Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-18

OUR GRANDMOTl
at any time than griddle-cake5 or hot
breads.
II has long been considered a standard
New England food. an old-timc break
fast dainty, and is as closely associated
with coffee and cheese as brown bread is
with beans. " stands between bread and
cake, and affords an agreeable change
from bread and butter. and yet is quite
as cheap food
Akin to the New England doughnut IS
the cruller Of Dutch origin and the
French frltter. 1t is interesting to see
how people remote from each other have
developed similar preparations Of food.
and how customs change az different
races mingle.
Though a common food. the doughnut
IS as much improved by dainty processes
in mixing as is the choicest cake. The
only valid objection To the doushnut Is
the possibility OF its absorbing fat while
frying. and Of this there is no need If
the cook is careful. here is no sound
excuse for the existence OF fat-soaked
douchnuts
The douehnuts Of our graniinothers
were raised with yeast, and their like IS
seldom seen nowadays. This is mainly
because Of the slow process. since sweet
dough rises so slowly, and the convenience
Of modern baking powders has put yeast
IN the background.
But the raised doughnut IS too deli
cious and wholesome to become a lost
art
We may use pint Of light dough as a
basis for the ingredients i'm the following
recipe instead Of mixing separate
DOUGH-. but IT Is easier in the end ami
rosult more satisfactory to proceed as
follows: ......,...
RAISED DOTGHNUTS.
Pour one cup scaldcd milk over one
tablespoonful Of butter and one quarter
cum Of SUGAR. when cool, add one hair
yeaet cake. softened I'm a spoonful OF
vots- Mix into the liquid one pint or
bread -four. beating well Cover the bowl
and set II I'm "a pan Of warm water ana
Lo.D at uniform temperature til light and
foamy.
Then add ono beaten egg and one half
cup Of sugar. with which has been mixed
one half teaspoonful Of salt and one half
teaspoonful OF spice; add about one pint
more of bread -four, or enough to knead.
Knead till smooth; place the dough in a
bowl: cover. and set IL in warm water
again till It becomes double in bulk. Then
roll out. cut into strips, twist, put them on
Il slightly-noured board, cover with Il
towel. and leave in Il warm place for an
hour or more.
Then proceed 20 Try, putting that side
OF the twist which was uppermost on the
board downward in the fat.
This recipe will make from two to three
dozer, doughnut5. The same recipe with
the addition OF fruit. may be used for
buns By the help Of warm water. keep
ing the dough at an even temperature.
there need be no trouble In making raised
doughnuts.
The sponge may be mixed early in the
morning and the doughuuts fried In the
early afternoon. II the sponge Is mixed
over night q less quantity Of yeast will do.
Ordinary bread dough, perfectly risen,
may be cut in small sections or dropped
by spoonfuls in hot fat and fried brown.
These unsweotcn doughnuts are to be
eaten hot, with maple syrup, and are es-
ptcially good in the spring, when the
syrup is first made.
BAKING-POWDER DOUGHNUTS.
Very good doughnuts may be more
quickly made by this recipe:
Sift one quart Of sfted Hour again with
one teaspoOnful OF salt. two tea5poOnstul
Of baking powder, one half teaspoonful OF
mixed spice. and three quarters 10 one
| ctip Of sugar. Mix with one beaten egg
| one cup OF milk, one teasp0onful Of
melted butter. Measure the baking pow
der with level or very slightly rounding
| spoonfuls according 10 the known
| strength OF the kind YOU use. or in place
! OF the powder use one slightly-roundins
teaspoon full Of cream Of tartar and one
| half level teaspoonful Of soda.
or use one half level teaspoonful Of
soda and one cup of sour milk in place OF
sweet milk Sift the soda with the other
| dry materials.
In any OF the recipes hold back a part
Of the milk until il Is needed, for different
brands Of -four vary in their power Of
| absorbing liquids. \ good plan is TO pour
| the beaten egg In the middle OF the dry
| ingredients without stirring, rinse the
bowl with part OF the milk, and pour
| that in, then add the melted butter and
| begin to mix, adding more milk as re-
| quired. Other fats may be used for short
| ening. When one has rich milk or sour
buttermilk no other shortening is needed.
| Better let the doughnuts be as tough as
bread than let them soak fat.
The spices usually preferred are CHINA
| mon and nutmeg or mace. Some recipes
call for ginger, allspice. cloves, rosewater,
| and lemon peel.
The egg should never be omitted. 1t
makes the dough lighter, but more i'm
portant still. IL aids in repelling the abb
| sorption OF fat.
To make richer doughnuts use another
| egg and another teaspoonful OF butter 10
the same recipe
With all the recipes the dough will seem
very stiff when first mixed. but II grows
softer and even sticky as the sugar In II
Gissolves after mixing.
When every dust of dry -four Is out OF
sight and the dough separates in a ball
from the mixing bowl IL IS ready &c ROLL
out.
ROLLING AND CUTTING.
Doughnut doughs should be as soft as
can be handled. No excess OF -four should
be worked in while shaping. as IL will
make the cooked nuts" solid and dry.
Sprinkle thin layer OF -four over the
board. roll the pin through that. Take
only small bit of the dough at once.
toss IL over and over with u knife to
coat all with thin layer OF -four then
pat il gently with the rolling-pin. Gently.
! say. because X the whole weight OF the
pin Is allowed TO rest on the dough Il will
stick 10 the board. Let the dough be
just half as thick after rolling as the
cooked doughnut Is to be.
For round nuts dip the cutter In -four
and press firmly into the dough, twist It
ground before lifting II This lpossps