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Master Mix

Let me tell you first this is not my recipe it came from a booklet I got from the St. Joseph cooperative extension in Indiana.  It was published by Purdue University Indiana and most of it just being typed straight from their work.

The master mix recipes are time savers and a reputation builders.   The siftings and measurings of the dry ingredients and the blending of the fat can be done at one time for a dozen bakings.  The recipes are planned for "family size" and for two. The mix will keep at least 6 weeks without refrigeration.
The mix and recipes were developed and tested in the experimental cookery laboratory in the School of Home Economics at Purdue University.  The experimental work was done by Lucy Goetz, Margaret Billings, Carlotta Hoadley and many other students.   Recipe suggestions were given by Alice Redfield, Flossie Sunderlin and other home makers.  Rosemary Hostetler assisted in editing.  Written by Gertrude Sunderlin, former professor of foods and nutrition.

Making the Master Mix

For 13 cups

9 cups sifted all purpose flour or 10 cups sifted soft wheat or cake flour
1/3 cup double acting baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups of shortening that does not need refrigeration

For 29 cups

5 lbs sifted flour
3/4 cups double acting baking powder
3 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
2 lbs. shortening that needs no refrigeration

Stir baking powder, salt , cream of tartar and sugar into flour.   Sift together the three items in a large mixing bowl or onto a large square of plain paper.  Cut in shortening until mix is consistency of cornmeal.  store in covered containers at room temperature.  To measure the master mix, pile it lightly into a cup and level off with a spatula.

If the master mix is to be used largely for cakes and cookies starting with a box of cake flour will save measuring the flour and will give better textured products.  For about 12 cups of mix use a box of cake flour(2 pounds), 1/3 cup baking powder, 1 tablespoon salt,and 3/4 lb. (1 3/4 cups) shortening.

Containers which are convenient to store the master mix are 2 quart fruit jars, cottage cheese cartons, lard or potato chip cans and canisters.  One user wrote that when making the mix she stored it in measured portions, 2 cups in pint jars and three cups in quart jars to save herself several measurings later.

Using lard or oil in the Master Mix

If lard or oil is used as the shortening in the Master Mix recipe a smaller amount of shortening should be used.  This may be 1 2/3 cup of lard instead of oil or 1 5/6 lb. instead of 2 pounds. (1/6 pound of lard equals 1/3 cup.)

If lard which should be refrigerated is used then the Master Mix should be refrigerated.

A change in the method of mixing cakes is suggested if lard or oil is used in the Master mix.  Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs.  Reserve about 1/4 of the sugar and beat it into the beaten egg whites to form a stiff meringue.   follow the other directions for cake mixing.  Stir in the meringue until well blended as the last step of the mixing process.

Adopting  recipes for use with the Master Mix

The Master Mix can be used in many products which have similar basic proportions.  Use the Master Mix instead of the flour salt and baking powder and shortening.  Two cups of mix contain a little less than 1 1/2 cups flour, about 2 teaspoons of baking power, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a little more than 1/4 cup of shortening.  Three cups of mix contains about 2 cups flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a little less than 1/2 cup shortening.

A favorite recipe that uses 1/5 as mush shortening as flour by measure can probably be made using the master mix.  In order to have the proportions in the mix that would be satisfactory for several types of baked products, the upper limit for shortening is approached in biscuits and muffins and the lower limit for cakes and cookies.

Although the lowest proportions used in making pastry approximates that in the Master Mix, pastry made from the Mix is not satisfactory.  The baking powder in the mix makes the pastry porous rather than flaky.  However by using only water in the Mix, one can make a type of pastry that can be used as a thin crust for meat pie or a deep dish fruit pie.  It takes about 1/8 as much water as Mix for such pastry.

Biscuits

Add milk to the Mix all at once, stirring 25 strokes.  Knead 15 strokes on lightly floured board.  Roll 1/2 inch thick. Cut. Bake on baking sheet in hot oven(450F) 10 minutes.

Biscuit dough can be used in many ways.  For variation grated cheese, chopped parsley, chives or herbs blended with the dough add interest.  This dough is rich enough for short cake or for the top crust of a chicken or meat pie.  It will server as the dough for a meat roll--chopped meat bound together with gravy and spread over the dough, then roll as a jelly roll and cut before baking.  This can be served with gravy or with a cheese sauce.

The dough can be used as a covering in baked apple dumplings or for the dough for a fruit or pinwheel roll.  It can be dropped on top of hot stewed fruit or berries and baked as a "cobbler".

Drop biscuits can be made from this recipe by increasing the milk to 1 cup for the family size or to 1/3 cup for the "just for two" size recipe.

Muffins

Add sugar to the Mix. Combine milk and beaten egg.  Add to the Mix.  Stir until flour is just moistened (about 25 strokes).  Bake in greased muffin pans in hot oven (425F) about 20 minutes.

