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Jump to RecipeYears ago, I purchased a biographical cookbook written by a farm wife from the Mid-West. Long since out of print now, the book chronicled her engagement and marriage to her farmer husband thru decades of cooking from the 1920s coal fired cookstoves through microwave cooking in the 1980s! Since the book is nearly impossible to find used and I’ve had to purchase it again due to the first one falling apart from heavy use, I treat my newest copy like the treasure that it is carefully putting it away safely after each use! I’ve even started copying my favorite recipes out of it to protect it further (I REALLY like this cookbook!).
One of the staples that I have adopted and adapted for the past 30y of being a wife and mom is the Master Mix. Truthfully, Master Mix isn’t exclusive to this cookbook or to me. In the early 1900s, extension offices and home economics departments around the nation were proposing Master Mixes as time and money savers and even “reputation builders” for homemakers!
Over the years, I have used my Master Mix to make shortcakes, coffee cakes, drop biscuits, waffles and pancakes. Since I want to know the exact ingredients in the foods that I serve my family, this wound up being a no-brainer and a serious help when the kids wanted to make their own breakfast! What I’ve learned is that you can make all manner of baked products with your Master Mix! There are recipes for cakes, cookies, dumplings, donuts and even puddings!
You can use this mix as you would any other commercial biscuit mix. Just add egg, liquid and fat! (the original recipe uses shortening which we no longer include on our Master Grocery List due to the health risks associated with trans fats) I keep a recipe for waffles/pancakes taped to the side of the container that I store my Master Mix in since that’s our number one use.
I adapted this recipe to improve its nutrition and shelf life for our family. I included our recipe for waffles and pancakes and will post more Master Mix recipes in the future!
This really has been a great asset when I want the kids to make me breakfast in bed learn to cook! (Did I say that out loud!?)
Master Baking Mix
Ingredients
- 6 Cups Unbleached White Flour
- 3 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
- 1/4 Cup Aluminum Free Baking Powder
- 1 Tbsp Sea Salt
- 2 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1 Cup Dry Non-Fat Milk Powder This is an optional ingredient as it is not the healthiest, but the quantity is small. Use your best discretion
Instructions
- Using a large bowl in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or; Using a large bowl with a hand held whisk, combine all ingredients and blend together thoroughly. Store in an air-tight container. Your Master Mix can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer or on the dry shelf.