DIRECTIONS FOR FROSTING

Beat whites of eggs to a stiff froth, add powdered sugar grad-' oallj, beating well all i1\e lime. (There are various opinions about the length of time frosting should be beaten, some giving half an hour, others a much shorter time). Or, break the whites into a broad plat- ter, and ai once begin adding powdered and sifted sugar, keep add- ing gradually, beating well all the while until the icing is perfectly smooth (thirty minutes beating ought to be sufficient) ; lastly, add flavoring (n>8e, pineapple or almond for white or delicate cake, and lemon or vanilla for dark or fruit cake). Have the frosting ready when the cake is baked ; beat the white of one egg to a stiff froth, then stir in ten heaping tea-spoons pulverized sugar (well heaped, hut not all that you can lift on the spoon) and one of corn starch ; he sure that it is thoroughly beaten before taking the cake from the oven. If possible, have some one beating while you take out the cake. Now invert a common tin milk-pan, placing it on a clean paper, so if any falls off it can be used again, then place the cake on the pan and apply frosting ; it will run over the cake, becoming as smooth aa glass, and adhere firmly to it. If but ono person is engaged in preparing cake and frosting, and must necessarily stop beating while getting the cake in readiness, it will be best to beat the frosting a few minutes again before placing on cake. As eggs vary in sire, some common sense must be used in the quantity of the sugar. Practice only will teach how stiff icing ought to be. In preparing for a large party, when it is inconvenient to frost each cake as it is taken from the oven, and a number have become cold, place them in Hie oven U)

92 DmEC±IONS FOB FR08TINQ.

or ribbons should be put on while the icing is moist. When diy

ornament with piping, which is a stiff icing squeezed through a

paper funnel, and may be tinted with colored sugars. If the above

directions are followed, the icing will not crumble. The recipe for

" Centennial Drops'' (see index) is excellent for icing. In frosting

sponge-cake it is an improvement to grate orange peel over the cake

before frosting.

Almond FROsriNa.

Blanch half pint sweet almonds by putting them in boiling

water, stripping off the skins, and spreading upon a dry cloth

until cold; pound a few of them at a time in a mortar till well

pulverized; mix carefully whites of three eggs and threeK][uarter8

pint powdered sugar, add almonds, fiavor with a tea-spoon vanilla

or lemon, and dry in a cool oven or in the open air when weather

is pleasant.

Boiled Frosting.

Whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one large cup granulated sugar moistened with four table-spoons hot water ; boil sugar briskly for five minutes or until it "jingles" on the bottom of the cup when dropped into cold water, or " ropes" or threads when dropped from the end of the spoon. Then, with lefl hand, pour the boiling syrup upon the beaten eggs in a small stream, while beat- ing hard with right hand. This is an excellent frosting. If pre- ferred, add half pound sweet almonds blanched and pounded to a paste, or a cup of hickory-nut meats, chopped fine, and it will be perfectly delicious. This amount will frx)st the top of two large cakes. — Mrs. A. S, C.

Chocolate Frosting.

Six rounded table-spoons grated chocolate, one and a half cups powdered sugar, whites of three eggs; beat the whites but very little (they must not become white), add the chocolate, stir it in; then pour in the sugar gradually, beating to mix it well. — In the KUchen.

Beat whites of two eggs to a stiff froth, add gradually half pound best pulverized sugar, beat well for at least half an hour, flavor with lemon juice (and some add tartaric acid, as both

DIRECTIONS FOR FROSTING. 93

whiten the icing). To color a delicate pink, use strawberry , currant or cranberry; or the grated peeling of an orange or lemon moistened with the juice and squeezed through a thin doth, will color a handsome yellow. This amount will frost one large cake. — ArTB. rr. rr. W.

Frosting with Gelatine.

Dissolve large pinch gelatine in six table-spoons boiling water; strain and thicken with sugar and flavor with lemon. This is enough to frost two cakes. — Mrs, W. A, J".

Frosting without Eggs. To one heaping tea-spoon Poland starch and just enough cold water to dissolve it, add a little hot water and cook in a basin set in hot water till very thick (or cook in a crock; either will prevent its burning or becoming lumpy). Should the sugar be lumpy roll it thoroughly, and stir in two and two-thirds cups while the starch is hot; flavor to taste, and spread on while the cake is a little warm. This should be made the day before using, as it takes longer «to harden than when made with eggs, but it will never crumble in cutting. This is excellent. — Mrs, Ola Kellogg Wilcox.

Minnesota Frosting.

Beat whites of three eggs until frothy, not white, add one and a

third pints powdered sugar gradually with one hand, beating

briskly with the other. Flavor with a tea-spoon of vanilla. It is

better not to beat the whites of the eggs until stiff before adding

sugar, as it makes the icing very hard to dry. — Mrs, C. J,, Winona,

Ornamental Frosting.

Draw a small syringe full of the icing and work it in any design

you fency ; wheels, Grecian borders, flowers, or borders of bead-

mg look well. — Mrs, M. J. W.

Yellow Frosting.

The yolk of one egg to nine heaping tea-8poons4^1verized sugar,

and flavor with vanilla. Use the same day it is made. — Mrs.

Rose Coloring.

Mix together one-fourth ounce each of powdered alum and cream

tartar, one ounce powdered cochineal, four ounces loaf-sugar, and

94 CRULLERS AND DOUOHNUT&

a salt-spoon soda. Boil b&a minutes in a pint pure soft water* when cool bottle and cork i^r use. This is used for jellies, cake» ice-cream, etc. — Mrs W. E. H., Minneapolu.