Beaten Biscuits

1 quart pastry flour 1/2 cup butter (scant)

A little more than 1/2 cup water or milk.

1 teaspoon salt.

Sift the flour and salt together and work in the butter. Moisten with sufficient cold water (preferably ice water) to form a stiff dough. Toss on a floured board and beat with the rolling pin 30 minutes, taking care to fold the dough over every few seconds, or pass the dough through a beaten biscuit machine for 20 minutes, folding each time the dough is passed through. Roll to one-third inch in thickness, cut into little round cakes with a biscuit cutter, and prick with a fork. Place in pie tins or on baking sheets and bake in a moderate oven 20 to 30 minutes.

Cream Biscuit

2 cups flour.

2 tablespoons butter.

1/2 teaspoon salt.

3/4 to 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon soda 80 minims hydrochloric acid (CP).

(This amount of soda and hydrochloric acid is equivalent to 4 teaspoons baking powder).

Mix the flour and salt and work in the butter. Make a depression in the center of the dry ingredients, dissolve the soda in the milk, add the hydrochloric acid and quickly turn the foaming milk into the dry ingredients. Toss upon a floured board and pat or roll out to % inch in thickness. Shape with a biscuit cutter, place on a buttered or floured pan and bake in a hot oven 12 to 15 minutes.

If baking powder is used, omit both the soda and the hydrochloric acid and proceed as follows:

Mix the dry ingredients and sift. Work in the butter, add the liquids gradually, mixing with a knife to a soft dough. Toss on a floured board, shape with a biscuit cutter and bake as above directed.

Fruit Rolls Or Pinwheel Biscuits

2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons butter 2/3 cup milk.

1/3 cup seeded raisins finely chopped.

2 teaspoons citron finely chopped 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon soda 80 minims hydrochloric acid (CP).

(This amount of soda and hydrochloric acid is equivalent to 4 teaspoons baking powder).

Mix the flour, butter, salt, milk and hydrochloric acid and soda the same as for cream biscuit.

If baking powder is used, omit the soda and hydrochloric acid and follow the second method given for mixing cream biscuit. Roll to 1/4 inch in thickness and spread with soft butter not included in the recipe. Sprinkle with the sugar, cinnamon, fruit, and roll like a jelly roll. Cut in 3/4 inch slices, place in a buttered tin, bake in a hot oven 15 to 20 minutes. Chopped raisins may be used in place of the currants, but they have a tendency to soften.

Bran And Graham Biscuit

1 cup sterilized bran.

2 cups graham flour 1 cup milk.

1 egg.

2 teaspoons sugar.

1 teaspoon salt.

2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon soda.

80 minims hydrochloric acid (C. P).

(This amount of soda and hydrochloric acid is equivalent to 4 teaspoons baking powder).

Mix the flour, bran, sugar and salt together. Beat the egg slightly and add to the milk. Dissolve the soda in the milk and add the melted butter. Lastly add the hydrochloric acid. Turn very quickly into the dry ingredients. Mix lightly but quickly. Turn upon a molding board and shape with a biscuit cutter and bake fifteen to twenty minutes in a hot oven.

If baking powder is used, omit the hydrochloric acid and the soda and proceed as follows: Mix the dry ingredients together, beat the egg slightly and add to the milk. Stir the liquids into the dry ingredients the same as for cream biscuits. Turn out upon a slightly floured molding board and roll to one-half inch in thickness. Cut into shape with the biscuit cutter and bake in a hot oven.