The Book of Household Management Part 174

_Time_.--20 minutes to simmer the jelly, 1/2 hour to stand covered.

_Average cost_, reckoning the feet at 6d. each, 3s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ to fill two 1-1/2-pint moulds. _Seasonable_ at any time.

_Note_.--As lemon-juice, unless carefully strained, is liable to make the jelly muddy, see that it is clear before it is added to the other ingredients. Omit the brandy when the flavour is objected to.

SHERRY.--There are several kinds of sherry, as pale and brown, and there are various degrees of each. Sherry is, in general, of an amber-colour, and, when good, has a fine aromatic odour, with something of the agreeable bitterness of the peach kernel. When new, it is harsh and fiery, and requires to be mellowed in the wood for four or five years.

Sherry has of late got much into fas.h.i.+on in England, from the idea that it is more free from acid than other wines; but some careful experiments on wines do not fully confirm this opinion.

CANNELONS, or FRIED PUFFS.

(_Sweet Entremets_.)

1417. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of puff-paste No. 1205; apricot, or any kind of preserve that may be preferred; hot lard.

_Mode_.--Cannelons which are made of puff-paste rolled very thin, with jam inclosed, and cut out in long narrow rolls or puffs, make a very pretty and elegant dish. Make some good puff-paste, by recipe No. 1205; roll it out very thin, and cut it into pieces of an equal size, about 2 inches wide and 8 inches long; place upon each piece a spoonful of jam, wet the edges with the white of egg, and fold the paste over _twice;_ slightly press the edges together, that the jam may not escape in the frying; and when all are prepared, fry them in boiling lard until of a nice brown, letting them remain by the side of the fire after they are coloured, that the paste may be thoroughly done. Drain them before the fire, dish on a d'oyley, sprinkle over them sifted sugar, and serve.

These cannelons are very delicious made with fresh instead of preserved fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, or currants: it should be laid in the paste, plenty of pounded sugar sprinkled over, and folded and fried in the same manner as stated above.

_Time_.--About 10 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s.

_Sufficient_,--1/2 lb. of paste for a moderate-sized dish of cannelons.

_Seasonable_, with jam, at any time.

CHARLOTTE-AUX-POMMES.

1418. INGREDIENTS.--A few slices of rather stale bread 1/2 inch thick, clarified b.u.t.ter, apple marmalade made by recipe No. 1395, with about 2 dozen apples, 1/2 gla.s.s of sherry.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHARLOTTE-AUX-POMMES.]

_Mode_.--Cut a slice of bread the same shape as the bottom of a plain round mould, which has been well b.u.t.tered, and a few strips the height of the mould, and about 1-1/2 inch wide; dip the bread in clarified b.u.t.ter (or spread it with cold b.u.t.ter, if not wanted quite so rich); place the round piece at the bottom of the mould, and set the narrow strips up the sides of it, overlapping each other a little, that no juice from the apples may escape, and that they may hold firmly to the mould. Brush the _interior_ over with white of egg (this will a.s.sist to make the case firmer); fill it with apple marmalade made by recipe No.

1395, with the addition of a little sherry, and cover them with a round piece of bread, also brushed over with egg, the same as the bottom; slightly press the bread down, to make it adhere to the other pieces; put a plate on the top, and bake the _charlotte_ in a brisk oven, of a light colour. Turn it out on the dish, strew sifted sugar over the top, and pour round it a little melted apricot jam.

_Time_.--40 to 50 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s. 9d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ from July to March.

AN EASY METHOD OF MAKING A CHARLOTTE-AUX-POMMES.

1419. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of b.u.t.ter, 1/4 lb. of powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful of baking-powder, 1 egg, milk, 1 gla.s.s of raisin-wine, apple marmalade No. 1395, 1/4 pint of cream, 2 dessertspoonfuls of pounded sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice.

_Mode_.--Make a cake with the flour, b.u.t.ter, sugar, and baking-powder; moisten with the egg and sufficient milk to make it the proper consistency, and bake it in a round tin. When cold, scoop out the middle, leaving a good thickness all round the sides, to prevent them breaking; take some of the scooped-out pieces, which should be trimmed into neat slices; lay them in the cake, and pour over sufficient raisin-wine, with the addition of a little brandy, if approved, to soak them well. Have ready some apple marmalade, made by recipe No. 1395; place a layer of this over the soaked cake, then a layer of cake and a layer of apples; whip the cream to a froth, mixing with it the sugar and lemon-juice; pile it on the top of the _charlotte_, and garnish it with pieces of clear apple jelly. This dish is served cold, but may be eaten hot, by omitting the cream, and merely garnis.h.i.+ng the top with bright jelly just before it is sent to table.

_Time_.--1 hour to bake the cake. _Average cost_, 2s.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ from July to March.

