Book of Valuable Recipes

Church & Dwight's 1915 recipe book for the great Arm & Hammer soda — which also prints a perpetual calendar, because why not.

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Sour Milk and Buttermilk

Sour milk or buttermilk can be substituted for sweet milk in nearly every recipe for cakes and biscuits by using instead of baking powder called for in the recipe just one half that quantity of The Great "Arm & Hammer" Soda. However, care must be taken that not too much soda is used.

For instance it takes one level teaspoonful of The Great "Arm & Hammer" Soda to neutralize the acid in one pint of sour milk, which means The Great "Arm & Hammer" Soda, and the acidity in the sour milk acting together, have the same effect in raising the cake, as the amount of powder called for in the recipe. The cream of tartar or the cream of tartar substitute in the baking powder is the acid which acts upon the soda, to produce the proper amount of Carbonic Acid gas which raises the cake or biscuit. It is important to use the proper amount of The Great "Arm & Hammer" Soda, because if you use too much a portion of the soda will be left unused (or not neutralized) in the cake or biscuit and will have an unpleasant taste or odor and a greenish color. If the milk is not very sour and not thick, you may use half the amount of soda called for in the recipe, and add a teaspoonful of baking powder with the flour.

Buttermilk can be used instead of sour Milk.

Sour Cream will take the place of sour milk, and part of the butter and lard called for in the recipe can be cut out.

← General Directions (Take one even teaspoonful)Fine Soda Biscuits, with Buttermilk →