The Art of Cookery Part 26

_Mirangles._

TAKE the whites of nine eggs, and whisk them to a solid froth; then add the rind of six lemons grated very fine and a spoonful of sifted sugar; after which lay a wet sheet of paper on a tin, and with a spoon drop the mixture in little lumps separately upon it, sift sugar over, and bake them in a moderately heated oven, observing they are of a nice colour.

Then put raspberry, apricot, or any other kind of jam between two bottoms, add them together, and lay them in a warm place or before the fire to dry.

_Ratafias._

BLANCH and pound half a pound of jordan almonds, likewise the same quant.i.ty of bitter almonds, and preserve them from oiling with rose water; then add a pound of sifted sugar, beat the whites of four eggs well, and mix lightly with them; after which put the mixture into a preserving pan, set it over a moderate fire, stirring till it is pretty hot, and when it is cold roll it into small rolls, cut them into small cakes the bigness of a shilling, dip the top of your finger into flour and touch lightly each cake, put them on wafer paper, sift sugar over, and bake them in a slow oven.

_Lemon Puffs._

PUT a pound of sifted loaf sugar in a bowl with the juice of two lemons, and beat them together; then whisk the white of an egg to a very high froth, add it to the mixture, and whisk it for twenty minutes; after which put to it the rind of three lemons grated very fine and three eggs, mixing all well together. Sift sugar over wafer paper, drop on it the mixture in small quant.i.ties, and bake them in a moderately heated oven.

_Chantilly Basket._

HAVE ready a small quant.i.ty of warm clarified sugar boiled to a carmel height, dip ratafia cakes into it, and place them round the inside of a dish. Then cut more ratafia cakes into squares, dip them into the sugar, pile them on the others, and so on for two or three stories high. After which line the inside with wafer paper, fill with sponge biscuits, sweetmeats, blanched almonds, and some made cream as for an apple pie, put some trifle froth over that, and garnish the froth with rose leaves, or coloured comfits or carmel of sugar thrown lightly over the top.

_Green Codlins, frosted with Sugar._

TAKE twelve codlins, blanch them in water with a little roche-alum in it and some vine leaves; when they are nearly done take off the outside skin, rub the apples over with oiled fresh b.u.t.ter, and sift plenty of sugar over them; then lay them on a clean tin, put them into a slow oven, and when the sugar sparkles like frost take them out. When they are cold serve them up in a trifle gla.s.s with some perfumed cream round them made as for an apple pie, and on the top of each codlin stick a small flower for garnish.

_Pound Cake._

TAKE a pound of sifted sugar, a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, and mix them with the hand for ten minutes; then put to them nine yolks and five whites of eggs beaten, whisk them well, and add a pound of sifted flour, a few carraway seeds, a quarter of a pound of candied orange peel cut into slices, a few currants washed and picked, and mix all together as light as possible.

_Yest Cake._

TAKE one pound of flour, two pounds of currants washed and picked, a quarter of a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, a quarter of a pound of lisbon sugar, a quarter of a pound of citron and candied orange peel cut into slices, cinnamon and mace a small quant.i.ty of each pounded and sifted.

Make a cavity in the center of the ingredients, add a gill of sweet wine, a little warm milk, a teacupful of yest, and let it stand till the yest works; then put a little more warm milk, mix all together, fill a hoop with it, and let it remain till risen, and bake it.

_Rich Plum Cake._

TAKE one pound of sifted sugar, one pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, and mix them with the hand in a earthen dish for a quarter of an hour. Then beat well ten yolks and five whites of eggs, put two thirds of them to the sugar and b.u.t.ter, and mix them together till it begins to be tough; after which add one pound and a half of currants washed and picked, a quarter of a pound of citron, a quarter of a pound of candied orange or lemon peel cut into slices, a quarter of a pound of jordan almonds blanched and bruised very fine. Then pound a quarter of a pound of muscadine raisins, put to them a gill of sweet wine and a spoonful of brandy, strain the liquor through a cloth to the mixture, add the rest of the eggs, and mix all together as light as possible.

_Dried Cherries._

GATHER the largest flemish cherries (or english bearers) when nearly ripe, pick off the stalks and take the stones away; have ready a thin syrup boiling-hot, put the cherries into it, and let them remain till the next day; then strain and boil the liquor again, and add to the cherries; the same again on the third day; on the fourth day strain the syrup, add more sugar, and clarify it; boil it to a strong consistence, add the cherries, put them into jars, and when they are cold cover them close. When wanted for use take them out, lay them on large drying sieves, and put them in a very slack oven.

