Here’s a full page from a 1958 magazine that was pulled and saved in a recipe box, came in a large collection of vintage recipes. The hints are quick and varied and are typed below as-is. Click the picture at the very bottom to view a larger size of the full page article if you like.
BREADS
Muffins, biscuits, hot cakes belong to the quick-bread clan–these are made with baking powder. Hint: Go lightly with the spoon and stir as recipe directs–no more!
Hot cakes will be the same size, if you pour batter from a 1/4-cup measure. Don’t worry about lumps–they’ll bake out. Flip cakes when bubbles have burst and underside is golden brown. For light cakes, just one flip, please!
Kneading biscuits–important if you like the tall, flaky kind. Turn the soft dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently with heel of hand 10 or 12 strokes (about 1/2 minute). Then roll or pat dough to 1/2 inch.
Baking biscuits. Like biscuits soft or crusty on edges? For soft ones, bake them close together–see top two rows in picture. For crusty sides, place biscuits about an inch apart. There’s no need to grease baking sheet.
Muffin know-how. The way you combine ingredients can mean the difference! Make a well in center of sifted dry ingredients. Mix the liquids–milk, beaten egg, and salad oil or melted shortening–and add all at once.
Mixing for perfect muffins–no peaks, no tunnels. Stir batter quickly and only enough to dampen flour. Batter should look rough and lumpy–never smooth. Drop from a spoon into greased muffin pans, filling 2/3 full.
