Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume IV Part 10

Allow this to cook until a heavy sirup is formed. Care must be taken not to burn the sugar black, for if this is done, the custard, or whatever is flavored with the caramel, will have a burnt taste. The color should be a clear reddish-brown. Maple sirup may be used in the same way as caramel by cooking it until it becomes thick.

CARAMEL CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2-1/2 c. milk Caramel 3 eggs Pinch of salt Few drops of vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, add the caramel to the milk, and then cool the mixture. Beat the eggs and add them to the caramel and milk.

Add the salt and vanilla. Pour the custard into b.u.t.tered baking dishes, set in a pan of warm water, and bake in a moderate oven until firm. Cool and serve.

26. SOFT CUSTARD.--The custard given in the accompanying recipe is commonly known as _boiled custard_, but this is in no sense a correct name, for the custard at no time reaches the boiling point. The common method of preparation is dry steaming, for which the double boiler is an essential utensil. If one is not in supply, however, a saucepan placed in a larger pan of water will serve the purpose. The custard should be stirred continuously during its cooking. Then it will not set nor thicken as does baked custard, even though the proportion of eggs and milk may be higher.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 2, Testing doneness of soft custard with spoon.]

The test for soft custard, which is exactly opposite from that for baked custard, is shown in Fig. 2. As soon as the custard mixture lightly coats a spoon it is done. Then it should be removed from the fire and the inner part of the double boiler removed from the outer part to avoid the application of any more heat. If too much heat has been applied or the custard has been cooked too long, the result will be a curdled ma.s.s.

As soon as this is observed, the custard should be removed from the hot water, placed at once into a pan of cold water, and beaten vigorously with a rotary egg beater. To improve it further, it may be poured through a fine wire sieve or strainer. Unless the curding has gone too far or the egg has been cooked a great deal too long, this treatment will produce a very decided improvement in the custard and possibly bring it to a normal condition.

SOFT CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 3 eggs 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. vanilla 1/4 tsp. lemon extract

Heat the milk in the inner pan of a double boiler. Separate the eggs.

Beat the yolks slightly, and to them add the sugar and salt. Dilute with a little of the hot milk. Blend well together and pour into the hot milk. Stir constantly until the mixture coats a spoon, and then remove from the fire. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry, and fold them into the mixture. Flavor with the vanilla and lemon extract, cool, and serve.

To obtain variety in soft custards, chocolate, caramel, maple, and other flavors may be used in their preparation in the same way as for baked custards.

27. FRENCH CREAM.--A custard dessert that is easily made and that most persons are fond of is French cream. As will be noted in the accompanying recipe, only one egg is used and corn starch is supplied for the remainder of the thickening. It is always necessary to salt mixtures containing starch, as any starchy food has a raw taste when it is prepared without salt.

FRENCH CREAM (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 1 Tb. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 egg 1/4 tsp. vanilla 1/4 tsp. lemon extract

Heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving a sufficient amount to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch with the sugar and salt, moisten with the cold milk, and add to the milk in the double boiler when it has heated. Stir until the mixture has thickened very slightly.

Cook in the double boiler for 20 or 30 minutes. Beat the egg, add a small amount of the hot mixture to the beaten egg, and then pour this into the thickened milk, stirring rapidly to keep the egg from curding.

Cook for a minute or two, remove from the fire, add the flavoring, cool, and serve.

28. FLOATING ISLAND.--The dessert known as Floating Island does not differ very much from soft custard. It is slightly thicker and contains whipped cream, which is used for the island. If whipped cream cannot be obtained, however, the white of egg may be subst.i.tuted for it. In such an event, the white of the egg included in the recipe may be retained when the custard is made and used on top by sweetening it with sugar or perhaps by beating into it a small amount of pink jelly.

FLOATING ISLAND (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 1-1/2 Tb. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 egg 1/2 tsp. vanilla Whipped cream

Heat the milk in a double boiler, retaining enough to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt, and moisten with the cold milk. Add this to the heated milk in the double boiler, stir until the mixture has thickened, and then cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Beat the egg, add to it a spoonful of the hot mixture, and then pour this into the double boiler, stirring to prevent the curding of the egg. Cook for a minute or two, or until the egg has had time to thicken, remove from the heat, and add the vanilla. When cold, serve in individual dishes or gla.s.ses with a spoonful of whipped cream on top of each portion.

29. CORN-STARCH CUSTARD.--A dessert that is a little heavier than either French cream or Floating Island but not heavy enough to be molded is the corn-starch custard given in the accompanying recipe. If desired, it may be served with sauce, plain cream, or whipped cream, or it may be eaten without any of these.

CORN-STARCH CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 2 Tb. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 egg 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving enough to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt, and moisten with the cold milk. Add this to the hot milk, and stir until the mixture has thickened. Cook for 20 or 30 minutes. Beat the egg, add a spoonful of the hot mixture to the egg, pour this into the double boiler, and cook for a minute or two, or until the egg has thickened. Remove from the fire, add the vanilla, cool, and serve.

