Bohemian-American Cook Book/Raised Tarts and Cakes

In order to make good pastry, especially that composed of raised dough, the cook must observe several rules. The flour should be of good quality, dry and warm, the butter, eggs and yeast must be fresh. When setting the sponge, the milk or water must be tepid, never hot. Compressed yeast seems to give more satisfactory results than dry yeast. Half an ounce of fresh compressed yeast is about right to one pound of flour. However, the richer the dough, the more yeast it will require. In order to be sure that the yeast is fresh, mix it with several tablespoons of tepid milk, add a teaspoon of sugar and two or three teaspoons of flour, beat and set in a warm (not hot) place. If it begins to bubble and foam within a short time, the yeast is good. You may then mix the other ingredients together, add the sponge, beat very thoroughly until the dough glistens and does not stick, then set again in a warm place. The dough must be right, the oven must be right, and the baking must be done right. Success depends on all these things, not on any one of them. If the oven bakes too quickly on the under side, set the pan on a tin plate or iron stand, if too quickly on top, cover with a paper.

Cream one cup of butter, add four to six yolks, one at the time, one cake of compressed yeast dissolved ​in tepid milk, four whites beaten stiff, one quart of sweet cream, a handful of sugar, the grated rind of a lemon, a dash of salt, one quart of sifted flour, and beat until the dough does not stick, then set in a warm place. When it has risen to double its bulk, take out by the tablespoonful on a floured board, roll each into a ball, then roll out like a cooky, about half an inch thick, arrange in a pan, brush with melted butter, spread with fruit jam, cottage cheese or other filling (see Jams, Fillings, etc.) let them rise again in the pan and then bake in a hot oven.

Dissolve one cake of compressed yeast in half a cup of tepid milk with a teaspoon of sugar and four tablespoons of flour. Beat well and place in a warm spot. Cream a cup of butter in a crock, add two yolks, one at the time, the grated rind of half a lemon, and a dash of cinnamon. When the sponge has risen, add it to this with a dash of salt, beat, then add two cups of warm milk, four cups of sifted flour, or more if necessary, beat thoroughly, dust with flour and let it rise. When it has doubled its bulk, flour the board, take the dough out by tablespoonful, roll each into a ball, then roll out half an inch thick, or press out with the fingers, in the form of a cooky, arrange on a buttered tin (not too close together) brush each with beaten yolk mixed with a bit of milk, spread with jam, poppy seed or cottage cheese, let them rise again and bake in a hot oven. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while hot.

Prepare the dough as shown in the preceding recipe. When it is light, roll out very thin, cut in squares, place in the center of each a tablespoon of the desired ​filling, take up the two cross-corners and pinch together over the center, then do the same with the other two corners, arrange on a buttered tin, brush with beaten yolks, sprinkle with chopped blanched almonds, or butter, flour and sugar rubbed together, let them rise once more and bake in a hot oven.

Heat a cup of cream, when tepid add one teaspoon of sugar and one and a half cakes of compressed yeast, mix smooth and set in a warm place to rise. Mix together two and three fourths of a cup of flour, a dash of salt, the grated rind of half a lemon and a dash of mace. Work in a heaping tablespoon of cold butter, add four yolks and the fermented yeast, beat thoroughly. If necessary add flour, for this dough must be rather stiff. Stand in a rather cool, (that is, not very warm), place to rise. Take a cup of unsalted butter. If salted, wash thoroughly in cold water, dry and place on ice. When the dough has risen, let it get cool and roll it out about half an inch thick. Then roll out the butter, making a smaller piece than the dough, so that when you, place the rolled butter on the rolled dough, there will be an inch-wide edge of dough all around. Then fold over as illustrated in the recipe for making puff paste, (recipe 668). With a rolling pin beat the folded dough lightly, roll again, fold, beat and repeat this once more, that is proceed this way three times altogether. Then roll the dough half an inch thick, cut it into squares, put a tablespoon or teaspoon of filling on each, (according to how large you wish to have the tarts) pinch the corners together over the center, arrange on a buttered tin, brush with beaten yolk, let them rise to double their bulk and bake in a hot oven. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while hot.

