Part 176 (1/2)

1431. INGREDIENTS.--2 eggs, 3 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 3 oz. of flour, 3 oz. of pounded sugar.

_Mode_.--Well whisk the eggs; put them into a basin, and stir to them the b.u.t.ter, which should be beaten to a cream; add the flour and sifted sugar gradually, and then mix all well together. b.u.t.ter a baking-sheet, and drop on it a teaspoonful of the mixture at a time, leaving a s.p.a.ce between each. Bake in a cool oven; watch the pieces of paste, and, when half done, roll them up like wafers, and put in a small wedge of bread or piece of wood, to keep them in shape. Return them to the oven until crisp. Before serving, remove the bread, put a spoonful of preserve in the widest end, and fill up with whipped cream. This is a very pretty and ornamental dish for the supper-table, and is very nice and very easily made.

_Time_.--Altogether 20 to 25 minutes.

_Average cost_, exclusive of the preserve and cream, 7d.

_Sufficient_ for a nice-sized dish. _Seasonable_ at any time.

GINGER CREAM.

1432. INGREDIENTS.--The yolks of 4 eggs, 1 pint of cream, 3 oz. of preserved ginger, 2 dessertspoonfuls of syrup, sifted sugar to taste, 1 oz. of isingla.s.s.

_Mode_.--Slice the ginger finely; put it into a basin with the syrup, the well-beaten yolks of eggs, and the cream; mix these ingredients well together, and stir them over the fire for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens; then take it off the fire, whisk till nearly cold, sweeten to taste, add the isingla.s.s, which should be melted and strained, and serve the cream in a gla.s.s dish. It may be garnished with slices of preserved ginger or candied citron.

_Time_.--About 10 minutes to stir the cream over the fire.

_Average cost_, with cream at 1s. per pint, 3s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for a good-sized dish. _Seasonable_ at any time.

PRESERVED GINGER comes to us from the West Indies. It is made by scalding the roots when they are green and full of sap, then peeling them in cold water, and putting them into jars, with a rich syrup; in which state we receive them. It should be chosen of a bright-yellow colour, with a little transparency: what is dark-coloured, fibrous, and stringy, is not good. Ginger roots, fit for preserving, and in size equal to West Indian, have been produced in the Royal Agricultural Garden in Edinburgh.

TO MAKE GOOSEBERRY FOOL.

1433. INGREDIENTS.--Green gooseberries; to every pint of pulp add 1 pint of milk, or 1/2 pint of cream and 1/2 pint of milk; sugar to taste.

_Mode_.--Cut the tops and tails off the gooseberries; put them into a jar, with 2 tablespoonfuls of water and a little good moist sugar; set this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and let it boil until the fruit is soft enough to mash. When done enough, beat it to a pulp, work this pulp through a colander, and stir to every pint the above proportion of milk, or equal quant.i.ties of milk and cream. Ascertain if the mixture is sweet enough, and put in plenty of sugar, or it will not be eatable; and in mixing the milk and gooseberries, add the former very gradually to these: serve in a gla.s.s dish, or in small gla.s.ses. This, although a very old-fas.h.i.+oned and homely dish, is, when well made, very delicious, and, if properly sweetened, a very suitable preparation for children.

_Time_.--From 3/4 to 1 hour. _Average cost_, 6d. per pint, with milk.

_Sufficient_.--A pint of milk and a pint of gooseberry pulp for 5 or 6 children.

_Seasonable_ in May and June.

GOOSEBERRY TRIFLE.

1434. INGREDIENTS.--1 quart of gooseberries, sugar to taste, 1 pint of custard No. 1423, a plateful of whipped cream.

_Mode_.--Put the gooseberries into a jar, with sufficient moist sugar to sweeten them, and boil them until reduced to a pulp. Put this pulp at the bottom of a trifle-dish; pour over it a pint of custard made by recipe No. 1423, and, when cold, cover with whipped cream. The cream should be whipped the day before it is wanted for table, as it will then be so much firmer and more solid. The dish may be garnished as fancy dictates.

_Time_.--About 3/4 hour to boil the gooseberries.

_Average cost_, 1s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 1 trifle. _Seasonable_ in May and June.

INDIAN FRITTERS.