. This mixing gives the cookies a fine grain. Flavor with a little nutmeg, roll out, cut into cookies, and bake.
SOFT GINGER COOKIES—Put a level teaspoon of soda in a measuring cup, add three tablespoons of boiling water, one-quarter cup of melted butter or lard, a saltspoon of salt, a level teaspoon of ginger, and enough sifted pastry flour to make a dough as soft as can be handled. Shape small bits of dough, lay in the greased baking pan and press out half an inch thick; bake carefully.
CANDIES
CANDIED VIOLETS—Gather the required quantity of perfect sweet violets, white or blue. If possible, pick in the early morning while the dew is still on them. Spread on an inverted sieve and stand in the air until dried, but not crisp. Make a sirup, using a half pound of pure granulated sugar and a half pint of water. Cook without stirring until it spins a thread. Take each violet by the stem, dip into the hot sirup and return to the sieve, which should be slightly oiled. Leave for several hours. If the flowers then look preserved and clear they will not require a second dipping, but if they appear dry as if some portions of the petals were not properly saturated, dip again. Now have ready a half cupful of melted fondant. Add a drop or two of violet extract and a few drops of water to reduce the fondant to a thin, grayish, paste-like consistency. Dip the flowers in this one at a time, dust with powdered crystallized sugar, and lay on oiled paper to harden. Rose leaves may he candied in the same way, substituting essence of rose for the violet and a drop or two of cochineal to make the required color. A candy dipper or fine wire can be used for dipping the rose petals.
CREAMED WALNUTS—Cook two cups of sugar and one-half cup of water together until the sirup threads. Add a teaspoon of vanilla, take from the range and beat until thick and creamy. Make small balls of the candy and press half a walnut meat into each side. Drop on to a plate of granulated sugar.
CRYSTALLIZED COWSLIPS—These make a prized English confection, much used for ornamenting fancy desserts. The flowers are gathered when in full bloom, washed gently and placed on a screen to dry. When this is accomplished the stems are cut to within two inches of the head and the flowers are then laid heads down on the tray of the crystallizing tin, pushing the stalks through so the flowers shall be upright. When full put the tray in the deep tin and fill with the same crystallizing sirup, pouring around the sides and not over the flowers. When dry, arrange in baskets or use in decorating.
FRUIT PASTE—Take equal weights of nut meats, figs, dates and prepared seedless raisins. Wipe the figs and remove the stems, remove the scales and stones from the dates. Mix well and chop fine or run it all through a meat chopper. Mold it on a board in confectioners' sugar until you have a smooth, firm paste. Roll out thin and cut into inch squares or small rounds. Roll the edge in sugar, then pack them away in layers with paper between the layers.
GLACE FIGS—Make a sirup by boiling together two cups of sugar and one and a half cups of water. Wash and add as many figs as can be covered by the sirup. Cook until they are tender and yellow, then remove from the fire and let them stand in the sirup over night. In the morning cook for thirty minutes, and again let them stand over night. Then cook until the stems are transparent. When cold drain and lay them on a buttered cake rack or wire broiler and let them remain until very dry.