Sift a quart of flour on the bread board, sprinkle over it three fourths of a pound of finely chopped fresh firm butter, work the butter into the flour, gather into a heap, make a well in the middle, drop into it six yolks, half a cup of cold water, a leaping tablespoon of sugar, a dash of salt, mix with a knife, knead, roll, fold, roll and fold again. Dust a napkin with flour, wrap the folded dough in it and place on ice for half an hour. Then roll, cut into round or square pieces, spread or fill with jam or other filling (if you make them square, pinch the corners together), arrange on a buttered tin and bake rather slowly. Or you may roll the dough out half an inch thick in one piece, enough to fill a pie plate, cover with sliced apples, quartered fresh peaches, stoned plums, strawberries, cherries etc., sprinkle with sugar and bake.

Cream six tablespoons of good butter with eight yolks, then add two cups of flour, four heaping tablespoons of powdered sugar, the grated rind of half a lemon, a cup of milk, a cake of yeast dissolved in tepid milk with a teaspoon of sugar, a dash of salt, beat thoroughly and set in a warm place to rise. Line a pan with waxed or buttered paper, dot with pieces of dough the size of a walnut, spread each flat with a knife, about half an inch thick, cover each with a thick layer of whites beaten stiff, sprinkle with powdered sugar, place in the center of each a candied cherry or other fruit, and bake in a hot oven. Do not prepare any more tarts than you can bake at one time. If you spread them with the beaten whites and let them stand, the whites will become watery.

Dissolve two cakes of compressed yeast and a teaspoon of sugar in eight tablespoons of tepid cream, then add four tablespoons of flour to make a thin batter and let it rise. Cream together a cup of butter, two tablespoons of sugar, the grated rind of half a lemon, and a dash of mace. Then add four eggs, one at the time, beating them in thoroughly, then add, in the same manner, four yolks. Now add the raised batter and two cups of sifted flour. Beat very thoroughly and let it rise, but not too quickly. When light, roll and cut thin round cakes, place on a buttered pan, brush with beaten yolk, spread with jam, let them rise once more and bake.

Prepare dongh as given in the preceding recipe. Roll about half an inch thick, line a pie plate or small pan with it, cover with quartered apples, halved peaches or plums, whole strawberries, pitted cherries, etc., sprinkle with sugar (you may mix cinnamon with the sugar for apples), let the cake rise once more and bake.

Prepare dough as for Bohemian fruit tarts (recipe 786), line a pie plate or pan with the dough half an inch thick, being careful to have the edge high, prick with a fork, brush the edges with beaten yolks and the rest of the dough with melted butter, spread with jam or cottage cheese. Cottage cheese filling may be ornamented with seedless raisins; jam or poppy seed with blanched and halved almonds. Or you may cover a strip of dough with cherries, strawberries or other small fruit, leave a strip bare and cover another strip, or in any way to make a pretty design.

Cream half a cup of butter with three yolks, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar, vanilla flavoring, a cup of cream or rich milk, a dash of salt and two cups of flour, a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in tepid milk, or dry yeast dissolved in warm water, and beat thoroughly. Butter a baking tin, spread over it half the dough, cover this with a layer of filling (jam, poppy seed or cottage cheese), then spread over this the rest of the dough, press the edges together, and let it rise. Then brush the top with a beaten yolk and bake.

Sift into a deep bowl two quarts of flour, make a well in the middle, pour into it a cup of melted cool butter, a cup of sugar, four yolks or two whole eggs, a dash of mace, a bit of grated lemon rind, a dash of salt, a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in enough tepid cream or milk to make the batter medium stiff. Beat well until the dough does not stick, let it rise in a warm place. When light, take out by the tablespoonful or cut into small pieces, roll each about half an inch thick, spread with cottage cheese, poppy seed or jam filling, or sugar and cinnamon mixed together, or peach or apple butter or marmelade, roll each as for Vienna rolls but do not shape into a crescent, pinch the ends together, arrange on a buttered pan, let them rise once more and then bake.

Cream four tablespoons of butter, add five yolks, one at the time, six tablespoons of sugar, the grated rind of one lemon, a dash of mace and the same of salt, and beat, then add four cups of flour, a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in tepid milk, four whites beaten stiff and enough cream to make the batter quite stiff. ​Beat half an hour. Butter a cake form, sprinkle with bread crumbs, pour the dough into it, brush the top with melted butter and bake slowly forty-five minutes. Turn out on a plate and sprinkle thickly with powdered sugar.

Melt eight tablespoons of butter, then cream it half an hour, add twelve eggs and three cups of flour, that is, add one egg and one tablespoon of flour at the time, then add four tablespoons of sugar, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a dash of salt, a cake of compressed or dry yeast properly dissolved, and beat fifteen minutes. Fold in five whites beaten stiff and pour the dough into a buttered form, so that it is half filled. Place in a warm spot to rise and when the form is nearly full, bake in a slow oven, about forty minutes. When done, turn out on a plate and dust thickly with powdered sugar.

