Baking powders are used for two reasons.  First.  To supply a gas to take the place of ingredients, as when used in making bread, buns, etc.  If flour, salt and water were mixed and baked in a large loaf, it would be a hard, indigestible mass.  If baking powder be mixed in with similar ingredients and baked, the result would be a light loaf, easy to masticate and digest.

Second.  It is used to save labor.  When a richer mixture be made it requires to be well beaten to mix in air.  Baking powder often is added to save some of the otherwise necessary beating.

Baking Powder Biscuits

2 cupfuls flour 2 tablespoonfuls Crisco 2 teaspoonfuls baking powder[A] 1 teaspoonful salt Milk

Mix and sift twice dry ingredients.  Work in Crisco with finger tips, add gradually milk, mixing with knife to soft dough.  Toss on floured board; pat and roll to one-half inch thickness.  Shape with biscuit cutter.  Place on Criscoed tin and bake in hot oven twelve minutes.  To have good biscuits dough should be handled as little as possible, just enough to get in shape to cut.  Milk or water used for mixing should be very cold, and biscuits should be gotten into oven at once after adding liquid to flour.  If top of each biscuit is lightly brushed over with melted Crisco before baking, crust will be much nicer.  Sufficient for fifteen biscuits.

[Footnote A:  Amount of baking powder may be increased if especially raised biscuits are desired. 2 teaspoonfuls, however, is most healthful amount.]

Best Jumbles

2 cupfuls sugar 1 cupful Crisco 4 eggs 4 cupfuls flour 3 tablespoonfuls milk 1 teaspoonful salt 3 teaspoonfuls baking powder 1 teaspoonful almond extract 1 teaspoonful rose extract

Cream Crisco and sugar thoroughly together, then gradually add eggs well beaten, now add milk, extracts, flour, salt and baking powder.  Mix and roll out lightly on floured baking board; cut into circles with doughnut cutter, lay on Criscoed tins and bake in moderate oven from seven to ten minutes or till light brown.  These cookies will keep fresh two weeks, and if milk is left out, a month.

Sufficient for seventy jumbles.

Boston Brown Bread

1 cupful ryemeal 2 tablespoonfuls Crisco 1 cupful sugar 1 cupful cornmeal 1 cupful graham flour 3/4 tablespoonful baking soda 1/3 teaspoonful salt 3/4 cupful molasses 1-3/4 cupfuls sweet milk

Mix and sift ingredients.  Dissolve soda with one tablespoonful hot water, add to molasses, then add milk and mix with dry ingredients.  Turn into greased mold two-thirds full, grease cover, and steam steadily three and a half hours.  A 6-pound Crisco pail can be used for a mold.

Sufficient for one loaf.

Bran Gems