Blueberry muffins can be made by adding a cup of drained blueberries to the family size recipe.  Chopped dates, chopped nuts, chopped apples or chopped cranberries are good additions.  Make oatmeal or bran muffins by substituting rolled oats or bran for 1/3 cup of the Mix.  Nut or fruit bread can be made from the muffin recipe by adding 1/2 cup chopped nuts or one cup dried apricots or prunes to the family size recipe and baking it in a loaf pan.

Griddle Cakes or Waffles

Stir combined milk and beaten egg into the Mix until well blended.  Let stand 10 minutes then bake on hot griddle or in waffle iron.

The milk can be increased if a thinner griddle cake is desired.  If the batter is thinner, the waffles will require longer baking to make them crisp.

Tips from Mumsy, griddle should be hot enough that a drop of water dances and spray waffle iron with a little spray shortening to help prevent sticking..

Coffee Cake

Topping

Stir sugar in to the Mix.  Combine milk and beaten egg. Stir into the Mix until well blended (about 1 minute).  Put into shallow greased pan.  Spread or dot topping over batter and bake in hot oven (400F) about 25 minutes.

The brown sugar mix can be used as a filling instead of topping.  A date topping or filling can be used instead of the one given above.  For a filling, spread about half of the batter on the pan, then a thin layer of filling and then the remaining batter.   For the family size recipe, blend a 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 cup soft butter, 1/4 cup chopped nuts and 1/2 cup chopped dates.  For the smaller recipe use 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons soft b utter, 2 tablespoons chopped nuts and 1/4 cup chopped dates.

Gingerbread

Stir sugar and spices into the Mix.  Combine egg, molasses and water.  Stir half the liquid into the mix and beat 2 minutes.  Stir in remaining liquid and beat 1 minute.  Bake in pan lined with waxed paper in a moderate oven (350F) about 40 minutes or bake in waffle iron for gingerbread waffles.  Gingerbread waffles can be topped with sweetened whipped cream and chopped bananas.  Mumsy note:  They are also great topped with "Real Fruit" or cherry pie filling.

Dumplings

Add milk to Mix all at once, stirring about 30 strokes.  Drop by tablespoonful on top of boiling stew.  Cover and boil gently 12 minutes without removing cover.   These can be dropped as a topping on a meat or vegetable casserole and baked in hot oven about 20 minutes.

Cornbread

Stir corn meal, salt and sugar into the Mix. Combine milk and beaten egg.  Add to the mix, stirring until blended.  Bake in greased pan in a hot oven (400F) about 20 minutes or bake as corn meal muffins. Corn bread can be used as a topping for a well seasoned vegetable or meat pie.

If a dry corn bread is desired use 3/4 cup of milk for the family size or 1/3 cup for the smaller size.

Yellow Cake

Stir sugar into the Mix.  Combine milk, eggs and vanilla.  Stir half of the liquid into the Mix and beat 2 minutes or use electric mixer for the same length of time on low speed.  Scrape bowl occasionally.  Add the remaining liquid and beat 2 minutes.  Bake in pans lined with wax paper in moderate over (375F) about 25 minutes.

This recipe can be used for "upside down" cake using sweetened pineapple, peaches, cherries, apricots or other fruits or berries.  Mincemeat upside down cake is another good variation.  Spices will change this to a spice cake.

Orange Raisin Cake

Stir sugar into the Mix.  Combine liquid and beaten eggs.  Add half if the liquid to the Mix and beat 2 minutes or use electric mixer for the same length of time at low speed.  Scrape bowl occasionally.  Add remaining liquid, raisins and orange rind.  Beat two minutes.  Bake in pans lined with waxed paper in moderate oven (375F) about 25 minutes.

The raisins can be omitted from the cake and added to the frosting.

Apple Cake

Add sugar, spices and eggs to the Mix.  Beat 1 minute. Add apples.  Beat 2 minutes. Stir in raisins and nuts.  Pour into greased pan. Bake in moderate oven (375F) about 35 minutes.  If a more moist cake is desired, add 1/3 cup milk for the family size recipe and 2 tablespoons milk for the small recipe.

Chocolate Cake

Add cocoa to the sugar and stir into the Mix.  Combine milk, eggs and vanilla.   Stir half of the liquid into the Mix and beat 2 minutes or use electric mixer the same amount of time at low speed. Scrape bowl occasionally.  Add the remaining liquid and beat 2 minutes.  Bake in pans lined with waxed paper in a moderate oven (375F) about 25 minutes.

Chocolate cake batter can be baked in a waffle iron and served cold with iced cream or whipped cream.

Blackberry Roll

Add water by sprinkling it over the Mix.  Stir with a fork to blend. Roll as for pastry into an oblong piece about 1/4 inch thick. Mix blackberries with sugar and flour.   Roll up like a jelly roll and tuck in the ends.  Place on baking sheet.   Bake in moderate oven (375F) until lightly browned (about 35 minutes). Server hot.

