Boston Cooking-School Cook Book/Chapter 30

by Fannie Farmer

Chapter XXX. GINGERBREADS, COOKIES, AND WAFERS.

Hot Water Gingerbread

1 cup molasses	1 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup boiling water	11/2 teaspoons ginger
21/4 cups flour	1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons melted butter

Add water to molasses. Mix and sift dry ingredients, combine mixtures, add butter, and beat vigorously. Pour into a buttered shallow pan, and bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. Chicken fat tried out and clarified furnishes an excellent shortening, and may be used in place of butter.

Sour Milk Gingerbread

1 cup molasses	13/4 teaspoons soda
1 cup sour milk	2 teaspoons ginger
21/3 cups flour	1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter

Mix soda with sour milk and add to molasses. Sift together remaining dry ingredients, combine mixtures, add butter, and beat vigorously. Pour into a buttered shallow pan, and bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.

Soft Molasses Gingerbread

1 cup molasses	1 egg
1/3 cup butter	2 cups flour
13/4 teaspoons soda	2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 cup sour milk	1/2 teaspoon salt

Put butter and molasses in saucepan and cook until boiling point is reached. Remove from fire, add soda, and beat vigorously. Then add milk, egg well beaten, and remaining ingredients mixed and sifted. Bake fifteen minutes in buttered small tin pans, having pans two-thirds filled with mixture.

Cambridge Gingerbread

1/3 cup butter	11/2 teaspoons soda
2/3 cup boiling water	1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup molasses	1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg	1 teaspoon ginger
23/4 cups flour	1/4 teaspoon clove

Melt butter in water, add molasses, egg well beaten, and dry ingredients mixed and sifted. Bake in a buttered shallow pan.

Soft Sugar Gingerbread

2 eggs	3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar	1/2 teaspoon salt
13/4 cups flour	11/2 teaspoons ginger
2/3 cup thin cream

Beat eggs until light, and add sugar gradually. Mix and sift dry ingredients, and add alternately with cream to first mixture. Turn into a buttered cake pan, and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven.

Gossamer Gingerbread

1/3 cup butter	1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar	17/8 cups flour
1 egg	3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon yellow ginger

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, then egg well beaten. Add milk, and dry ingredients mixed and sifted. Spread in a buttered dripping-pan as thinly as possible, using the back of mixing-spoon. Bake thirty minutes. Sprinkle with sugar, and cut in small squares or diamonds before removing from pan.

Fairy Gingerbread

1/2 cup butter	1/2 cup milk
1 cup light brown sugar	17/8 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons ginger

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, and milk very slowly. Mix and sift flour and ginger, and combine mixtures. Spread very thinly with a broad, long-bladed knife on a buttered, inverted dripping-pan. Bake in a moderate oven. Cut in squares before removing from pan. Watch carefully and turn pan frequently during baking, that all may be evenly cooked. If mixture around edge of pan is cooked before that in the centre, pan should be removed from oven, cooked part cut off, and remainder returned to oven to finish cooking.

Hard Sugar Gingerbread

3/4 cup butter	5 cups flour
11/2 cups sugar	3/4 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk	11/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 tablespoon ginger

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, milk, and dry ingredients mixed and sifted. Put some of mixture on an inverted dripping-pan and roll as thinly as possible to cover pan. Mark dough with a coarse grater. Sprinkle with sugar and bake in a moderate oven. Before removing from pan, cut in strips four and one-half inches long by one and one-half inches wide.

Christmas English Gingerbread

1 lb. flour	1 tablespoon ginger
1/2 lb. butter	1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar	Molasses

Mix flour, sugar, ginger, and salt. Work in butter, using tips of fingers, and add just enough molasses to hold ingredients together. Let stand over night to get thoroughly chilled. Roll very thin, shape, and bake in a moderate oven.

Card Gingerbread

1/3 cup butter	13/4 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar	1/2 tablespoon ginger
1 egg	3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup molasses	1/2 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, egg well beaten, molasses, and flour mixed and sifted with ginger, salt, soda, and cinnamon. Chill, roll in sheets to one-fourth inch in thickness, bake on a buttered sheet, and cut in squares.

