New-York tribune., 1911-12-13
Soyer Method Betters
Them as Much as
1t Does Meat and
II q Stry.

peper bag cooking betters cakes as much
es n does meat or pastry. Please TO keep
,b,s fact in mind in relation to your Christ
mas cake baking. Also the fact that YOU
should never try to make Christmas cakes
AZ baphazard Instead. take A day or sew
eral DAYS of from bridge and shopping and
give YOUR whole mind TO the matter in hand.
Decide first what cakes you care to make,
tben reckon up what you will need to make
chem Of Many a good cake has been sad
dened past all remedy through waiting at
the exact wrong minute for some essential
Ingredient, overlooked I'm the general buy
ins.
Never melt butter unless melted butter
is specifically called for IN your recipe.
Set the butter crock outside the refriger-
ator for several hours before you need its
contents-the kitchen temperature viii
make the butter just right for creaming
Keep eggs cool-they beat light the quicker
for H. Always add a tiny pinch Of salt
10 whites in beginning TO froth them-it
makes the frothing easier and improves the
taste Eggs, 1t Is needless TO say, must be
above suspicion. So with butter, sugar,
fruit and spices-you cannot make cake
Of the finest quality from anything less
than the best material. BY this I do not
mean the eggs must be strictly new laid,
hut sound, we'll kept and reasonably fresh.
II the shells show soil wash them well
before breaking. In spite of the incest
csre in separating white and yolk you are
hound To let the white touch the outer
side of the shell. Sift -four and set it
where it will get warm and dry without
scorching. then slft il again before using
Il. Measure il after the second sitting, and
II baking powder or soda and cream of
tartar are to be put in 1t add them TO the
measured bulk. and sift a third time.
Cake must be beaten well and thoroughly
II you want it firm yet light and OF fne'
close texture. Sweet milk helps TO this
fine texture. Sour milk or cream contTari-
wise tends to a coarse. bubbly grain. the
reason is not occult-sour milk demands
"a be offset with soda. which. combining
with It. releases carbonic acid.
Use measuring cups OF the same size
Three will be none too many-one for dry
things. one for liquids. one for fruit or
nuts Pour boiling water In the mixing
bowls, let it stand a minute, turning 1t
around and about, then empty-thus you
at once warm and sterilize the vessel
Prepare fruit over night, if possible
washing and drying it well. Keep II "here
Il will not harden. II IL is 10 be soaked
In wine or liquor let IT stand covered In
the highest closet for at least twelve hours.
Shred citron. candied peel and crystalllzeo
fruit very fine, and keep them where they
will stay moist II chocolate is used either
In the cake itself, the films or the FROST
ing put in a little brandy-it brings out the
favor as nothing else can.
Two such favors as lemon and vanilla
vanilla and rose water, or rose water ana
almond, give TO cake tang as delicious
as it is unusual spoonful Of brandy or
even good corn whiskey. beaten well
through the cake just before the fiavoring
which should be put in the very last
thinr-will make the cake lighter, better
colored. and OF better keeping quality
without leaving trace to which the most
strenuous temperance advocate can object.
Sherry will serve If other liquor is lacking
but not so well as the brandy or whiskey
sift spices through part of the -four, add
ing the spiced -four alternately with what
Is left plain. Always sift sugar, and more
than once if II IS clammy. Warming 1t
gently helps 10 make light cake. 1t should
be sifted afresh after the warming.
As have said, paper bag cooking bet
ters cake as much as It does meat or
pastry II can he done I'm the bags, but
advise using in conjunction with the bags
either paper soufle cases or very thin tin
rloulds square, oblong or round. or cases
made from the bags themselves as directed
for the small cakes / described yesterday.
To make a square paper bag mould, split
in halves a bag OF the largest size, crease
each half gently all around about three
inches from the cut edges and fold up each
corner neatly. clipping the folds firmly
with two or even three clips. Brush over
this mould literally with soft butter, TAX
ing care to cover every fiber. Fill three
parts with cake batter then slip the loaded
mould inside big creased bag which rests
uron a wire trivet. Seal the outer bag,
taking care than il does not press down the
empty upper edges of the mould inside
prick two or three small holes in its upper
side and set the trivet on the broiler in
very hot oven. Put on the shelf above
i' a shallow pan filed half way with boil
Ing water and on the floor underneath a
pan with a little cold water Close the
oven door and leave for ten minutes. Take
out the water pans then and after two or
three minutes slack the heat one-half and
hnish baking The time will. of course
depend on the size and kind Of cake.
Paper bag baking Is a little quicker than
the other kind and ever so much more
certain. The use Of the water is TO vapor-
Ne and save the bag from cracking while
lne cake within It IS getting hot and rising