Caramel Dumplings

Caramel sauce

Dumplings

Combine ingredients for caramel sauce.  Heat to boiling.  Stir sugar into Mix.  Add milk all at once, stirring about 30 strokes.  drop by tablespoonful on top of boiling caramel sauce.  Cover and boil gently for about 20 minutes without removing cover.

This dumpling recipe can be used with sweetened fruit or berry syrup instead of caramel sauce.

Apple Crisp Topping

Stir sugar into the Mix.  Add beaten egg and stir until blended.   Spread over prepared fruit in a casserole.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.   This can be used as a topping for sweetened apple, peach, rhubarb or other fruit.

Donut Muffins

Coating

Stir sugar into the Mix.  Combine milk and beaten egg.  Stir into the Mix until well blended.  Bake in small, well greased muffin tins in hot oven (400F) 20 minutes.  Dip one at a time into melted butter.  Remove quickly and shake in a sack containing the sugar and cinnamon coating.  Serve hot.

For variety, add 3 tablespoons cocoa to the Mix used in the family size recipe.

Baked Chocolate Pudding

Topping

Stir sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, nuts and milk into the Mix.  Beat for three minutes.  Spread in pan.  For topping, combine brown sugar and cocoa.   Sprinkle over batter in pan.  Bring water to boiling point.  Pour over the contents of the pan.  Bake in moderate oven (350F) 40 to 45 minutes.  Serve with chocolate sauce that forms beneath it.  Use cream or whipped cream if desired.   If served cold, it combines well with ice cream.

Steamed Fruit Pudding

Stir sugar into the Mix. Stir in milk and the chopped fruits or berries until well blended. Pour into a greased casserole or pan or ramekins.  Steam over water in covered pan for 30 minutes. Serve hot with top milk or cream and sugar.

Drop Cookies

Stir sugar into the Mix. Combine milk, beaten egg and vanilla.  Stir into the Mix until well blended.  Drop by teaspoon on greased baking sheet.  Bake in moderate oven (375F) 10 to 12 minutes. 

To make dough for rolled cookies instead of drop cookies omit the milk and use 2 eggs instead of 1.  Tightly packed brown sugar can be used in place of white.

Molasses Cookies

Stir sugar and spices into the Mix.  Combine beaten egg with molasses and add to Mix.  Blend well, chill shape into balls and roll in sugar.  Flatten on greased baking sheet and bake in moderate oven (375F) 10 to 12 minutes.

Ginger snaps can be made using 2 1/4 Mix with 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/4 cup molasses and 1 teaspoon ginger.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Stir sugar, beaten egg and peanut butter into the Mix until well blended.  The finger tips may be use to aid in kneading and blending.  Roll dough into small balls, place on baking sheet and flatten with a fork, making a criss cross. Bake in moderate oven (375F) about 20 minutes.

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Stir sugar and cocoa into the Mix.  Combine milk, beaten egg and vanilla.   Stir into the Mix until well blended.  Drop by teaspoon on greased baking sheet.  Bake in moderate oven (350F) 10 to 12 minutes.

Raisins, nuts, chopped dates or chocolate chunks can be stirred into the batter.

Brownies

Brownies can be made by using 3/4 cup Mix, 1 cup sugar, 2 squares chocolate, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup chopped nut meats (optional).  Bake in greased 8 by 8 inch pan in moderate oven (350F) about 30 minutes.  Cut while warm.

Oatmeal Cookies

Stir sugar and cinnamon into Mix.  Combine milk, beaten egg and shortening.   Stir into Mix until well blended.  Stir in the rolled oats and nuts.   Drop by teaspoon on baking sheet.  Bake in moderate oven (375F) about 12 minutes.

This dough can be used for filled fruit bars, using filling of ground dates or raisins moistened with lemon juice.

You may want to try these

Many puddings similar to the baked chocolate pudding can be made.   The cake batter is put into ungreased pan.  The topping can consist of brown sugar, chopped nuts and water or of a sweetened berry sauce or of a caramel or maple syrup. b the topping will sink to the bottom as the cake bakes.  Yellow or white cake batter can be used instead of chocolate.

The cake batter can be steamed about 30 minutes is custard cups for steamed pudding.

Three egg whites or 5 egg yolks can be used in the yellow cake to make a white or gold cake.

Non-fat dry milk can be added to Mix.  Use 1 cup of non-fat dry milk solids in the smaller mix recipe or 2 cups in the larger one.  Then use water instead of milk in the recipes if you wish.  Or milk can be used to further increase food value.

For cheese balls mix 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne and 1 1/2 cups grated cheese with 1 cup Master Mix.  Blend well, with beater or by kneading.  Form into 24 small balls.  Bake on a baking sheet in moderate oven (375F) about 15 minutes.