Another cookbook from the collection: CAKE SECRETS, from Swan's Down flour

 Here's another booklet I picked up at auction sometime in the past 20 years or so. It's copyrighted 1928, so hasn't quite reached the century mark (so not yet in public domain), but since I always worry about damage from critters, weather, and such like, I'm posting its contents for posterity… and because I like to show off the cool stuff I've managed to get my hot little hands on. 

As usual, feel free to copy, download, and otherwise enjoy these pages, and click on any image to embiggen.

I'd like to add, this fell out of the booklet when I was getting ready to scan. No idea how long it had been in there, between pages 2 & 3… I had to convert it to grayscale for legibility. 

♫ CHEESECAKE♫

There are certain rules in our family, especially around birthdays. One of those is that not all birthday cakes are going to be traditional cakes, but some other favorite dessert instead. For example, Pop gets a lemon meringue pie for his "birthday cake". Usually, I work up a pie for myself, as well. And, extended family member Jackie gets no-bake cheesecake (the preparation of which always, always leaves me singing the above Louis Armstrong song for at least a day or two, as a properly embedded earworm).



The recipe I use is another tradition from Jackie's in-laws – her husband's father managed a Woolworth's or two, in his day, so a couple of their official recipes have fallen into our laps. At Thanksgiving, there's the official pumpkin pie, and in springtime, there's Woolworth's no-bake cheesecake.

Well, I make a variation on it, for those of us on a gluten-free diet, since the original uses graham cracker crust to which I have a bit of an intolerance.

This is low(ish)-fat (LOL not really), light, fluffy, and a bit of a zinger.

Without making you scroll further to find the recipe, here you go:

(Almost) Woolworth's No-Bake Cheesecake 

Ingredients:

(for crust)

3 1/4 cups almond flour (blanched or regular- your preference) (or, for the traditionalist, graham cracker crumbs)

1 cup powdered sugar

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

(for filling)

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed), chilled several hours or overnight

1 3-ounce package of unprepared lemon gelatin 

1 cup water, boiling

8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, brought to room temperature*

1 cup sugar

1-3 Tablespoons fresh, finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 whole medium lemons)

5 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, well strained

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, completely combine all ingredients for crust, using fork or hands (or, if you're lazy, toss 'em in a food processor, & deal with washing up later). Reserve out 1/3 cup of mixture for later. Gently press the rest of the mixture into the bottom of a 9"x13" rectangular cake pan, allowing for a slight lip around the edges. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or freeze 15+ minutes).

 2. In a medium-small mixing bowl, combine gelatin and boiling water, stir until all particles are dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.

3. When gelatin is cooled, add in cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat with mixer until creamy and sugar is completely dissolved.

4. Using whisk attachment (preferably in stand mixer), quickly beat chilled evaporated milk until at least doubled and forming soft peaks (I like to go a little beyond that point, for a lighter texture).†

5. Using a rubber spatula or whisk, fold cream cheese/gelatin mixture into whipped milk, gently stirring up from the bottom until it's completely mixed – but no more. You don't want to over-beat at this stage.

6. Pour this mixture onto the crust in the cake pan. Refrigerate several hours to overnight. Before serving, sprinkle the reserved crust crumbs all across the top of the cheesecake.

Can be served with fresh fruit, but we like it plain and simple.

*the fastest way to bring cream cheese up to room temp is to slice it into sections about 1/4 inch thick, & lay them out with a plastic sheet to cover them, & wait a half hour or so. I do not recommend trying to speed the process by adding microwave or stovetop heat.

†FTR, the first time I tried to make this recipe, I hadn't understood how hugely fluffy the whipped canned milk could make it. Not only did the filling overflow the 10-inch springform I had set aside for its use, but it meant I had a full 3 pints of leftover lemony cheesecake filling to polish off, all on my lonesome, the next week. I was willing to throw myself on that grenade, though, for the ones I love.

See the fluffiness! Experience the creamy, lemony tang!

Preparing your kitchen for Lent? Molly Gavin has some help (it's a cookbook!)