Walnut Molasses Bars

1/4 cup butter	3 cups flour
1/4 cup lard	1/2 tablespoon ginger
1/4 cup boiling water	1/3 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar	1/8 teaspoon clove
1/2 cup molasses	1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda	Chopped walnut meat

Pour water over butter and lard, then add sugar, molasses mixed with soda, flour, salt, and spices. Chill thoroughly, roll one-fourth inch thick, cut in strips three and one-half inches long by one and one-half inches wide. Sprinkle with nut meat and bake ten minutes.

Ginger Snaps

1 cup molasses	1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup shortening	1 tablespoon ginger
31/4 cups flour	11/2 teaspoons salt

Heat molasses to boiling-point and pour over shortening. Add dry ingredients mixed and sifted. Chill thoroughly. Toss one-fourth of mixture on a floured board and roll as thinly as possible; shape with a small round cutter, first dipped in flour. Place near together on a buttered sheet and bake in a moderate oven. Gather up the trimmings and roll with another portion of dough. During rolling, the bowl containing mixture should be kept in a cool place, or it will be necessary to add more flour to dough, which makes cookies hard rather than crisp and short.

Molasses Cookies

1 cup molasses	1 tablespoon ginger
1/2 cup shortening, butter and lard mixed	1 tablespoon soda
	2 tablespoons warm milk
21/2 cups bread flour	1 teaspoon salt

Heat molasses to boiling-point, add shortening, ginger, soda dissolved in warm milk, salt, and flour. Proceed as for Ginger Snaps.

Soft Molasses Cookies

1 cup molasses	1/2 cup shortening, melted
13/4 teaspoons soda	2 teaspoons ginger
1 cup sour milk	1 teaspoon salt
Flour

Add soda to molasses and beat thoroughly; add milk, shortening, ginger, salt, and flour. Enough flour must be used to make mixture of right consistency to drop easily from spoon. Let stand several hours in a cold place to thoroughly chill. Toss one-half mixture at a time on slightly floured board and roll lightly to one-fourth inch thickness. Shape with a round cutter, first dipped in flour. Bake on a buttered sheet.

Spice Cookies

1/2 cup molasses	2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar	1/2 teaspoon soda
11/2 tablespoons butter	1/2 teaspoon salt
11/2 tablespoons lard	1/2 teaspoon clove
1 tablespoon milk	1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat molasses to boiling-point. Add sugar, shortening, and milk. Mix and sift dry ingredients, and add to first mixture. Chill thoroughly, and proceed as with Ginger Snaps.

Scotch Wafers

1 cup fine oatmeal	1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Rolled Oats	1/8 teaspoon soda
2 cups flour	1/4 cup butter or lard
1/4 cup sugar	1/2 cup hot water

Mix first six ingredients. Melt shortening in water and add to first mixture. Toss on a floured board, pat, and roll as thinly as possible. Shape with a cutter, or with a sharp knife cut in strips. Bake on a buttered sheet in a slow oven. These are well adapted for children’s luncheons, and are much enjoyed by the convalescent, taken with a glass of milk.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 egg	1/2 cup fine oatmeal
1/4 cup sugar	2 cups flour
1/4 cup thin cream	2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup milk	1 teaspoon salt

Beat egg until light, add sugar, cream, and milk; then add oatmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt, mixed and sifted. Toss on a floured board, roll, cut in shape, and bake in a moderate oven.

Scottish Fancies

1 egg	1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sugar	1/3 teaspoon salt
2/3 tablespoon melted butter	1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg until light, add gradually sugar, and then stir in remaining ingredients. Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls on a thoroughly greased inverted dripping-pan one inch apart. Spread into circular shape with a case knife first dipped in cold water. Bake in a moderate oven until delicately browned. To give variety use two-thirds cup rolled oats and fill cup with shredded cocoanut.

Vanilla Wafers

1/3 cup butter and lard in equal proportions	1/4 cup milk
	2 cups flour
1 cup sugar	2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg	1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream the butter, add sugar, egg well beaten, milk, and vanilla. Mix and sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture. Proceed as with Ginger Snaps.

Cream Cookies

1/3 cup butter	2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar	1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs	2 teaspoons yellow ginger
1/2 cup thin cream	Flour to roll

Mix and bake same as Vanilla Wafers.

