This section is from the book "The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book", by Fannie Merritt Farmer. Also available from Amazon: Original 1896 Boston Cooking-School Cook Book.
BATTER is a mixture of flour and some liquid (usually combined with other ingredients, as sugar, salt, eggs, etc.), of consistency to pour easily, or to drop from a spoon,. Batters are termed thin or thick, according to their consistency.
Sponge is a batter to which yeast is added. Dough differs from batter inasmuch as it is stiff enough to be handled.
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking power
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup cream
Mix and sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Rub in butter with tips of fingers; add eggs well beaten, (reserving a small amount of unbeaten white) and cream. Toss on a floured board, pat, and roll to three-fourths inch in thickness. Cut in squares, brush with reserved white, sprinkle with sugar, and bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes.
2 cups flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup milk 1/3 cup stoned raisins (finely chopped) 2 tablespoons citron (finely chopped)
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix as Baking Powder Biscuit II. Roll to one-fourth inch thickness, brush oyer with melted butter, and sprinkle with fruit, sugar, and cinnamon. Roll like a jelly roll; cut off pieces three-fourths inch in thickness. Place on buttered tin, and bake in hot oven fifteen minutes. Currants may be used in place of raisins and citron.
2/3 cup entire wheat flour 1/3 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon salt
7/8 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon melted butter
Prepare and bake as Pop-overs.
1 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
Mix milk and water; add gradually to flour, and beat with egg-beater until very light. Bake same as Pop-overs.
1 cup entire wheat flour
1 cup cold water
Add water gradually to flour, and beat with egg-beater until very light. Bake same as Pop-overs.
 
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