Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1632

1458 Method.—Mix all these ingredients well together, and work into a stiff dough with a little milk. Roll it out of ¾ an inch thick, and cut into rolls, throw them into a pan of boiling water on the fire, and directly they rise to the top, which will be in a minute or so, if the water is really boiling, take them out and put them into a pan of cold water for 1 or 2 hours, if not quite ready to bake them. Then bake the rolls for 20 minutes in a quick oven, a light brown.

Time.—20 minutes. Average Cost, 7d. Sufficient for 20 rolls.

Method.—To make dry toast properly, a great deal of attention is required; much more, indeed, than people generally suppose. Never use new bread for making any kind of toast, as it is moist and tough, and, in addition, is very extravagant. Procure a loaf of household bread about 2 days old; cut off as many slices as may be required, not quite a ¼ of an inch in thickness; trim off the crusts and ragged edges, put the bread on a toasting fork, and hold it before a very clear fire. Toast it carefully until the bread is nicely coloured; then turn it and toast the other side, but do not hold it so close to the fire that it blackens. Dry toast should be made more gradually than buttered toast, as its best feature is its crispness, and this cannot be attained unless the process is slow, and the bread is allowed gradually to colour. Toast should never be made long before it is wanted, as it soon becomes tough unless placed on the fender in front of the fire. Directly each piece is ready, it should be put into a rack or stood upon its edges and sent quickly to table.

Method.—A loaf of household bread about 2 days old answers for making toast better than cottage bread, the latter not being a good shape and too crusty for the purpose. Cut as many nice even slices as may be required, rather more than a ¼ of an inch in thickness, and toast them before a very bright fire, without allowing the bread to blacken, which spoils both the appearance and flavour of toast. When both sides are nicely coloured, put the toast on a hot plate; divide some good butter into small pieces, place these on the toast, set this before the fire, and when the butter is just beginning to melt, spread it lightly over the toast. Trim off the crust and ragged edges, divide each round into 4 pieces, and send the toast quickly to table. Some persons cut the pieces of toast across from corner to corner, thus making the pieces of a three-cornered shape. Soyer recommends that each slice should be cut into pieces as soon as it is buttered, and when all are ready, that they should be piled lightly on the dish they are intended to be served