Imperial Cookies

1/2 cup butter	21/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar	2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs	1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon milk	1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Mix and bake same as Vanilla Wafers.

Hermits

1/3 cup butter	1/3 cup raisins, stoned and cut in small pieces
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg	1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons milk	1/4 teaspoon clove
13/4 cups flour	1/4 teaspoon mace
2 teaspoons baking powder	1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, then raisins, egg well beaten, and milk. Mix and sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture. Roll mixture a little thicker than for Vanilla Wafers.

Rich Cookies

1/2 cup butter	3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar	1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg well beaten	Raisins, nuts, or citron

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, egg, flour, and vanilla. Drop from tip of spoon in small portions on buttered sheet two inches apart. Spread thinly with a knife first dipped in cold water. Put four Sultana raisins on each cookie, almonds blanched and cut in strips, or citron cut in small pieces.

Jelly Jumbles

1/2 cup butter	1/2 cup sour milk
1 cup sugar	1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg	Flour
1/2 teaspoon soda	Currant jelly

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, egg well beaten, soda mixed with milk, salt and flour to make a soft dough. Chill and shape, using a round cutter. On the centres of one-half the pieces put currant jelly. Make three small openings in remaining halves, using a thimble, and put pieces together. Press edges slightly, and bake in a rather hot oven, that jumbles may keep in good shape.

Royal Fans

Mix and sift two cups flour and one-half cup brown sugar. Wash three-fourths cup butter and work into first mixture, using tips of fingers. Roll to one-third inch in thickness, shape with a fluted round cutter five inches in diameter. Cut each piece in quarters and crease with the dull edge of a case knife to represent folds of a fan. Brush over with yolk of egg diluted with three-fourths teaspoon water. Bake in a slow oven.

Boston Cookies

1 cup butter	1/2 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups sugar	1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs	1 cup chopped nut meat, hickory or English walnut
1 teaspoon soda
11/2 tablespoons hot water	1/2 cup currants
31/4 cups flour	1/2 cup raisins, seeded and chopped

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, and eggs well beaten. Add soda dissolved in hot water, and one-half the flour mixed and sifted with salt and cinnamon; then add nut meat, fruit, and remaining flour. Drop by spoonfuls one inch apart on a buttered sheet, and bake in a moderate oven.

Cocoanut Cream Cookies

2 eggs	1/2 cup shredded cocoanut
1 cup sugar	3 cups flour
1 cup thick cream	3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Beat eggs until light, add sugar gradually, cocoanut, cream, and flour mixed and sifted with baking powder and salt. Chill thoroughly, toss on a floured board, pat, and roll one-half inch thick. Sprinkle with cocoanut, roll one-fourth inch thick, and shape with a small round cutter, first dipped in flour. Bake on a buttered sheet in a moderate oven.

Peanut Cookies

2 tablespoons butter	1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar	1/2 cup flour
1 egg	2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon baking powder	1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Cream the butter, add sugar, and egg well beaten. Mix and sift baking powder, salt, and flour; add to first mixture; then add milk, peanuts, and lemon juice. Drop from a teaspoon on a buttered sheet one inch apart, and place one-half peanut on top of each. Bake twelve to fifteen minutes in a slow oven. This recipe will make twenty-four cookies. One pint peanuts when shelled should yield one-half cup.

Almond Cookies

1/2 cup butter	1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 egg	Clove	1/2 tablespoon each
1/3 cup almonds, blanched and finely chopped	Nutmeg
	Grated rind 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup sugar	2 tablespoons brandy
2 cups flour

Cream the butter, add egg well beaten, almonds, sugar, brandy, and spices mixed and sifted with flour. Roll mixture to one-fourth inch in thickness, shape with a round cutter first dipped in flour, and bake in a slow oven.

Nut Cookies

Yolks 2 eggs	Whites 2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar	6 tablespoons flour
1 cup chopped nut meats	Few grains salt

Beat yolks of eggs until thick and lemon-colored, add sugar gradually, nut meats, whites of egg beaten until stiff, and flour mixed with salt. Drop from tip of spoon on buttered sheet, spread, and bake in a moderate oven.