30. COCONUT-CORN-STARCH CUSTARD.--The flavor of coconut in custard is agreeable, but the toughness of this ingredient with a soft custard is not always acceptable. In the preparation of the custard given in the accompanying recipe, the idea is to obtain the flavor without the use of the coconut in the custard.

COCONUT-CORN-STARCH CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 2 Tb. corn starch 1/2 c. coconut 1/4 c. sugar 1/8 tsp. salt 1 egg Vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, retaining enough of it to moisten the corn starch. Put the coconut into the milk while it is hot, and allow it to remain for 5 or 10 minutes after the milk has become heated. Then strain through a ricer or a strainer to remove all the liquid possible, and return the milk to the double boiler. Mix the sugar and salt with the corn starch and moisten with the cold milk. Add this to the hot milk and cook for 20 or 30 minutes after it has thickened. Beat the egg and add a little of the hot material to it; then pour it into the double boiler and cook for a minute or two, or until the egg has thickened.

Flavor with a few drops of vanilla, remove from the fire, cool, and serve.

31. SNOW PUDDING.--An excellent custard dessert called snow pudding can be made by following the directions here given. This pudding is especially attractive when served with chocolate sauce, as the sauce makes an agreeable contrast in color as well as in flavor. Other sauces, however, may be used with this dessert if desired. The yolks of the eggs may be made into a custard sauce and served with it, or a fruit sauce may be used.

SNOW PUDDING (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 2 Tb. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 2 egg whites 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving a sufficient amount to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt and moisten with the cold milk. Add this to the hot milk and stir continuously until the corn starch thickens the milk. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes and remove from the fire. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them into this mixture. Add the vanilla, pour into a serving dish or individual dishes, cool, and serve with chocolate or any desired sauce.

32. PLAIN BLANC MANGE.--A blanc mange is usually a mixture thickened to such an extent with starchy material that it may be turned out of a mold or cut into cubes. The plain blanc mange given here requires a well-flavored sauce to relieve its bland taste.

PLAIN BLANC MANGE (Sufficient to Serve Four)

2 c. milk 1/4 c. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving enough to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt and moisten with the cold milk. Pour into the hot milk and stir until the corn starch has thickened. Allow this to cook for 30 to 35 minutes, beat to keep smooth, and then remove from the fire and add the vanilla. Moisten cups or molds with cold water and fill with the blanc mange. Cool, turn out of the molds, and serve with any desired sauce.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 3, Chocolate Blanc Mange.]

33. CHOCOLATE BLANC MANGE.--Chocolate added to blanc mange gives it an excellent flavor. If a sauce is desired with this blanc mange, custard sauce is the best one to use. An attractive way in which to serve chocolate blanc mange is shown in Fig. 3. The entire recipe is made into one mold, which, when cold, is turned out on a dish, surrounded with slices of banana, and garnished with whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE BLANC MANGE (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1/3 c. sugar 1/4 c. cocoa 1/4 tsp. salt 2 c. milk 1/4 c. corn starch 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix the sugar, cocoa, and salt and moisten with some of the milk. Place over the fire in the inner pan of a double boiler and allow it to come to a boil. Moisten the corn starch with some of the milk and add the rest to the cocoa mixture in the double boiler. Heat together in the boiler and stir the corn starch into this. Continue stirring until the corn starch has thickened the mixture, and then cook for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the fire, add the vanilla, pour into a mold moistened with cold water, cool, and serve with sweetened cream, custard sauce, or as shown in Fig. 3.

34. RICE CUSTARD.--A very good way in which to use left-over rice is to make a rice custard of it. If no cooked rice is on hand and rice is to be cooked for some other dish, it is not a bad plan to increase the amount slightly and use what remains for rice custard. The best method of preparing rice for this dessert it to steam it, but boiled or j.a.panese rice may also be used.

RICE CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 eggs 1/2 c. sugar 1-1/2 c. hot milk 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg 2 c. steamed rice

Beat the eggs and to them add the sugar, hot milk, salt, and nutmeg.

Pour this mixture over the rice. Place in a b.u.t.tered baking dish, set the dish in a pan of warm water, and bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set. This will probably require about 45 minutes. Cool and serve.

35. POOR MAN'S PUDDING.--If a very economical dessert is desired, poor man's pudding should be tried. However, this requires considerable fuel and some care in its preparation, for it needs long, slow cooking in order to make it a good pudding, but when it is properly made it is a very delicious dessert. If a coal stove is used, it is a good plan to make such a dessert as this on a day when the stove is heated for ironing or for some other purpose that requires the use of fuel covering a long period of time.

POOR MAN'S PUDDING (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 c. rice 2/3 c. sugar 1 tsp. salt Nutmeg Lemon rind 2 qt. milk 1/2 c. raisins