Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-07
Table and Kitchen.
Some Delightful Winter Shortcakes
With Fresh Fruits.

some Oe1GntIu1 Winter S0oIlCaAeS
With Fresh Fruits.
We generally associate shortcake with
fresh strawberries and springtime, not
that many of US could give a very definite
reason for this consortment, but simply be-
cause cur limited knowledge of cookery
does not give us a thorough conception OF
the possible variations one may play on the
plainest and simplest of our recipes in COM
mon use. Truth to tell, the strawberry
shortcake-that dainty symphony in taste
and eolor-is but the happy inspiration that
moved some ingenious cook to combine in
one harmonious whole the delicious short
bread or cake of we olden time tea table,
the fresh strawberries and cool, rich cream,
instead of serving them separately. This
idea may be carried out with almost any
fruit. fresh or canned, in or out Of season.
In fact, lie fruit shortcake may now De
regarded as a reformed pie, as such mas
been lately introduced as substitute 1or
the pernicious pie in some of the noted
women's colleges. The reform being &C
cepted with delight and satisfaction on the
part of the stude.- s., that is very gratifying
to the promoters of more hygienic diet.
This satisfactory result of an experiment
may prove very helpful to the housewife
who gratifies the pie-loving tastes of her
family with an easy conscience.
Grandmothers strawberry shortcake has
most tempting pie ever made. Therefore
all anxious housewives take heart, whether
your perpleXity arises from your belief tnat
pie is unwholesome food for your family
or because the successful making thereof
battles your knowledge and skill-the Sc
cret of making a perfect fruit shortcake is
soon learned, good -four and baking pow
der being the imperatives and all the in
gradients in proper proportion.
While methods differ somewhat, the prin-
ciple is the same in making the genuine
shortcake. The sweet shortcakes are a
hybrid class and bear closer relation to
layer cake than anything else. Dried fruits
such as our American figs, peaches. prunes
and apricots make delicious luncheon or tea
ShortcakeS.
Banana Shortcake.
Measure three cups of sifted flour; add
three level tablespoonful of sugar, half
level teaspoonful salt and two teaspoonfuls
of baking powder. Sift together to thor
oughly mix. Then with flexible knife rub
in two ounces of butter. Mix to soft
dough Zone that will roll easily without
pressure) with very cold milk. Roll light
ly or pat out in two layers; put one into
square baking tin and brush the top we'll
with softened butter; place the other por-
ton of dough on top of the first and bake
in a moderately quick oven. Crate half of
the yellow peel from a large orange, then
cut the orange in half and scrape out the
pulp and add to the pulp of four ripe ba-
to suit the taste. Have this mixture ice
cold, and then stir in gently a cupful of
dry, whipped cream Spread between and
on top of layers of cake and serve with
plain sweet cream.
Prune Shortcake.
After soaking over night, stew or steam
pound Of prunes in a double boiler until
soft. Turn out and strain the juice. Put
latter in a saucepan with half a cup of
sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved, then
let simmer while you remove stones from
the prunes; add fruit to the syrup and cook
gently for ten minutes longer. You can add
a little lemon juice, sherry stick CHINA
mon for favoring or leave the fruit I'M
favored. Make a milk biscuit crust, using
double quantity of shortening, or leave out
shortening and mix with cream instead Of
milk. Bake in biscuit pan, in one layer,
and when done tear open; spread quickly
with softened butter and spread each por-
ton with the prunes. Serve with plain,
sweet cream or heap whipped cream over
the pruneS and serve hot.
Peach Shortcake.
This Is considered real orthodox Short"
cake, but the very ingredient that makes it
consistent with the real meaning of the
name given this class of cakes for the same
reason places 1t among the condemned pies.
We give it for the benefit of those who
have good digestion and no scruples in re-
gard to eating pastries.
For the cake part take three-quarters of a
pound of sffted flour; rub into this half
pound of butter. Make a hollow in the cen
ter of the flour and into this pour gradually
while mixing about cup of ice water. Mix
to a soft dough; then turn out on a Toured
board and roll out lightly and fold as in
making puff paste. Roll and fold several
times in order to have a ffaky crust, then
fold up and let it stand in very cold place
five minutes; then roll it out about a quar-
ter of an inch thick and bake In a shallow
tin. When done split the cake In two but
do not use a knife, and spread the lower
half first with soft butter, then with canned
or cooked dried peaches; then put on the
upper half with crumb side uppermost and
spread with more peaches. Serve with
cream, plain or whipped, or a sauce made
of the peach juice.
A German Apple Shortcake.
This is another form of shortcake we give
for variety sake. Take pound of fresh
unsalted or well-washed butter and work
1t very well, with the hands, into a pound
of sifted flour. Add half a cup Of sugar. a
little ground cinnamon and nutmeg and the
beaten yolks Of two eggs. knead well,
then cut the paste in two. Line the bottom
of round cake tin with one half. Stew
some apples, sweetened to taste, and when
the apples cold put them over the cake
Roll out the other half of dough and place
over the apples. Bake for thirty minutes,
tHeur let StdHu uNlll COiQ, Cnen turn out OF
the pan and cover with soft icing or
meringue, or whipped cream. 1t may also
be served hot with plain sweet cream.
Cranberry Shortcake.
Rub together two cups of -four with half
a cup of butter; mixing in half a cup of
sugar and two small teaspoonfuls of bak-
Ing powder, a beaten egg and a cup of
milk. Dust board with a little flour; turn
ont the paste and roll out about half an
inch thick, cut into three or four-inch
squares and bake in quick oven. When
done pull apart; butter quickly, spread with
a rich, sweet cranberry sauce and serve
with whipped cream heaped on top.
Fried Rabbit.
The most popular method Of preparing a
rabbit is to fry 1t. Wash thoroughly in
cold water, then place in a saucepan and
pour boiling water over it. Simmer gently
for ten minutes, remove from the water,
cut up into small pieces, wipe dry, dip in