The Book of Household Management Part 172

_Average cost_, 1s.

_Sufficient_ to fill a large gla.s.s dish.

_Seasonable_ from July to March.

APPLE TRIFLE.

(_A Supper Dish_.)

1404. INGREDIENTS.--10 good-sized apples, the rind of 1/2 lemon, 6 oz.

of pounded sugar, 1/2 pint of milk, 1/2 pint of cream, 2 eggs, whipped cream.

_Mode_.--Peel, core, and cut the apples into thin slices, and put them into a saucepan with 2 tablespoonfuls of water, the sugar, and minced lemon-rind. Boil all together until quite tender, and pulp the apples through a sieve; if they should not be quite sweet enough, add a little more sugar, and put them at the bottom of the dish to form a thick layer. Stir together the milk, cream, and eggs, with a little sugar, over the fire, and let the mixture thicken, but do not allow it to reach the boiling-point. When thick, take it off the fire; let it cool a little, then pour it over the apples. Whip some cream with sugar, lemon-peel, &c., the same as for other trifles; heap it high over the custard, and the dish is ready for table. It may be garnished as fancy dictates, with strips of bright apple jelly, slices of citron, &c.

_Time_.--From 30 to 40 minutes to stew the apples; 10 minutes to stir the custard over the fire.

_Average cost_, 1s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for a moderate-sized trifle.

_Seasonable_ from July to March.

APRICOT CREAM.

1405. INGREDIENTS.--12 to 16 ripe apricots, 1/4 lb. of sugar, 1-1/2 pint of milk, the yolks of 8 eggs, 1 oz. of isingla.s.s.

_Mode_.--Divide the apricots, take out the stones, and boil them in a syrup made with 1/4 lb. of sugar and 1/4 pint of water, until they form a thin marmalade, which rub through a sieve. Boil the milk with the other 1/4 lb. of sugar, let it cool a little, then mix with it the yolks of eggs which have been previously well beaten; put this mixture into a jug, place this jug in boiling water, and stir it one way over the fire until it thickens; but on no account let it boil. Strain through a sieve, add the isingla.s.s, previously boiled with a small quant.i.ty of water, and keep stirring it till nearly cold; then mix the cream with the apricots; stir well, put it into an oiled mould, and, if convenient, set it on ice; at any rate, in a very cool place. It should turn out on the dish without any difficulty.

_Time_.--From 20 to 30 minutes to boil the apricots.

_Average cost_, 3s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ to fill a quart mould.

_Seasonable_ in August, September, and October.

_Note_.--In winter-time, when fresh apricots are not obtainable, a little jam may be subst.i.tuted for them.

FLANC OF APRICOTS, or Compote of Apricots in a Raised Crust.

_(Sweet Entremets.)_

1406. INGREDIENTS.--3/4 lb. of short crust No. 1212, from 9 to 12 good-sized apricots, 3/4 pint of water, 1/2 lb. of sugar.

_Mode_.--Make a short crust by recipe No. 1212, and line a mould with it as directed in recipe No. 1391. Boil the sugar and water together for 10 minutes; halve the apricots, take out the stones, and simmer them in the syrup until tender; watch them carefully, and take them up the moment they are done, for fear they break. Arrange them neatly in the flanc or case; boil the syrup until reduced to a jelly, pour it over the fruit, and serve either hot or cold. Greengages, plums of all kinds, peaches, &c., may be done in the same manner, as also currants, raspberries, gooseberries, strawberries, &c.; but with the last-named fruits, a little currant-juice added to them will be found an improvement.

_Time_.--Altogether, 1 hour to bake the flanc, about 10 minutes to simmer the apricots.

_Average cost_, 1s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 1 entremets or side-dish.

_Seasonable_ in July, August, and September.

ARROWROOT BLANC-MANGE.

(_An inexpensive Supper Dish_.)

1407. INGREDIENTS.--4 heaped tablespoonfuls of arrowroot, 1-1/2 pint of milk, 3 laurel-leaves or the rind of 1/2 lemon, sugar to taste.

_Mode_.--Mix to a smooth batter the arrowroot with 1/2 pint of the milk; put the other pint on the fire, with laurel-leaves or lemon-peel, whichever may be preferred, and let the milk steep until it is well flavoured. Then strain the milk, and add it, boiling, to the mixed arrowroot; sweeten it with sifted sugar, and let it boil, stirring it all the time, till it thickens sufficiently to come from the saucepan.

Grease a mould with pure salad-oil, pour in the blanc-mange, and when quite set, turn it out on a dish, and pour round it a compote of any kind of fruit, or garnish it with jam. A tablespoonful of brandy, stirred in just before the blanc-mange is moulded, very much improves the flavour of this sweet dish.

_Time_.--Altogether, 1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, 6d. without the garnishing.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

BLANC-MANGE.

(_A Supper Dish_.)

1408. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of new milk, 1-1/4 oz. of isingla.s.s, the rind of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 lb. of loaf sugar, 10 bitter almonds, 1/2 oz. of sweet almonds, 1 pint of cream.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BLANC-MANGE MOULD.]

_Mode_.--Put the milk into a saucepan, with the isingla.s.s, lemon-rind, and sugar, and let these ingredients stand by the side of the fire until the milk is well flavoured; add the almonds, which should be blanched and pounded in a mortar to a paste, and let the milk just boil up; strain it through a fine sieve or muslin into a jug, add the cream, and stir the mixture occasionally until nearly cold. Let it stand for a few minutes, then pour it into the mould, which should be previously oiled with the purest salad-oil, or dipped in cold water. There will be a sediment at the bottom of the jug, which must not be poured into the mould, as, when turned out, it would very much disfigure the appearance of the blanc-mange. This blanc-mange may be made very much richer by using 1-1/2 pint of cream, and melting the isingla.s.s in 1/2 pint of boiling water. The flavour may also be very much varied by adding bay-leaves, laurel-leaves, or essence of vanilla, instead of the lemon-rind and almonds. Noyeau, Maraschino, Curacoa, or any favourite liqueur, added in small proportions, very much enhances the flavour of this always favourite dish. In turning it out, just loosen the edges of the blanc-mange from the mould, place a dish on it, and turn it quickly over; it should come out easily, and the blanc-mange have a smooth glossy appearance when the mould is oiled, which it frequently has not when it is only dipped in water. It may be garnished as fancy dictates.

_Time_.--About 1-1/2 hour to steep the lemon-rind and almonds in the milk.

_Average cost_, with cream at 1s. per pint, 3s. 3d.

_Sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _Seasonable_ at any time.

CHEAP BLANC-MANGE.

1409. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of sugar, 1 quart of milk, 1-1/2 oz. of isingla.s.s, the rind of 1/2 lemon, 4 laurel-leaves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BLANC-MANGE.]