Fritters (No. 2)

A skeleton recipe of the kind common in early twentieth-century flour-company books, where the cook was expected to supply judgement and the brand supplied the flour. Two things are missing outright: the amount of flour and the frying temperature.

• How much flour"Flour to roll" means enough to make a stiff, rollable dough rather than a batter — with 2 tablespoons butter and 6 tablespoons milk that lands somewhere near 1 to 1 1/4 cups. Add it gradually and stop when the dough is no longer sticky; excess flour makes the squares hard rather than crisp.
• Sweet milkSimply fresh unsoured milk, specified because sour milk and buttermilk were also kept in many kitchens and would have called for soda rather than baking powder. Whole milk is the right substitute.
• Baking powderOne teaspoon to roughly a cup of flour is a normal modern ratio, so no adjustment is needed. Period baking powders were often single-acting, so the dough was meant to be rolled and fried promptly; do the same and it will puff properly.
• Add saltThe recipe gives none, which is typical of the era when salted butter was assumed. If using unsalted butter, add about 1/4 teaspoon or the fritters will taste flat under the syrup.
• Fat and temperatureThe recipe says only "hot lard"; in modern terms that means fat hot enough to fry briskly, in the region of 365-375F. Lard fries these well, and any neutral oil with a high smoke point works. Much cooler and they absorb grease; much hotter and they colour before the centre sets.
• Roll thin, cut smallAbout 1/8 inch thick and squares of an inch or two. These are meant to blister and curl in the fat in a minute or so a side — thicker cutting gives you a doughnut, which is not what this is.
• YieldRoughly two to three dozen small squares, enough for four people at breakfast. Drain on paper, serve hot, and pour the maple syrup at the table rather than before.