 As part of the "let's scan every darned book we have in the house" project, I've got another aged, battered cookbook up and available via my Flickr files: Molly Gavin's Own Cook Book, published 1928 in Aurora, IL.  I'll be posting it elsewhere, too. I want to make sure it survives…

Gone a Little Nutty: Honey-Sesame-Covered Cashews

 This past Christmas, The Bat received a 1-lb bag of delightful Trader Joe's cashew treats as a gift, from one of our extended family members. Within 48 hours of her having opened them, they had vanished. I got none of them. The Bat got some of them. Pop liked them. A. Lot.

Knowing how difficult it is to purchase said items locally (the nearest Trader Joe's is, IIRC, roughly 190 miles from our front door), I did a little research, and found a couple of recipes I could combine to make my own version. They're fairly simple, and not too sweet.

You'll need a 2-quart saucepan, a 1-gallon zipper bag, non-stick parchment or foil, and a jelly roll pan (sided sheet pan) at least 9x14 inches. You'll also need both the stovetop and the oven, plus a cooling rack.

The ingredients list is also simple.

Honey-Sesame-Covered Cashews

ingredients:

3/4 cup sesame seeds without hulls

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

pinch salt

2 cups unsalted cashews

1 Tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

directions:

Preheat oven to 250º F

Combine sesame seeds, sugar, and salt in zipper bag, shake well. Fold opening down to make a wide, stable opening. Set aside.

Line your jelly roll pan with non-stick parchment or nonstick foil. Spread your cashews out on it, and place on center rack of warm oven.

On medium-high heat, melt butter and honey together, and bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Moving quickly, remove cashews from oven, add to honey/butter mix in pan, stir until completely covered. Pour hot-ish mixture into bag of sesame seeds. Seal bag and shake gently but well, aiming for maximum coverage.

Pour contents back onto lined jelly roll pan, spreading it out so very few – if any – pieces are touching. Return to oven, bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Allow to cool completely, in pan on rack, before handling them. 

Store in an airtight container.* 

*I'm led to believe these will last for several weeks in a decent container, but my evidence indicates they evaporate into thin air fairly swiftly.

Good Salmon Chowder makes you hear the ocean's roar

In my earliest days, my parents read to me from – among other sources – the poetic works of John Ciardi. This particular rhyme was one of my favorites, and, to this day, gets recited each time we serve chowder for supper.

Not long ago, I learned it had been put to music, so, this week, when I made my chowder, this was on my playlist. But we still had to chant the poem, sans melody, at the table.

Different moments, different rituals.

Over the years, I'd come to the conclusion that different fish flavors deserve different treatments in the stew pot, as well. A straight, sweet chowder is fine for white fish like cod, flounder, etc, but…well… I often have a surplus of salmon in my freezer, and salmon likes a little extra bite. Hence, a little smokiness and some cream cheese. If I thought capers and toasted bagels would fit into the bowl, I'd probably throw those in, as well, but a girl has to show some restraint, I guess. Sigh.

Enjoy.

Salmon Chowder

Ingredients:

3/4 lb skinless salmon fillets
3 oz pouch smoked salmon

1/4 lb bacon

1 small onion, minced

4-6 cups water, to cover potatoes

1 cup sweet corn (fresh from the cob or frozen is best) 

2-3 ribs celery (leaves included), diced

2 medium potatoes, cut into 2 cm cubes

3-4 medium carrots, cut into 1 cm cubes
1 small red bell pepper, minced and divided

8 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel

3 cups milk 

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut bacon into 1/2 cm-wide bits, cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Set aside, reserving fat.

Clear bacon solids from pan & strain them from liquid fat. Return 1 tablespoon fat to pan, and, over low heat, cook minced onion until clear and beginning to turn golden. Remove from heat.

In a 1-gallon (or larger) stock pot, place water, 3 oz smoked salmon, corn, celery, potatoes, carrots, 1/2 of the bell pepper, and the cooked onions. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender if poked with a fork (about 15-20 minutes, usually).

Add in remaining salmon, return to simmer and allow the fish to cook thoroughly (about 5 minutes, if using fresh fish, 10 minutes if frozen). Break up fillets into bite-sized chunks.

