| Sift through the sieve 4 lbs. of good Hungarian flour; | | | | proficient in muffin making. There has recently been |
| take as much water and milk as will make the above | | | | introduced to the trade a hot plate heated with gas, |
| into a nice-sized batter, having previously dissolved 2 | | | | which will go a long way in helping the muffin-maker. It |
| ozs. of yeast, 1 oz. of sugar, and 3/4 oz. of salt in the | | | | is both cleaner, handier, and you can bake with it to a |
| liquid; then beat this well with your hand for at least ten | | | | more certain degree of heat. |
| minutes; after it has half risen in your pan beat again | | | | Crumpets |
| for other ten minutes; then let it stand till ready, which | | | | Crumpets are generally made by muffin-makers, the |
| you will know by the batter starting to drop. Have one | | | | most modern formula being the following: -- Take 4 lbs. |
| of your roll-boards well dusted with sifted flour, and | | | | of good English flour, 2. ozs. of good yeast, and 2 ozs. |
| with your hand lay out the muffins in rows. The above | | | | of salt. The flour and salt may be sifted together. Take |
| mixture should produce 24 muffins. Then, with another | | | | 1 quart of milk, and 1 1/2 quarts of water, at about |
| roll-board slightly dusted with rice flour, take the muffins | | | | 100° Fahr.; dissolve your yeast in the water, then mix |
| and with your fingers draw the outsides into the | | | | in your flour and salt; make all into a thin liquid paste, |
| centre, forming a round cake; draw them into your | | | | giving it a thoroughly good mixing; let it stand for one |
| hand and brush off any flour that may be adhering to | | | | hour, when you may again give it a thoroughly good |
| them; place them on the board dusted with rice, and so | | | | beat; let it stand for another hour, when it will be ready |
| on till all are finished; then put them in the prover to | | | | to bake off. In the meantime thoroughly clean your |
| prove, which does not take long. The heat of the liquid | | | | stove or hot plate before it gets hot, and give it a rub |
| for muffins (or crumpets) should range from 90° to | | | | over with a greasy cloth; then have your rings of the |
| 100° Fahr., according to the temperature of the bake | | | | size required (they should be half an inch in depth); |
| house. | | | | slightly grease them, and see that they are greased |
| One great point to guard against in fermenting cakes | | | | for each round of the hot plate; have a cup in one |
| or bread, is to see that your sponge or dough does | | | | hand and a saucer in the other to prevent the batter |
| not get chilled. By the time your muffins are ready, | | | | dropping; pour half a cup of the batter into the rings |
| have the stove or hot plate properly heated, then row | | | | and spread them with a palette knife to a level |
| them gently on to the hot plate so as not to knock the | | | | surface, putting what comes off (if any) back into your |
| proof out of them; when they are a nice brown turn | | | | pan. Then, when the bottom part is of a nice golden |
| them gently on the other side and bake a nice delicate | | | | color, turn them over with your palette knife, turning the |
| brown. | | | | ring at the same time, and bake off a nice color. |
| Another Way | | | | Remove them from the stove or hot plate, and lay |
| Some persons now make muffins after the same | | | | them on clean boards for a couple of minutes, when |
| formula as for teacakes, namely, moulding one in each | | | | with a gentle tap your rings will come clear; and so on |
| hand and pinning out the size required, then proving and | | | | till finished. Nothing but careful practice, and particular |
| baking. I have tried that way more than once, but I | | | | attention to the whys and wherefores of both hot |
| cannot get the muffins to appear anything like what | | | | plates and batter," will make a good muffin or |
| my experience teaches me a muffin should be. | | | | crumpet-maker. |
| Practice and judgment are required to make one | | | | |