A VERY SIMPLE APPLE CHARLOTTE.

1420. INGREDIENTS.--9 slices of bread and b.u.t.ter, about 6 good-sized apples, 1 tablespoonful of minced lemon-peel, 2 tablespoonfuls of juice, moist sugar to taste.

_Mode_.--b.u.t.ter a pie-dish; place a layer of bread and b.u.t.ter, without the crust, at the bottom; then a layer of apples, pared, cored, and cut into thin slices; sprinkle over these a portion of the lemon-peel and juice, and sweeten with moist sugar. Place another layer of bread and b.u.t.ter, and then one of apples, proceeding in this manner until the dish is full; then cover it up with the peel of the apples, to preserve the top from browning or burning; bake in a brisk oven for rather more than 3/4 hour; torn the charlotte on a dish, sprinkle sifted sugar over, and serve.

_Time_.--3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 9d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ from July to March.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE.

(_An Elegant Sweet Entremets_.)

1421. INGREDIENTS.--About 18 Savoy biscuits, 3/4 pint of cream, flavouring of vanilla, liqueurs, or wine, 1 tablespoonful of pounded sugar, 1/2 oz. of isingla.s.s.

_Mode_.--Procure about 18 Savoy biscuits, or ladies'-fingers, as they are sometimes called; brush the edges of them with the white of an egg, and line the bottom of a plain round mould, placing them like a star or rosette. Stand them upright all round the edge; carefully put them so closely together that the white of the egg connects them firmly, and place this case in the oven for about 5 minutes, just to dry the egg.

Whisk the cream to a stiff froth, with the sugar, flavouring, and melted isingla.s.s; fill the charlotte with it, cover with a slice of sponge-cake cut in the shape of the mould; place it in ice, where let it remain till ready for table; then turn it on a dish, remove the mould, and serve. 1 tablespoonful of liqueur of any kind, or 4 tablespoonfuls of wine, would nicely flavour the above proportion of cream. For arranging the biscuits in the mould, cut them to the shape required, so that they fit in nicely, and level them with the mould at the top, that, when turned out, there may be something firm to rest upon. Great care and attention is required in the turning out of this dish, that the cream does not burst the case; and the edges of the biscuits must have the smallest quant.i.ty of egg brushed over them, or it would stick to the mould, and so prevent the charlotte from coming away properly.

_Time_.--5 minutes in the oven.

_Average cost_, with cream at 1s. per pint, 2s.

_Sufficient_ for 1 charlotte. _Seasonable_ at any time.

CREAM A LA VALOIS.

1422. INGREDIENTS.--4 sponge-cakes, jam, 3/4 pint of cream, sugar to taste, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 gla.s.s of sherry, 1-1/4 oz. of isingla.s.s.

_Mode_.--Cut the sponge-cakes into thin slices; place two together, with preserve between them, and pour over them a small quant.i.ty of sherry mixed with a little brandy. Sweeten and flavour the cream with the lemon-juice and sherry; add the isingla.s.s, which should be dissolved in a little water, and beat up the cream well. Place a little in an oiled mould; arrange the pieces of cake in the cream; then fill the mould with the remainder; let it cool, and turn it out on a dish. By oiling the mould, the cream will have a much smoother appearance, and will turn out more easily than when merely dipped in cold water.

_Average cost_, 3s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ to fill a 1-1/2 pint mould. _Seasonable_ at any time.

BOILED CUSTARDS.

1423. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of milk, 5 eggs, 3 oz. of loaf sugar, 3 laurel-leaves, or the rind of 4 lemon, or a few drops of essence of vanilla, 1 tablespoonful of brandy.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CUSTARDS IN GLa.s.sES.]

_Mode_.--Put the milk into a lined saucepan, with the sugar, and whichever of the above flavourings may be preferred (the lemon-rind flavours custards most deliciously), and let the milk steep by the side of the fire until it is well flavoured. Bring it to the point of boiling, then strain it into a basin; whisk the eggs well, and, when the milk has cooled a little, stir in the eggs, and _strain_ this mixture into a jug. Place this jug in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire; keep stirring the custard _one way_ until it thickens; but on no account allow it to reach the boiling-point, as it will instantly curdle and be full of lumps. Take it off the fire, stir in the brandy, and, when this is well mixed with the custard, pour it into gla.s.ses, which should be rather more than three-parts full; grate a little nutmeg over the top, and the dish is ready for table. To make custards look and eat better, ducks' eggs should be used, when obtainable; they add very much to the flavour and richness, and so many are not required as of the ordinary eggs, 4 ducks' eggs to the pint of milk making a delicious custard. When desired extremely rich and good, cream should be subst.i.tuted for the milk, and double the quant.i.ty of eggs used, to those mentioned, omitting the whites.