Nelson's Home Comforts Part 9

MACAROONS.

Beat up a packet of Nelson's Alb.u.men with three teaspoonfuls of cold water to a strong froth, mix in half-a-pound of finely-sifted sugar and two ounces each of pounded sweet and bitter almonds. Flour a baking-sheet, and lay on it sheets of wafer-paper, which can be bought at the confectioner's, and drop on to them at equal distances, a small piece of the paste. Bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes, or until the macaroons are crisp and of a golden colour. When done cut round the wafer-paper with a knife, and put the cakes on a sieve to dry.

In following recipes for this cla.s.s of cake some judgment is required in the choice of the sugar, and the result will vary greatly according as this is of the right sort, or otherwise. A little more or less sugar may be required, and only practice can make perfect in this matter. As a general direction, it may be given that the sugar must be of the finest quality, and be very finely sifted, but not flour-like.

COCOA-NUT CAKES.

Beat up a packet of Nelson's Alb.u.men with three teaspoonfuls of cold water to a strong froth, mix with it a quarter of a pound of finely sifted sugar, and two ounces of Edwards' Desiccated c.o.kernut. Put sheets of wafer-paper on a baking-tin, drop small pieces of the cake mixture on to it, keeping them in a rocky shape. Bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes, or until crisp.

CHOCOLATE CAKES.

Whisk a packet of Nelson's Alb.u.men with three teaspoonfuls of cold water to the strongest possible froth, mix in half-a-pound of finely sifted sugar, two teaspoonfuls of Schweitzer's Cocoatina, and six drops of Nelson's Essence of Vanilla; sift paper thickly with sugar, and drop small teaspoonfuls of the mixture at equal distances on it, allowing s.p.a.ce for the cakes to spread a little. Bake for ten minutes in a moderate oven.

COCOA-NUT ROCK.

Boil half-a-pound of loaf sugar in a gill of water until it is beginning to return again to sugar, when cool add a packet of Nelson's Alb.u.men whisked to a strong froth with three teaspoonfuls of water, and stir in a quarter of a pound of Edwards' Desiccated c.o.kernut. Spread the mixture, not more than an inch thick, in a greased pudding-tin, and place in a cool oven to dry. When done cut in neat squares, and keep in tins in a cool, dry place.

SUGAR ICING.

No icing can be successfully done unless the sugar is of the finest kind, perfectly white, and so finely sifted as hardly to be distinguished by the eye from potato-flour. Such sugar can now generally be procured of the best grocers at a moderate price. The process of sifting the sugar at home is somewhat slow and troublesome, but by so doing a perfectly pure article is secured. After being crushed the sugar should be pa.s.sed through sieves of varying fineness, and, finally, through one made for the purpose, or failing this, very fine muslin will answer. When the sugar has been sifted at home, and it is certain there is no admixture of any kind with it, a small quant.i.ty of "fecule de pommes de terre" (potato-flour) may be added; it reduces sweetness, and does not interfere with the result of the process. If the sugar is not sifted very fine a much longer time will be required to make the icing, and in the end it will not look so smooth as it ought to do.

Confectioners use pyroligneous acid instead of lemon-juice, and there is no objection to it in small quant.i.ties. To make the icing, beat up a packet of Nelson's Alb.u.men dissolved with three teaspoonfuls of cold water, work in by degrees one pound of fine icing sugar, adding a teaspoonful of lemon-juice or a few drops of pyroligneous acid, which will a.s.sist in keeping the icing white, or a slight tinge of stone-blue will have the same effect. If potato-flour is used, mix it thoroughly with the sugar before adding it to the white of egg. A little more or less sugar may be required, as the result is in great measure determined by the method of the operator; and when the paste is perfectly smooth, and will spread without running, it is fit for use. For icing large cakes confectioners use a stand which has a revolving board, so that cakes can conveniently be turned about; failing this, an ordinary board or inverted plate can be made to answer. As soon as the icing is spread on the cake it must be dried in an oven with the door open. It is sometimes found sufficient to keep the cake in a hot room for some hours. If too great heat is used the icing will crack.

ALMOND PASTE.

Blanch one pound of sweet and two ounces of bitter almonds, pound them in a mortar, adding a little rose-water as you go on, to prevent oiling; and when all the almonds are reduced to a perfectly smooth paste, mix them with an equal weight of icing sugar. Moisten the paste with a packet of Nelson's Alb.u.men dissolved in three teaspoonfuls of cold water, and spread it evenly on the cake, allowing it to become dry and firm before spreading the icing over it. This paste can be used for making several kinds of cakes and sweetmeats, and without the Alb.u.men can be kept in bottles for some time. Almond paste can be made from bitter almonds which have been infused in spirit to make an extract for flavouring, and in this case no sweet almonds will be required.

BEVERAGES.

