School and Home Cooking Part 32

3 egg whites 3 tablespoonfuls powdered sugar

The custard may be made thicker by using 4 (instead of 3) eggs.

Prepare the custard as Soft Custard.

Prepare the Meringue by beating the whites of eggs stiff and then adding I tablespoonful of sugar for each white of egg. Drop the Meringue by spoonfuls on the custard. If desired, garnish the Meringue by bits of jelly or colored gelatine.

From the results of Experiment 42, which egg beater do you consider most advisable for preparing Meringue?

If desired, the Meringue may be cooked. This may be accomplished in several ways: (_a_) place it on the _hot_ custard at once after preparing the custard, (_b_) Steam it by dropping it by spoonfuls on the hot milk before preparing the custard. Cover, and let the egg white cook for about 2 minutes, then remove from the milk and proceed to thicken the milk with the egg yolks, (_c_) Drop the uncooked Meringue on the cooked custard as directed above, then cook and brown it slightly by placing the custard in the broiling oven or in the top of a hot baking oven.

QUESTIONS

In making custards, why should the hot milk be added to the eggs, instead of the eggs to the hot milk?

How does Floating Island differ from Soft Custard?

What is Meringue?

Compare Floating Island made with three eggs to that made with four eggs.

How does it differ in thickness, color, and cost?

LESSON LIII

MILK THICKENED WITH EGG (C)

APRICOT DAINTY

1 cupful dried apricots 1/3 cupful powdered sugar 3 egg whites

Wash and soak the apricots. Steam until soft. Mash the apricots, or press through a coa.r.s.e strainer or colander; add the sugar. Beat the whites of eggs until very stiff; fold them into the apricots and sugar mixture.

Chill and serve with Custard Sauce.

Dried _prunes_ may be subst.i.tuted for apricots, using less sugar and adding a little lemon juice.

If it is desired to make Apricot Dainty some time before serving, it should be stiffened with gelatine. To do this, mix 1/2 tablespoonful of granulated or powdered gelatine with 2 tablespoonfuls of cold water. Add the gelatine mixture to the hot mashed or strained apricots, stir until the gelatine is dissolved, then proceed to add the sugar and egg white as directed above.

CUSTARD SAUCE

Use the recipe for Soft Custard for Custard Sauce, subst.i.tuting 3 yolks for 2 whole eggs.

QUESTIONS

Why is it desirable to steam the fruit rather than cook it in water for this dessert?

Compare the custard made with the entire egg to that made with the egg yolk. What is the difference in thickness and color?

How many egg yolks are equivalent to two whole eggs in thickening?

LESSON LIV

MILK THICKENED WITH EGG AND STARCHY MATERIALS (A)

EGG AND STARCH.--How long is it necessary to cook milk-and-starch mixtures so that the starch will be cooked thoroughly (see _Blanc Mange_)? How long does it take to cook eggs when used for thickening? Are eggs used for thickening harmed by long cooking? Explain your answer. If both starch and egg are used for thickening a mixture, devise a way whereby the starch can be cooked thoroughly, and the egg can be cooked without curdling.

b.u.t.tERSCOTCH TAPIOCA

1 pint milk 1/8 to 1/4 cupful granulated tapioca 1/2 cupful dark brown sugar 1/2 teaspoonful salt 1 egg 1/2 teaspoonful vanilla 1/2 to 1 tablespoonful b.u.t.ter

Scald the milk, add the tapioca, and cook the mixture over hot water until the tapioca is transparent (see _Apple Tapioca_, above). Mix the sugar, salt, and egg. Add a portion of the hot tapioca mixture to the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly, then return the mixture to the double boiler.

Stir and cook until the egg thickens. Add the vanilla and b.u.t.ter and turn into dishes for serving. Cool. Serve with plain or whipped cream.

The quant.i.ty of tapioca determines the stiffness of the dessert. If a very soft consistency is desired, use the smaller quant.i.ty of tapioca.

Chopped nuts may be added to the dessert just before turning into the serving dishes.

For economy, the egg and b.u.t.ter may be omitted. If the egg is omitted, the greater quant.i.ty of tapioca should be used.

CREAM OF POTATO SOUP

3 potatoes 2 1/2 cupfuls milk 2 egg yolks or 1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoonfuls salt Pepper 1/8 teaspoonful celery salt

Cook the potatoes until soft, drain, and mash. Scald the milk and add it to the potatoes, then strain the mixture. Beat the eggs, add seasoning, combine with the potato mixture, and cook in the top part of the double boiler, stirring constantly, until the egg thickens. _Serve immediately_.

QUESTIONS

In b.u.t.terscotch Tapioca what ingredient could be subst.i.tuted for tapioca?

How much of this ingredient should be used (see _Blanc Mange_, above)?

What is the purpose of the eggs in Cream of Potato Soup?

Why should the soup be served immediately after cooking the eggs?

How does this soup differ in thickening materials from Potato Soup (see above)?

What would be the effect of adding 1 egg to plain Blanc Mange?

When and how should the egg be added? Give reasons for your method of adding the egg.

Write a recipe for Soft Custard in which corn-starch is subst.i.tuted for one of the eggs. Write out the method of cooking such a custard.