Second. It is used to save labor. When a richer mixture be made it requires to be well beaten to mix in air. Baking powder often is added to save some of the otherwise necessary beating.
Baking Powder Biscuits
2 cupfuls flour 2 tablespoonfuls Crisco 2 teaspoonfuls baking powder[A]
1 teaspoonful salt Milk
Mix and sift twice dry ingredients. Work in Crisco with finger tips, add gradually milk, mixing with knife to soft dough. Toss on floured board; pat and roll to one-half inch thickness. Shape with biscuit cutter. Place on Criscoed tin and bake in hot oven twelve minutes. To have good biscuits dough should be handled as little as possible, just enough to get in shape to cut. Milk or water used for mixing should be very cold, and biscuits should be gotten into oven at once after adding liquid to flour. If top of each biscuit is lightly brushed over with melted Crisco before baking, crust will be much nicer. Sufficient for fifteen biscuits.
[Footnote A: Amount of baking powder may be increased if especially raised biscuits are desired. 2 teaspoonfuls, however, is most healthful amount.]
Best Jumbles
2 cupfuls sugar 1 cupful Crisco 4 eggs 4 cupfuls flour 3 tablespoonfuls milk 1 teaspoonful salt 3 teaspoonfuls baking powder 1 teaspoonful almond extract 1 teaspoonful rose extract
Cream Crisco and sugar thoroughly together, then gradually add eggs well beaten, now add milk, extracts, flour, salt and baking powder.
Mix and roll out lightly on floured baking board; cut into circles with doughnut cutter, lay on Criscoed tins and bake in moderate oven from seven to ten minutes or till light brown. These cookies will keep fresh two weeks, and if milk is left out, a month.
Sufficient for seventy jumbles.
Boston Brown Bread
1 cupful ryemeal 2 tablespoonfuls Crisco 1 cupful sugar 1 cupful cornmeal 1 cupful graham flour 3/4 tablespoonful baking soda 1/3 teaspoonful salt 3/4 cupful molasses 1-3/4 cupfuls sweet milk
Mix and sift ingredients. Dissolve soda with one tablespoonful hot water, add to molasses, then add milk and mix with dry ingredients.
Turn into greased mold two-thirds full, grease cover, and steam steadily three and a half hours. A 6-pound Crisco pail can be used for a mold.
Sufficient for one loaf.
Bran Gems
1/2 cupful bran 2 tablespoonfuls Crisco 1 tablespoonful whole wheat flour 1/2 cupful white flour 1/2 cupful milk 1 saltspoonful salt 1 egg 2 tablespoonfuls molasses 1 teaspoonful baking powder
Mix Crisco thoroughly with molasses, add egg well beaten, milk, salt, bran, flours, and baking powder. Divide into well greased gem pans, and bake in hot oven from eight to ten minutes. These gems are excellent for constipation.
Sufficient for eight gems.
Brown Nut Bread
4 tablespoonfuls melted Crisco 2 eggs 1 cupful sugar 1 cupful sour milk 2/3 cupful New Orleans molasses 1-1/2 cupfuls flour 1-1/2 cupfuls graham flour 1/2 teaspoonful salt 1 teaspoonful baking soda 1 cupful sultana raisins 1 cupful chopped nut meats
Beat eggs and sugar together for five minutes, then add molasses, soda mixed with milk, salt, flours, raisins, and nuts. Mix and turn into Criscoed and floured cake tin and bake in slow oven one and a quarter hours.
Sufficient for one medium-sized loaf.
Buttermilk Biscuits
1 quart flour 2 tablespoonfuls Crisco 1 tablespoonful sugar 1 teaspoonful salt 1 teaspoonful baking soda 1 teaspoonful baking powder 1 egg 3/4 pint buttermilk
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together, then rub in Crisco with finger tips, add egg well beaten, and soda mixed with milk. Dough should be soft and little more milk can be added if needed. Roll out lightly and handle as little as possible. Cut with biscuit cutter, lay on Criscoed tins and bake in hot oven ten minutes.
Sufficient for thirty biscuits.
Chocolate Brownies
1 cupful sugar 6 tablespoonfuls melted Crisco 2 eggs 2 squares chocolate 1/3 teaspoonful salt 1/2 cupful flour 1 cupful chopped English walnut meats 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract 3 tablespoonfuls boiling water
Cream Crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, chocolate dissolved in boiling water, salt, flour, vanilla, and nuts. Divide and spread thin in 2 Criscoed square pans and bake in slow oven from twenty to twenty-five minutes. Cut in strips and serve with ice cream.
These are a cross between cookies and heavy cake.
Sufficient for fifty brownies.
Chocolate Wafers
1 cupful sugar 5 tablespoonfuls Crisco 2 cupfuls flour 1/4 cake chocolate 2 eggs 1/4 teaspoonful baking soda 1/2 teaspoonful vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoonful salt
Cream Crisco and sugar together, add chocolate melted, eggs well beaten, vanilla extract, flour, salt, and soda. Mix and turn out on to floured baking board. Roll out thin, and cut with small cutter. Lay on Criscoed tin and bake from seven to ten minutes in moderate oven.
Sufficient for forty-six wafers.
Citron Buns
1 yeast cake 6 tablespoonfuls sugar 3/4 cupful Crisco 1/2 cupful raisins 1/4 cupful chopped citron peel 1 teaspoonful lemon extract 1 cupful scalded milk 1 egg 5-1/2 cupfuls flour 1/4 cupful lukewarm water 1 teaspoonful salt
Scald milk, add half of sugar and salt; when lukewarm add yeast dissolved in water and 1-1/2 cupfuls flour. Mix, cover, and let rise till light; then add Crisco, remainder of sugar and flour, raisins, peel, and extract. Knead lightly, cover, and let rise. Divide into small pieces, let rise on greased tins, brush over with beaten egg and bake in hot oven twenty minutes.
Sufficient for twenty-two buns.
Coffee Bread