Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 11, Number 3, DeMotte, Jasper County, 5 December 1940 — Household News [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Household News

by Eleanor Howe

One of the most important occasions in the year’s schedule of holidays is the Christmas dinner. As homemakers, it .behooves us to crown it with a superlative dessert. Cakes, fragrant with spices, and rich with fruits and nuts, are traditional Christmas fare, and are more than satisfying as a finale to the feast.

Fruit cakes improve with age. They become mellow and more flavorsome as the days go by. So, make them early and let them ripen until the holiday season arrives. Proper storage prevents fruit cakes from molding and drying out. Wrap the cooled cakes in wax paper, and store in tightly covered tins. Pour a little wine or fruit juice over the cakes, every week or so, and when ready to be served they will, be mellowed to the proper degree. Make out your Christmas list now. I’m sure you will find a few friends

and relatives to whom you may send fruit cakes. They will make charming gifts, especially for those away from home, and who have neither time nor the facilities

to bake their own. Wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bow, or fastened with colorful Christmas seals, the packaged fruit cake is indeed “lovely to look at, and delightful to eat.” A box of Christmas cookies of various shapes, sizes and kinds will be an appreciated present for someone on your list. Perhaps it is the kindly little old lady next door, or the lonely old man down on the corner, both of whom will thank you for your thoughtfulness. Christmas Fruit Cake. (Makes 10 pounds) - 14 pounds currants 3 pounds seedless raisins 1 pound citron 1 pound mixed candied fruit 1 pound candied pineapple 1 pound candied cherries 1 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 6 eggs 4 cups pastry dour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon nutmeg 4 teaspoon cloves 4 teaspoon salt 1 cup fruit juice or wine Cut fruits. Cream butter and add sugar. Add well-beaten egg yolks. Mix and sift dry ingredients and add alternately with fruit juice or wine to the„ butter mixture. Add fruit. Fold in'beaten egg whites. .Place in baking*, pans lined with wax paper Cover pans with wax paper and steam 5 hours. Then bake 1 hour in a slow oven (275 degrees). Gum Drop Cookies. 4 eggs 24 cups light brown sugar ' 0

2 cups flour 1 cup nutmeats (chopped) 18 large gum drops (cut in small pieces) Beat eggs thoroughly. Add sug-

ar and continue beating. Add flour and beat until smooth. Fold in nut meats and gum drops. Spread evenly in 1 large or 2 medium-sized greased baiting pans. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 20 minutes, or until firm. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into bars. Glace Finish for Fruit Cakes. 1% cups water % cup granulated sugar % ounce Gum Arabic (44 teaspoons) Place sugar and water in a saucepan and boil to the thread stage (230 degrees). Add Gum Arabic and heat again just to the boiling point. After fruit, cake has been baked, remove from the oven and garnish with nuts and fruits as desired. Then pour the Gum Arabic mixture over the fruit cake in a thin stream, and manipulate as lit-

tie as possible in order to avoid crystallization of the glace. White Fruit Cake. (Makes 5 a 4 pound fruit cake) 3 4 cup butter 2 cups sugar 7 eggs (separated) 24 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 4 teaspoon salt 1 cup sweet milk 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1 pound white raisins 4 pound figs 4 pound blanched a'lmonds 4 pound citron 4 pound candied cherries 4 pound candied pineapple Cream butter and add sugar. Sep arate eggs, beat egg yolks and add Mix and sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk. Add lemon extract. Cut fruits and add. Blend well and fold in well-beaten egg whites. Place in pans lined with wax paper and bake 1 hour in a very slow oven (275 degrees); then increase heat slightly (300 degrees) and bake 2 hours more. Yuletide Cookies. « (Makes 60 cookies) 4 cup butter 1 cup light brown sugar 2 eggs (well beaten) 2 cups flour

4 teaspoon soda 4 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoon nutmeg 4 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons of sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cup seedless raisins

4 cup candied cherries (cut) 4 cup citron (cut fine) 4 cup dates (cut fine) 4 cup pecan nut meats (cut) Cream butter, add sugar slowly and 1 roughly*. Add eggs. Mix and sift all dry ingredients and add alternately with cream and vanilla extract. Fold in fruit and nut meats. Chill thoroughly; then break off in small pieces, form into balls, flatten, and place on. greased cookie sheet. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for approximately 12 minutes. Orange and Lemon Christmas Cookies. (Makes about 5 dozen cookies) 1 cup sugar 4 cup orange juice 4 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon peel (graiea) 1 teaspoon orange peel (grated) 34 cups flour (sifted) 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 •_* teaspoon salt 4 cup butter (melted) Mix sugar and fruit juices well. Add grated peel, dry ingredients and melted butter. Stir well. Dough should be firm enough to roll. Roll very thin and cut with fancy cutter in Christmas shapes. Bake on a greased sheet in a moderately hot oven (375 degrees) for about 10 minutes. or until lightly browned on the edges. (The dough may be chilled in the refr’gerator f or about a half hour to make the rolling simpler).

THE HOLIDAY SEASON APPROACHES! (See Recipes Below)