Evening star., 1934-02-23
FOOD AND THRIFT IN THE HOME
Success in Cakes and Pies
Accurate Measurements Are Important-Use
of Special Cake Flour-Making of
Other Desserts.

milk or water for your cakes and add
the baking powder, baking soda, or
cream Of tartar last, after the hot
milk or water Is added. It will make
your cakes velvety, soft and Of ex-
ceedingly fine texture.
Often one has difficulty in keeping
cakes from becoming coarse or from
falling, regardless Of the care taken
in the mixing. This may be remedied
simply by mixing in a tablespoonful
Of cornstarch at the very last, before
baking. insuring a fine-grained cake
and preventing it from falling.
Rising Of Cake.
Any standard baking powder can be
relied upon to make your cake rise
If you follow exactly the directions
for using it. Keep it alright. To get
the best results from the brand that
you are using, look at the label on the
can to see how much baking powder
you should allow for each cupful Of
-four.
Fill dry ingredients to the top Of
the spoon or cup and level of with
the edge of a spatula. Never tap or
shake down, as this would make quite
a difference in the quantity. Flour
should always be sifted before meas
uring, and then transferred very lightly
to the cup with spoon. When meas
uring liquids see that the cup or spoon
is entirely full, but not overhowing.
Be sure to empty 1t thoroughly. as
fluids cling. and this would mix up
your quantities.
Before filling the creased or oiled
pans with the mixture, dredge the
pans lightly with flour, shaking of the
surplus so that only just enough re-
mains to provide nice smooth under
surface for your cake. Fill the pans
about two-thirds full, spreading the
batter well into the corners.
For baking time and temperature,
you must turn to the recipe which you
are using. If your stove is not equip
ped with an oven regulator, you really
should have an oven thermometer. A
slow to moderate oven gives the best
results. both in the shape of the cake
and in its texture. A bumped top is
most distressing when 1t comes on q
layer cake, for the two layers will not
At and the space between is awkward
A cake is done when 1t begins to
shrink from the sides Of the pan, and
when 1t springs back into place when
touched lightly on top with the f1n-
gers. and when 1t leaves no batter on
a toothpick thrust gently into the
middle.
When you have used the best Of in
gradients to make a cake, do not,
when 1t Is baked, set II in a breeze TO
cool. Place it on a cake rack In a
cool place, but not in a breeze, and it
Will retain all its lightness.
Pie Making.
To make fruit pie, mix one
third cupful Of sugar with three ia
blespoonfuls Of pastry -four and one
eighth teaspoonfu1 of salt. then add
the yolks Of two eggs slightly beaten.
Pour on one cupful of scalded milk
gradually. while stirring constantly,
and cook In q double boiler for is
minutes, stirring constantly, until
the mixture thickens, and after
ward occasionally. Cool, and add
one-fourth cupful of thin cream
or rich milk, three-fourths of a
tablespoonful OF lemon juice and
one large banana, peeled, scraped
and cut in one-eighth inch slices
crosswise. Chill thoroughly and turn
into a pastry case. Just before serv-
ing beat the whites of two eggs until
stiff and add two tablespoonfuls of
powdered sugar gradually while beat
ing constantly. Then add one fourth
spoonful Of lemon extract. Spread
evenly over the pie and put under
a gas flame to cook until delicately
Drowned.
To make a pastry case, roll the
paste to one-fourth inch in thick
ness, cover an inverted deep pie plate
with paste, prick several times, place
on a thin sheet and bake In a hot
oven. Slip from the plate and fill.
If cooked fruits are used for filling
pies, it is always desirable to bake
the crusts separately. Make a pastry
case for the under crust and for the
upper crust roll a piece Of paste and
cut a round a bit larger than the
pie plate, prick and bake on a tin
sheet.
When making pies from canned
fruits which are Juicy you can get
an extra pie from each quart by
slightly thickening the Juice with
cornstarch. When the Juice is cool
the pies can be filled with fruit and
Juice without danger Of the filling
running over or soaking through the
crust quickly. Brush the lower crust
Of juicy fruit pies with white Of egg
before putting In the filing. It pre-
vents q soggy under crust.
Quality in Meringue.
To make meringue for pies, beat
the whites of eggs, adding pinch of
salt, until the whites are fluffy but
not dry. Add gradually two table
spoonfuls of granulated sugar for
each egg white. Continue beating.
Pile up on the pies with a spatula.
The object Of long, slow baking is 50
that the meringue will come out dry
and crusty on top and soft and melt
ing inside. Try It,
To bake a perfectly shaped pie
shell, place the dough on the bottom
Of the ipe plate. Turn another pie
plate over this and bake until the
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