Batters

Appears in
top 1000Mrs Beeton's All About Cookery
Mrs Beeton's All About Cookery

By Isabella Beeton

Published 1871

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Batters are made from a basic mixture of flour, milk and egg. The flour (with salt added for flavouring) is worked to a slack consistency with the eggs and some of the liquid, so that it can be beaten more easily until smooth and viscous. The rest of the liquid is then stirred in. The mixture is left to stand for ½ hr. before use.

The lightness of a batter depends on the quick formation of steam within the mixture and the quick cooking of the flour. A baked batter therefore requires a hot oven (425° F., Gas 7); the temperature can be reduced when the flour is almost cooked. It is best to put the batter at the top of the oven to begin with; then to move it to a lower shelf at reduced heat (375° F., Gas 5) to finish cooking.