Seed Cakes

Follow recipe for Cocoanut Cream Cookies , using one and one-half tablespoons caraway seeds in place of cocoanut.

Chocolate Cookies

1/2 cup butter	2 ozs. unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar	21/2 cups flour (scant)
1 egg	2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt	1/4 cup milk

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, egg well beaten, salt, and chocolate melted. Beat well, and add flour mixed and sifted with baking powder alternately with milk. Chill, roll very thin, then shape with a small cutter, first dipped in flour, and bake in a moderate oven.

German Chocolate Cookies

2 eggs	Grated rind 1/2 lemon
1 cup brown sugar	11/3 cups almonds, blanched and chopped
2 bars German chocolate
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon	1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt	1 teaspoon baking powder

Beat eggs until light, add sugar, gradually, and continue the beating; then add chocolate, grated, and remaining ingredients. Drop from tip of spoon on a buttered sheet, and bake in a moderate oven.

Chocolate Fruit Cookies

1/4 cup butter	1 egg
1/2 cup sugar	1/2 cup nut meats, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grated chocolate	1/2 cup seeded raisins, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon boiling water	1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Cream the butter, and add sugar, gradually. Melt chocolate, add remaining sugar and water, and cook one minute. Combine mixtures, and add remaining ingredients. Chill, shape, and bake same as Chocolate Cookies.

Chocolate Cakes

3 eggs	3 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup butter	1 cup stale bread crumbs
1/2 cup sugar	3 tablespoons flour

Beat eggs until light. Cream the butter, add sugar, combine mixtures, then add chocolate melted, bread crumbs, and flour. Spread mixture in a shallow buttered pan and bake in a slow oven. Shape with a tiny biscuit-cutter and put together in pairs with White Mountain Cream between and on top.

Neuremburghs

2 eggs	1/8 teaspoon clove
1/2 cup powdered sugar	1 tablespoon orange peel, finely cut
3/4 cup flour
1/3 teaspoon salt	Grated rind 1/2 lemon
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon	3/4 cup Jordan almonds

Beat the whites of the eggs until stiff, and add sugar gradually, continuing the beating. Then add yolks of eggs well beaten, flour mixed and sifted with salt and spices, orange peel, and lemon rind. Blanch almonds, cut in small pieces crosswise, and bake in a slow oven until well browned. Fold into the mixture, and drop by spoonfuls on a sheet dredged with corn-starch and powdered sugar in equal proportions. Bake in a moderate oven.

Sand Tarts

1/2 cup butter	2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar	White 1 egg
1 egg	Blanched almonds
13/4 cups flour	1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, and egg well beaten; then add flour mixed and sifted with baking powder. Chill, toss one-half mixture on a floured board, and roll one-eighth inch thick. Shape with a doughnut cutter. Brush over with white of egg, and sprinkle with sugar mixed with cinnamon. Split almonds, and arrange three halves on each at equal distances. Place on a buttered sheet, and bake eight minutes in a slow oven.

Swedish Wafers

1/2 cup butter	5 ozs. flour
1/2 cup sugar	1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs	Shredded almonds

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, eggs slightly beaten, flour, and flavoring. Drop by spoonfuls on an inverted buttered dripping-pan. Spread very thinly, using a knife, in circular shapes about three inches in diameter. Sprinkle with almonds, and bake in a slow oven. Remove from pan, and shape at once over the handle of a wooden spoon.

Marguerites I

2 eggs	1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup brown sugar	1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour	1 cup pecan nut meats, cut in small pieces

Beat eggs slightly, and add remaining ingredients in the order given. Fill small buttered tins two-thirds full of mixture, and place pecan nut meat on each. Bake in a moderate oven fifteen minutes.

Marguerites II

11/2 cups sugar	2 tablespoons shredded cocoanut
1/2 cup water	1/4 teaspoon vanilla
5 marshmallows	1 cup English walnut meats
Whites 2 eggs	Saltines

Boil sugar and water until syrup will thread. Remove to back of range and add marshmallows cut in pieces. Pour onto the whites of eggs beaten until stiff; then add cocoanut, vanilla, and nut meats. Spread saltines with mixture and bake until delicately browned.