Among the most useful preparations which have ever been introduced to the public for the immediate production of delicious beverages, are NELSON'S BOTTLED JELLIES. These beverages are highly approved for ordinary use at luncheon and dinner, as well as for afternoon and evening entertainments, and have a special value for invalids, as they contain nourishment and are at the same time very refreshing. When required for use, dissolve a bottle of the jelly, and mix with it five times its bulk of water, the beverage can then be used either hot or cold; if in standing it should be slightly thickened it will only be necessary briskly to stir it with a spoon. Lemon, orange, and cherry jelly, with the addition of water as directed, will be found superior to any other beverage of the kind, and specially excellent for children's parties.

The following "cups" are delicious made with the jelly as directed.

CLARET CUP, made merely with seltzer water, claret, and PORT WINE JELLY, will be found superior to the ordinary preparation. A little sugar may be added if desired. To a bottle of claret and a pint of seltzer-water use a half-pint bottle of PORT WINE JELLY, stir briskly until well mixed, put in a sprig of balm and borage, three thick slices of cuc.u.mber; place the vessel containing the claret cup covered over on ice for an hour; strain out the herbs before serving.

BADMINTON CUP is made with Burgundy, in the same way as the above, with the addition of a bottle of ORANGE JELLY.

CHAMPAGNE CUP requires equal quant.i.ties of the wine and seltzer-water, with a bottle of ORANGE JELLY.

CIDER CUP is made with a pint and a half of cider, a bottle of soda-water, and a bottle of either ORANGE, LEMON, or SHERRY JELLY.

CHERRY CUP.--Half-a-pint of claret, a quart of soda-water, and a half-pint bottle of CHERRY JELLY.

MULLED PORT WINE.

Dissolve a bottle of Port Wine Jelly and add to it four times its bulk of boiling water with a little nutmeg, and, if liked, a crushed clove.

LEMONADE.

Half-a-teaspoonful of Nelson's Citric Acid dissolved in a quart of water, with a sliced lemon and sweetened with sugar, forms a good lemonade, and is a cooling and refreshing drink. A small pinch of the Citric Acid dissolved in a tumbler of water with a little sugar and a pinch of bicarbonate of potash, makes an effervescing draught. These acidulated drinks are exceedingly useful for allaying thirst; and as refrigerants in feverish and inflammatory complaints they are invaluable.

LEMONADE (A NEW RECIPE).

Dissolve three-quarters of a pound of loaf sugar and the contents of a threepenny packet of Nelson's Citric Acid in a quart of boiling water; then add two quarts of fresh cold water and one-twelfth part of a bottle of Nelson's Essence of Lemon. The above quant.i.ty of sugar may be increased or decreased according to taste.

GINGERADE.

Crush an ounce of whole ginger, pour over it a quart of boiling water, cover the vessel, and let the infusion stand until cold. (The Extract of Ginger may be used in place of this infusion). Strain through flannel; add a teaspoonful of Nelson's Citric Acid, six drops of Nelson's Lemon Flavouring, and a quarter of a pound of lump sugar; stir until dissolved, and the Gingerade will be ready.

AN EXTRACT OF GINGER FOR FAMILY USE.

An Extract of Ginger made as follows is most useful for family purposes, and can be subst.i.tuted for the infusion in Gingerade. Crush half-a-pound of fine whole ginger in the mortar, or cut into small pieces. Put into a bottle with half-a-pint of unsweetened gin, let it stand for a month, shaking it occasionally, then drain it off into another bottle, allowing it to stand until it has become clear, when it will be fit for use.

LEMON SYRUP.

Boil a pound of fine loaf sugar in a pint-and-a-half of water. Remove all sc.u.m as it rises, and continue boiling gently until the syrup begins to thicken and a.s.sumes a golden tinge, then add a pint of strained lemon-juice or a packet of Nelson's Citric Acid dissolved in water, and allow both to boil together for half-an-hour. Pour the syrup into a jug, to each pint add one-twelfth part of a bottle of Nelson's Essence of Lemon, and when cold bottle and cork well.

The juice of Seville oranges may be made into a syrup in the same way as that of lemons, or lemon and orange juice may be used in equal quant.i.ties. These syrups are useful for making summer drinks, and for invalids as lemonade or orangeade.

MILK BEVERAGE.

A very agreeable and useful beverage is made by dissolving a quarter of an ounce of Nelson's Gelatine in a pint of milk. A spoonful of cream can, if preferred, be used with a bottle of soda-water. For invalids, this beverage can be used instead of tea or coffee, and may be preferable in many cases on account of the nourishment it contains; it will also be found an excellent subst.i.tute, taken hot, for wine-whey, or posset, as a remedy for a cold. For summer use, Milk Beverage is delicious, and may be flavoured with raspberry or strawberry syrup. If on standing it should thicken, it will only be necessary briskly to beat it up with a spoon.

CITRIC ACID.

This acid exists in the juice of many fruits, such as the orange, currant, and quince, but especially in that of the lemon. It is chiefly made from the concentrated juice of lemons, imported from Sicily and Southern Italy, and which, after undergoing certain methods of preparation, yields the crystals termed Citric Acid. These crystals may be used for all the purposes for which lemon-juice is employed. In the manufacture of the Citric Acid now offered to the public by Messrs. G.

Nelson, Dale, and Co., only the pure juice of the lemon is used.

ESSENCE OF LEMON.