May 16, 1955 Salt Rising Bread, Strawberry Cheese Cake

Salt Rising Bread

2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. white corn meal
2 c. lukewarm water
1/4 t. baking soda
11-12 c. flour
2 c. boiling water
1/4 c. shortening
1 T. salt
3 T. sugar

Scald milk; add cornmeal; beat thoroughly. Cover and let stand in a warm place overnight. In the morning mixture should be light, spongy and bubbly. If the mixture has not been kept sufficiently warm and therefore has not fermented enough, place bowl in container of hot water, let stand until mixture is full of bubbles, usually about 1 hour. To the 2 c. of lukewarm water add soda and about 3 c. of flour or enough to make a thick batter; add cornmeal sponge and beat well. Place in a pan of warm (almost hot) water and keep in a warm place about 1 hour, or until very light and full of bubbles; stir down. To the boiling water add the shortening, salt and sugar; let stand until lukewarm, add to sponge and mix well. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out on lightly floured board and knead about 10 minutes, or until smooth and satiny. Divide dough into 3 equal portions, form into balls and let stand covered 10 minutes. Shape into loaves and place in well-greased loaf pans (about 9 1/2 x 5 1/2); brush with melted shortening; let stand in warm place about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Bake in hot oven 400 degrees about 40 to 50 minutes. Brush tops of baked loaves with melted butter. Makes 3 1 1/2 pound loaves.

Strawberry Cheese Cake

(You'll just love this wonderful desert! It's worth the effort -- try it and see.)

1 c. fine zweiback crumbs
1 T. sugar
1 T. butter
1 pound cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. flour
1/4 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
4 egg yolks
1 c. light cream
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 recipe strawberry glaze

Blend zwiback crumbs with 1 T. sugar, then the butter; press on bottom of 9" spring form pan. Soften cream cheese; blend in 1/2 c. sugar, the flour, salt and vanilla. Stir in egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add cream and blend thoroughly. Fold in egg whites; pour into crumb-lined pan. Bake at 325 degrees about 1 1/2 hours, or until center is set. Cool then top with Strawberry Glaze. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Strawberry Glaze

2 to 3 c. fresh strawberries
1 c. water
1 1/2 T. Clear-Jel
2/3 c. sugar

Crush 1 c. of the strawberries, add water and cook 2 minutes. Sieve. Mix juice with Clear-Jel, bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thick and clear, add sugar and cook for an additional minute. Add a little red food coloring if necessary. Place remaining strawberries on top of cheese cake, pour COOLED glaze over berries.

Note: You may use 1 1/2 T. cornstarch instead of Clear-Jel. Mix cornstarch with sugar; stir into hot berry liquid and cook, constantly until thick and clear.

Note: This cheese cake is softer in the center than at edges.

Note: If you do not have a spring form pan, make your own. Follow these simple directions:

Materials Needed

• Heavy duty aluminum foil
• 9 x 1 1/2 round cake pan
• Heavy cardboard, ruler, pencil, scissors

How To Make Cheese Cake Pan

1. Cut two strips of foil 2 x 16 inches and crisscross them in the pan.
2. Cut a strip of cardboard 3 x 30 inches, and a cardboard circle that will fit inside the pan.
3. Cover cardboard circle with foil, cover the long cardboard strip with foil.
4. Drop circle into pan, curve foil-covered strip to fit inside pan, overlap the ends and fasten strip at top and bottom with paperclips. Now pan is ready to use. When ready to serve cake, pick up the foil strips and lift cheese cake from pan to platter or plate, pull off the paperclips and remove foil covered cardboard strip.