Pour into a basin one breakfast cupful of milk that has been boiled, and mix in two tablespoonfuls of sugar, the yolk and white of an egg, one teaspoonful of salt, and one half teacupful of yeast, adding sufficient flour to make a light batter. Place the basin in front of the fire in order that the batter may rise, leave it there for about six hours, then put in one and one-half teaspoonfuls of warmed butter, and thoroughly mix together. Have in readiness some muffin-rings, fill them two-thirds full of the batter, let them rise again for a quarter of an hour, then bake them in a hot oven until done. They may also be baked in muffin rings on a griddle, in which case the melted butter must be added at the beginning, and the rings and griddle well greased. Take up a spoonful of the batter without allowing any of the air bubbles to escape, fill up the rings, and when the muffins are cooked, browned, and have well risen, turn the muffin with the ring and brown on the opposite side. They should be pulled apart, and not cut when required for use.

Muffins, French Style

Dissolve a medium-sized cake of yeast in warm water, put one ounce of butter into a saucepan with one-half pint of milk, and warm; beat four eggs until they are frothy, then stir them in with the milk. Mix the yeast with the eggs and milk, and stir in gradually one quart of flour. Butter or lard some muffin rings, and set them on a greased baking-dish, pour some of the batter into each, and set them in a warm place to rise. When well risen, bake the muffins lightly in a moderate oven. If they are to be served hot with butter inside them, they should be pulled asunder, as cutting them with a knife will make them heavy.

Rice Muffins

Put one quart of flour into a basin, mix in one teaspoonful each of salt and bicarbonate of soda, and two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar; then add two tablespoonfuls of sifted crushed loaf-sugar, and pass the whole through a fine wire sieve into a basin. Stir in by degrees two eggs beaten up in one breakfast cupful of milk, and work well until the paste is light and smooth. Then add two breakfast cupfuls of cold boiled rice. Turn the preparation into well-buttered tins, place them in the oven and bake. When done, take them out, and serve them either hot or cold.

Rye Muffins

Put three breakfast cupfuls of sifted rye-meal into a large bowl, and add an equal quantity of flour, one teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one-half teaspoonful of salt, and two tablespoonfuls of sugar, all rubbed together through a sieve. Beat thoroughly two eggs, mix in one breakfast cupful of milk, stir this into the dry mixture, and work it to a rather stiff paste. Dip a tablespoon in cold milk, fill it with the batter, drop it into boiling fat in a fryingpan, and fry for about ten minutes. Take out the muffins as they are done, drain them, place them on a napkin spread over a dish, and serve. They may also be made with one and one-half breakfast cupfuls of rye-meal and flour in equal quantities.

Toasted Muffins

Take a quantity of muffins, pull open the side (never cut them), and toast them before a clear fire. When done, pull them apart, when both halves should be of an equal thickness. Put a little butter on each piece, close them together again, place them on a hot plate with a cover, cut them into quarters, and serve very hot.