N. B. In the same manner may be done apricots, pears, plums, &c.

_Pippins with Rice._

BOIL two ounces of whole rice with half a pint of milk, and when it is nearly absorbed put the rice into a marble mortar, add a table spoonful of brandy, a little grated lemon peel, a small quant.i.ty of pounded cinnamon and cloves, two ounces of sifted sugar, two eggs, and pound all together. Then pare twelve large ripe golden pippins, core them with an apple scoop, mould over them some of the mixture with the hand, put writing paper on a tin-plate, rub it over with sweet oil or b.u.t.ter, put the apples on it, and bake them gently till done; then serve them up in a deep dish with melted b.u.t.ter over and a little of the syrup of quinces mixed with it.

_To make English Bread._

TAKE a peck of the best white flour, sift it into a trough, make a cavity in the center, and strain through a hair sieve (mixed together) a pint of good yest and a pint of lukewarm water; mix them lightly with some of the flour till of a light paste, set it in a warm place covered over to prove for an hour; then mix the whole with two quarts of lukewarm water and a little salt, knead it, let it be of a good stiffness, prove it an hour more and knead it again; prove it another hour, mould it into loaves or batch two pieces together, and bake them in a brisk oven.

N. B. A middling-size loaf will require an hour and a half in baking.

_French Bread._

SIFT a peck of fine flour into a trough, make a cavity in the center with the hand, strain into it (mixed together) a pint of lukewarm milk and a pint of good yest; mix them with some of the flour till of a light sponge, set it in a warm place covered over to prove for an hour; then add to it two quarts of lukewarm milk, half a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, an ounce of sifted loaf sugar, and a little salt; knead it till of a nice stiffness, let it prove an hour more, knead it again, and let it prove another hour; then mould it into bricks, lay them on tins, put them into a very slack oven or warm place to prove for half an hour, and bake them in a brisk oven.

_Pulpton of Apples._

PARE, cut into quarters, and core eight good-sized baking apples; put them into a stewpan, add a bit of lemon peel and a table spoonful of rose water; cover the pan close, put it over a slow fire, and when the apples are tender rub them through a hair sieve, put to the pulp, sugar to the palate, sifted cinnamon and cloves a small quant.i.ty of each, four eggs well beaten, a quarter of a pound of the crumb of french bread soaked in a gill of cream, and mix all the ingredients together. Rub the inside of a mould with fresh b.u.t.ter, fill it with the mixture, bake it in a moderately heated oven, when done turn it out on a dish, and serve it up with sifted sugar over.

_A sweet Omlet of Eggs._

MIX well together ten eggs, half a gill of cream, a quarter of a pound of oiled fresh b.u.t.ter and a little syrup of nutmeg; sweeten it with loaf sugar, put the mixture into a prepared frying pan as for a savory omlet, fry it in the same manner, and serve it up with a little sifted sugar over it.

_To keep Cuc.u.mbers for Winter Use for Sauces._

TAKE fresh gathered middling-sized cuc.u.mbers, put them into a jar, have ready half vinegar, half water, and some salt, a sufficient quant.i.ty to cover them; make it boiling-hot, pour it over them, add sweet oil, cover the jars down close with bladder and leather, and set them in a dry place.

_To preserve Mushrooms for Sauces._

PEEL b.u.t.ton forced mushrooms, wash them and boil till half done in a sufficient quant.i.ty of salt and water to cover them; then drain them and dry in the sun, boil the liquor with different spices, put the mushrooms into a jar, pour the boiling pickle over them, add sweet oil, and tie them over with bladder, &c.

_Pullet roasted with Batter._

BONE and force the pullet with good stuffing or forcemeat, paper it and put it to roast; when half done take off the paper, and baste the fowl with a little light batter; let it dry, baste it again, so repeating till it is done and nicely crusted over; then serve it up with benshamelle or poivrade sauce beneath.

_Dutch Beef._

RUB the prime ribs of fat beef with common salt, and let them lay in a pan for three days; then rub them with the different articles as for hams or tongues, and add plenty of bruised juniper berries. Turn the meat every two days for three weeks, and smoke it.

_Mushroom Ketchup._

TAKE a parcel of mushrooms either natural or forced, the latter will prove the best, and cut off part of the stalk towards the root. Wash the mushrooms clean, drain them, then bruise them a little in a marble mortar, put them into an earthen vessel with a middling quant.i.ty of salt, let them remain for four days, and then strain them through a tamis cloth. When the sediment is settled pour the liquor into a stewpan, and to every pint of juice add half a gill of red port, a little whole allspice, cloves, mace, and pepper. Boil them together twenty minutes, then skim and strain the ketchup, and when cold put it into small bottles and cork them close.