Cream eight tablespoons of butter half an hour, add six tablespoons of fine sugar, the grated rind of one lemon, twelve yolks and twelve tablespoons of flour, that is one yolk and one tablespoon of flour at the time, beating a while before adding the next, then add a dash of salt and a cake of dissolved compressed yeast. Beat the dough very thoroughly, then add three whites beaten stiff. Butter a cake form, sprinkle with bread crumbs, pour the dough into it, let it rise double its bulk and bake about an hour in a slow oven. When done, turn out on a plate and dust thickly with powdered sugar.

Cream eight tablespoons of butter, add eight eggs, one at the time, three tablespoons of sugar, a small cup of cream, a dash of mace and salt, stir thoroughly, then add four cups of sifted flour, one and a half tablespoons of blanched and finely chopped almonds, one and a half ounces of minced citron, a cake of compressed yeast properly dissolved, and beat half an hour, then add five whites beaten stiff. Butter a form, fill half full with the batter, let it rise once its bulk, then bake in a rather slow oven. Turn out on a plate and dust with powdered sugar.

Cream four tablespoons of butter, add seven yolks, one at the time, two tablespoons of sugar, a dash of mace and salt, two cups of tepid cream, beat thoroughly, then add enough sifted flour to make the dough rather stiff. Now add a cake of compressed yeast properly dissolved and beat until the dough does not stick. Butter a form, sprinkle with chopped blanched almonds, dust with flour, pour in over half the dough, cover this with a layer of preserved cherries, pour in the rest of the dough, and let it rise in a warm place, then bake in a slow oven. When done, turn out and dust thickly with powdered sugar.

Cream a cup of butter with eight tablespoons of sugar, four yolks, a bit of grated lemon rind, a dash of mace and of salt and add two pounds of flour, then add a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in milk, and four whites beaten stiff. The dough should be medium stiff. Beat half an hour and then let it rise. Butter a pan, sprinkle with bread crumbs, place the ​dough in it, rolled about half an inch thick, brush the surface with melted butter, let it rise and then bake slowly. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon before baking.

The evening before baking prepare the batter by dissolving a cake of compressed yeast in tepid milk, adding a teaspoon of sugar and two or three tablespoons of flour. In the morning cream together half a pound of butter, half a pound of lard, half a pound of sugar, then add six yolks, one at the time and two whole eggs, a dash of salt, two cups of milk, the yeast batter, beat thoroughly, then add enough flour to make a thick batter. Finally add a fourth of a pound of cleaned and seeded raisins, and let the cake rise. Butter a form, sprinkle with bread crumbs, pour in the dough, let it rise again and bake in a rather slow oven.

Cream a cup of butter with eight yolks. Dissolve two cakes of compressed yeast in two tablespoons of milk and eight tablespoons of cream, add this to the butter and yolks, half a cup of blanched and chopped almonds, the grated rind of one lemon, and stir thoroughly. Then add four whites beaten stiff, three cups of flour, beat until smooth, then add two cups of poppy seed ground to a paste, half a cup of sugar and a dash of salt. Beat thoroughly, then pour into a buttered form which you have sprinkled with halved blanched almonds and bread crumbs. Let the dough rise in this, then bake.

Sift eight cups of flour into a crock or deep bowl, work into the flour half a pound of butter, add two ​whole eggs or four yolks, a cup of sugar dissolved in milk, a bit of grated lemon rind, salt, mace (or powdered anise seed), a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in cream or milk, and beat thoroughly. The dough should be rather stiff. Beat until the dough does not stick, then cover with a warm cloth and place in a warm spot to rise. When it has risen, stir in a cup of seedless raisins and half a cup of chopped blanched almonds, knead the dough on the board a while, then divide into four large portions and five smaller ones. Roll each into a long roll and let each piece rise, then braid the four large pieces together, forming a loaf. Place this on a pan lined with buttered paper, braid the three smaller pieces and place them on top of the loaf, and then the remaining two, putting them on top, shaping all nicely. Let it rise once more, then brush with beaten yolks and bake in a slow oven. If this cake rises very much, it must have a hotter fire. By using whole eggs, the cake will be more moist, but by using yolks only, it will be richer.

Prepare the dough as directed in the preceding recipe, make two or three loaves of it, rub each with beaten egg, cut a cross on the top of each, let them rise and bake in a slow oven.