While fish is simmering in the pot, cut cream cheese into 1-inch chunks, place a microwave-safe bowl, and, in 30-second bursts, cook until softened. Add in milk, cook in microwave another minute, whisk briskly until smooth. Stir into the stock.

Add seasoning. Allow to simmer about 5 minutes.

Garnish with crumbled bacon and remaining bell pepper.

Serve with muffins or cornbread.

Serves 6-8.

 

 

 

Buttery yeast cake: Translation from German

This just looked good, even after the bad translation. I hope to try it, soon, & find out.

Schuedi nach Grossmutters Rezept
für eine ∅ 28-30 cm Backform

Zubereitung:

Hefe in 3 Esslöffel Milch auflösen und beiseite stellen.

Restliche Milch, Butter und Zucker erhitzen, bis die Butter geschmolzen ist. Auf mindestens 38°C abkühlen lassen, sonst sterben die Hefekulturen ab.

Mehl in die Rührschüssel der Küchenmaschine geben. Milchmischung hinzugeben, sowie Ei und aufgelöste Hefe. Alles 4 Minuten auf Stufe 1 (von 4) kneten. Salz hinzugeben und auf Stufe 2 weitere 8 Minuten kneten. Zugedeckt 40 Minuten ruhen lassen.

Eine passende Tarte- oder Backform buttern und mehlieren.

Den Teig kurz entgasen, rund formen und mit den Händen in die Form drücken. Zugedeckt ca. 30-40 Minuten gehen lassen.

Backofen rechtzeitig auf 180°C Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen.

Mit dem Daumen mehrere Vertiefungen in den Kuchen drücken und Stückchen von der weichen Butter hineinstopfen. Dabei auch etwas Butter über die gesamte Oberfläche streichen. Dick mit Zucker bestreuen.

Ca. 20 Minuten backen bis er die gewünschte Bräune hat.

Schmeckt frisch am besten, ist aber auch noch 2 Tage später geniessbar.

Zutaten für den Teig (wenn möglich zimmertemperiert):

    350 g Mehl Type 550
    160 g Milch
    20 g Frischhefe
    50 g Butter
    30 g Rohrohrzucker
    1 Ei
    1 Teelöffel Salz

für den Belag:

    +/- 80 g weiche Butter
    4-5 Esslöffel Rohrohrzucker
..........................

Schuedi according to's recipe
For an ∅ 28-30 cm baking form

Preparation:

Dissolve yeast in 3 tablespoons of milk and set aside.

Heat the remaining milk, butter and sugar until the butter has melted. Allow to cool at least 38 °c, otherwise the yeast crops will die.

Put flour in the mixing bowl of the food processor. Add milk mixture, as well as egg and dissolved yeast. Knead all 4 minutes to Level 1 (of 4). Add salt and knead at level 2 for another 8 minutes. Leave to rest for 40 minutes.

Butter and flour a suitable tart or baking form.

Briefly degas the dough, round shapes and press the hands into the mould. Covered about 30-40 minutes.

Preheat the oven in time to 180 °c upper heat.

Use your thumb to push several recesses into the cake and cram pieces of the soft butter into it. Also paint some butter over the entire surface. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for about 20 minutes until it has the desired tan.

Tastes fresh at its best, but can also be enjoyed 2 days later.

Ingredients for the dough (if possible room tempered):

350 g flour Type 550
160 g milk
20 g fresh yeast
50 g butter
30 g Cane
1 egg
1 teaspoon of salt

For the topping:

+/-80 g soft butter
4-5 tablespoons cane

More cookbook adventure

I've posted the note pages for this cookbook already, but wanted to point out there are other pleasures to be found, when one looks for the most-often consulted pages… some of these look criminally delicious, if you can figure out things like oven temperature, cooking time, and the difference between a glassful and a coffee cupful…

 

 

 

 

 

"Indian meal" = corn meal. Who knew?

 

 

 

 

I suspect the English Currant Pie could use any dried fruit, though

 

 

Squash and sweet potato pies… because the holidays are approaching

 

 

 

Orange pie, for me...

 

 

Monmouth, Ill. I wonder if I know any relatives of this cook?