There are sets of thick iron gem pans to be had, which are very good for this purpose, but one can manage quite well with oven-plates made of sheet-iron or black steel. Into a large basin put 2 cupfuls of the coldest water procurable. Aerate by pouring from one vessel to another several times, or by whipping up with a spoon or spatula. Take 4 cupfuls whole meal, and pass several times through a sieve. Sprinkle the meal into the water a little at a time, whipping vigorously all the while till about three-fourths are worked in, and continue whisking from 20 to 30 minutes till the mixture is full of air bubbles. Sprinkle in the rest of the wheatmeal and mix thoroughly. Meanwhile, see that the oven is very hot, as a strong steady heat is necessary. Make the gem pans or oven-plates also very hot and grease lightly. Half fill the pans and put at once in oven, so that the moist air may be as quickly as possible converted into steam, and thus puff up the bread. If oven-plates are used, put dessertspoonfuls some distance apart on these and put in oven. If the oven is hot enough, a crust will at once form, and the steam trying to force its way out will send them up like puff balls. Moderate the heat, if possible after 10 or 15 minutes, and allow to bake for about 30 minutes longer. It is very easy to regulate the heat if a gas stove is used; if a range, put on some small coal. When baked turn out on a sieve, and when quite cold split open and toast on the inside. Another excellent kind of bread, which can be managed quite easily with a little trouble and practice, is raised with eggs. It is generally known as
Four eggs, three-fourths of a cupful of pastry flour, half a cupful of powdered sugar. Have the bottom of three large baking pans covered with paraffin paper or sheets of buttered note paper. Beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar to a froth. Beat the whites to a stiff, dry froth, and add to the yolks and sugar. Add the flour, and stir quickly and gently. Pour the mixture into the pastry bag, and press it through on to the paper in the shape and of the size you wish. When all the mixture has been used, sprinkle powdered sugar on the cakes, and bake from twelve to sixteen minutes in a very slow oven. Caution. The mixture must be stirred, after the flour is added, only enough to mix the flour lightly with the sugar and eggs. Much stirring turns the mixture liquid. If the oven is hot the fingers will rise and fall, and if too cool they will spread. It should be about half as hot as for bread. You will not succeed in using the pastry bag the first time, but a little practice will make it easy to get the forms wished. There are pans especially for baking lady-fingers. They are quite expensive.
1 cup butter. 1 cup sugar. 1 cup molasses. 1 cup milk. 1 cup currants. 1 cup raisins. 1 egg. 1 teaspoonful soda. 2 teaspoonfuls mixed spices. 3 cups flour.
Wash and dry the currants. Buy the seeded raisins and wash these, too, and then chop them. Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg beaten well without separating, then the molasses with the soda stirred in it, then the milk, then the cinnamon and cloves. Measure the flour, and then take out a half-cup of it, and stir in the raisins and currants, to keep them from going to the bottom of the cake when it is baked. Stir these in, add the rest of the flour, and beat well. Bake in two buttered bread-pans.