Kornettes

3/4 cup finely chopped popped corn	1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 tablespoon soft butter	1/2 teaspoon vanilla
White 1 egg	Blanched and chopped almonds
1/3 cup sugar
Candied cherries

Add butter to corn. Beat egg white until stiff, and add sugar gradually, continuing the beating. Combine mixtures; then add salt and vanilla. Drop mixture from tip of spoon on a well buttered sheet, one inch apart. Shape in circular form with case knife first dipped in cold water. Sprinkle with almonds and place a piece of candied cherry on the centre of each. Bake in a slow oven until delicately browned.

Rolled Wafers

1/4 cup butter	1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar	7/8 cup bread flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, and milk drop by drop; then add flour and flavoring. Spread very thinly with a broad, long-bladed knife on a buttered inverted dripping-pan. Crease in three-inch squares, and bake in a slow oven until delicately browned. Place pan on back of range, cut squares apart with a sharp knife, and roll while warm in tubular or cornucopia shape. If squares become too brittle to roll, place in oven to soften. If rolled tubular shape, tie in bunches with narrow ribbon. These are very attractive, and may be served with sherbet, ice cream, or chocolate. If rolled cornucopia shape, they may be filled with whipped cream just before sending to table. Colored wafers may be made from this mixture by adding leaf green or fruit red. If colored green, flavor with one-fourth teaspoon almond and three-fourths teaspoon vanilla. If colored pink, flavor with rose. Colored wafers must be baked in a very slow oven and turned frequently, otherwise they will not be of the uniform color that is desired.

Almond Wafers

Before baking Rolled Wafers, sprinkle with almonds blanched and chopped. Other nut meats or shredded cocoanut may be used in place of almonds.

English Rolled Wafers I (Brandy Wafers)

1/2 cup molasses	1 cup flour (scant)
1/2 cup butter	2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ginger

Heat molasses to boiling-point, add butter, then slowly, stirring constantly, flour mixed and sifted with ginger and sugar. Drop small portions from tip of spoon on a buttered inverted dripping-pan two inches apart. Bake in a slow oven, cool slightly, remove from pan, and roll over handle of wooden spoon.

English Rolled Wafers II

To English Rolled Wafers I, add one and one-half cups rolled oats.

Nut Bars

2 tablespoons brown sugar	1/2 cup flour
	1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter	2 tablespoons English walnut meat, finely chopped
1/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup brown sugar	Halves of walnuts or almonds

Caramelize two tablespoons sugar, add butter and water, and boil two minutes. Remove from fire, add remaining sugar, flour mixed with salt, and walnut meat. Spread as Rolled Wafers. crease in two-inch squares, and decorate with nut meats. Bake in a slow oven, and remove from pan at once.

Nut Macaroons

White 1 egg	1 cup pecan nut meats
1 cup brown sugar	1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat white of egg until stiff and add gradually, while beating constantly, sugar. Fold in nut meats, finely chopped and sprinkled with salt. Drop from tip of spoon, one inch apart, on a buttered sheet, and bake in a moderate oven until delicately browned.

Brownies

1 cup sugar	3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter	1/2 cup flour
1 egg, unbeaten	1/2 cup walnut meats, cut in pieces
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

Mix ingredients in order given. Line a seven-inch square pan with paraffine paper. Spread mixture evenly in pan and bake in a slow oven. As soon as taken from oven turn from pan, remove paper, and cut cake in strips, using a sharp knife. If these directions are not followed paper will cling to cake, and it will be impossible to cut it in shapely pieces.

Card Cakes

1/3 cup butter	Jordan almonds
1 cup powdered sugar	1 tablespoon breakfast cocoa
2 eggs	2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup flour	1/4 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon salt	1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Shredded cocoanut

Cream the butter, add sugar, eggs well beaten, flour, and salt. Spread mixture on bottom of a buttered inverted dripping-pan, decorate with almonds blanched and cut in strips, and bake in slow oven. Cut in desired shape, using heart, spade, and diamond shaped cutters before removing from pan. To give variety, divide mixture in halves. To one-half add sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and vanilla, then spread on pan and sprinkle with shredded cocoanut.