Domestic French Cookery, 4th ed Part 11

They should be in the shape of a half-moon.

ALMOND CUSTARDS.

Blanch and pound in a mortar half a pound of sh.e.l.led sweet almonds, and three ounces of peach-kernels, or sh.e.l.led bitter almonds, adding sufficient rose-water to moisten them. When they are all pounded to a paste, mix with them a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and boil them in a quart of milk or cream. Then set it away to cool. When cold, stir eight beaten eggs into it. Put the mixture into cups. Set them in an iron oven half filled with water, and bake them.

VANILLA CUSTARDS.

Cut a vanilla bean into slips, and boil them in a quart of milk, with a quarter of a pound of white sugar. Let it boil slowly for a quarter of an hour, and then set it away to cool. When cold, stir into it eight beaten eggs, having left out the whites of four. Put the mixture into cups, set them in water and bake them. Color them when done, by holding over them a red-hot shovel. When cold, grate on sugar.

_Lemon Custards_ are made in the same manner; subst.i.tuting for the vanilla bean the grated rind of a large fresh lemon.

CHOCOLATE CUSTARDS.

Cut into pieces half a pound of the best chocolate. Pour on it sufficient milk to prevent its burning, and let it boil ten minutes.

After you remove it from the fire, have ready a pint of boiling milk or cream, and pour it on the chocolate. Beat together the yolks of eight eggs and the whites of two only, and stir them into the chocolate with two ounces, or more, of loaf-sugar. Put the mixture into cups, set them in an oven with water in it, and bake them. Beat the six remaining whites of eggs to a froth, adding a very little sugar, and heap some of the froth on each custard. You may lay on the top of each heap of froth one of the bonbons or confections called chocolate-nuts.

COFFEE CUSTARDS.

Take two ounces of roasted coffee and two ounces of raw coffee. Pound them together in a mortar, but do not grind them. Boil this coffee in a quart of rich milk. Let it get cold, and then strain it. Stir into it two ounces of powdered loaf-sugar, and two large spoonfuls of cream.

Beat eight eggs, omitting the whites of four. Stir them gradually into the coffee. Put it into cups, and bake the custards in an oven with water. Grate white sugar over the tops when cold.

TEA CUSTARDS.

Boil a quart of cream or rich milk, and pour it (while boiling) on three ounces of the best green tea. Add two ounces of loaf sugar. Cover it and set it away. Take eight eggs, and beat them well, leaving out the whites of four; and when the tea is cold, stir in the eggs. Then strain the whole mixture; put it into cups, and bake them in an oven with water.

Grate sugar over the top of each.

RICE POTTAGE.

Put six table-spoonfuls of rice into a pint of water, and boil it till quite soft. Drain it through a sieve, and put the rice into a quart of milk with a quarter of a pound of sugar, and three or four peach-leaves, or a few peach-kernels. Boil it, and before you serve it up, take out the peach-leaves or kernels, and stir in the yolks of two eggs.

APPLE FRITTERS.

Pare and core some fine large pippins, and cut them into round slices.

Soak them in brandy for two or three hours. Make a batter, in the proportion of four eggs to a table-spoonful of olive-oil, a table spoonful of rose-water, the same quant.i.ty of brandy, the same quant.i.ty of cold water. Thicken the batter with a sufficient quant.i.ty of flour stirred in by degrees, and mix it two or three hours before it is wanted, that it may be light by fermentation.

Put some b.u.t.ter into a frying-pan. Dip each slice of apple into the batter, and fry them brown. Then drain them, grate white sugar over them, and send them to table.

_Peach Fritters_ may be made in the same way, but the peaches must be cut into quarters.

BREAD FRITTERS.

Boil a quart of milk with cinnamon and sugar to your taste. When done, stir in a table-spoonful of rose-water. Cut some slices of bread into a circular shape. Soak them in the milk till they have absorbed it. Then drain them. Have ready some yolks of eggs well beaten. Dip the slices of bread into it, and fry them in b.u.t.ter. Serve them up strewed with powdered sugar.

RICE CAKE.

Take half a pound of rice and wash it well. Put it into a pint of cream or milk, and boil it soft. Let it get cold. Then stir into it alternately a quarter of a pound of sugar, two ounces of b.u.t.ter, eight eggs well beaten (having left out the whites of four), and a wine-gla.s.s of rose-water, or else the grated peel of a lemon. Mix all well. b.u.t.ter a mould or a deep pan with straight sides, and spread grated bread crumbs all over its inside. Put in the mixture, and bake it three quarters of an hour.

Ground rice is best for this cake.

If any of the cake is left, you may next day cut it in slices and fry them in b.u.t.ter.

Or, instead of baking the mixture in a large cake, you may put flour on your hands, and roll it into round b.a.l.l.s. Make a batter of beaten eggs, sugar, and grated bread; dip the b.a.l.l.s into it, and fry them in b.u.t.ter.

POTATO CAKE.

Roast in the ashes a dozen small or six large potatoes. When done, peel them, and put them into a pan with a little salt, and the rind of a lemon grated. Add a quarter of a pound of b.u.t.ter, or half a pint of cream, and a quarter of a pound of sugar. Having mashed the potatoes with this mixture, rub it through a cullender, and stir it very hard.

Then set it away to cool.

Beat eight eggs, and stir them gradually into the mixture. Season it with a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, and half a gla.s.s of rose-water.

b.u.t.ter a mould or a deep dish, and spread the inside all over with grated bread. Put in the mixture, and bake it for three quarters of an hour.

SPONGE CAKE--CALLED IN FRANCE BISCUIT.

Take ten eggs, and beat them till very thick and smooth. Add gradually a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Rub a lump of loaf-sugar all over the rind of a large lemon, to draw the juice to the surface; then grate the peel of the lemon, and stir it into the mixture, together with the lump of sugar. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon, and add two table-spoonfuls of rose-water. Beat the mixture very hard; then take half a pound of potato flour (which is best), or else of fine wheat flour, and stir it in very lightly and slowly. It must be baked immediately.

Have ready some small square or oblong cases of thick white paper, with an edge turned up all round, and sewed at the corners. They should be about a finger in length, half a finger in breadth, and an inch and a half in depth. Either b.u.t.ter these paper-cases, or sift white sugar all over the inside. Put some of the mixture into each case, but do not fill them to the top. Grate loaf-sugar over the top of each, and bake them quickly.

These cakes are much better when baked in paper cases; tins being generally too thick for them. No cake requires greater care in baking.

If the oven is not hot enough, both at top and bottom, they will fall and be heavy, and lose their shape.

CROQUETTES.

Take a pound of powdered sugar, a pound of b.u.t.ter, half a pound of wheat-flour, and half a pound of Indian meal; mix all together, and add the juice and grated peel of a large lemon, with spice to your taste.

Make it into a lump of paste. Then put it into a mortar, and beat it hard on all sides.

Roll it out thin, and cut it into cakes with the edge of a tumbler, or with a tin cutter.

Flour a shallow tin pan. Lay the cakes into it, but not close together.

Bake them about ten minutes. Grate sugar over them when done.

MARGUERITES.