PUDDINGS AND PASTRY

Note — Upon the production of puddings and pastry, covering fruit pies, tarts and tartlets, the following general remarks are given. Most of those on cake making (page 95), will also apply here.

Note — The freshness of all the ingredients for puddings is very essential, as one bad or poor article will taint the whole. When eggs are of doubtful freshness, break each one separately in a cup before mixing them ; a bad one will not then destroy those that preceded it. By beating the yelks and whites separately, the articles to which they are added will be the lighter.

Raisins and dried fruits for puddings should be carefully picked over, in most cases stoned, and large ones chopped. Currants should be well washed, pressed in a cloth, and then thoroughly dried before the fire, and after which be well picked over. English currants are usually quite gritty ; they may be made to " plump " or fill out by pouring over them boiling water, and then dried.

Batter pudding should be smoothly mixed, entirely free from lumps; to cause which, first mix the flour with a very small part of the milk, and add the remainder gradually; should it then prove lumpy, it may be rubbed through a hair sieve.

Boiled puddings should be put on in boiling water, which must not be allowed to stop at least simmering; it should always be covered with the water, more being added if necessary. In dishing it, as soon as it comes out of the kettle dip it in a pan of cold water, and the cloth will not stick to it. It is better to have them suspended in the kettle; the cloth will not then adhere to the bottom. The pudding cloth or bag should be kept scrupulously clean, but washed without soap, or they will impart a very disagreeable flavor to the puddings. Before using, dip in hot water and dredge it slightly with flour.

All puddings should be expeditiously served, as by standing they quickly become heavy, particularly batter puddings. When baked pud- dings are sufficiently solid to do so, turn them out of the baking-dish to a platter, bottom up, and powder with fine sugar.

437. Apple Pudding — One quart milk, three eggs, three tea- spoons baking-powder, two spoonsful melted butter, flour to make a batter like griddle cakes; fill a pan half full of sliced apples, and pour the batter over them; bake two hours, and eat with a sweet sauce.

438. Apple Roley Poley — Peel, core and slice sour apples; make a rich biscuit dough, or raised biscuit dough may be used if rolled thinner; roll half an inch thick, lay the slices on the paste, roll up, tuck in the ends, prick deeply with a fork, lay it in a steamer, and steam hard for an hour and three-quarters. Or, wrap it in a pudding-

cloth, tie the ends, baste up the sides, and boil continually an hour and a-half, perhaps more. Stoned cherries, dried fruits, or any kind of ber- ries, fresh or dried, may be used.

439* Cabinet Pudding — Spread the inside of a plain mould with butter, and ornament the sides with dried cherries and candied citron; fill the mould with alternate layers of slices of sponge-cakes and ratafia of macaroni. Then fill up the mould with a lemon custard made with eight yelks of eggs, a pint of milk or cream, six ounces of sugar, a glass of brandy and the grated rind of a lemon. This custard must not be set, but merely mixed up. Steam the pudding in the usual way for about an hour and a-half, and when done dish it up, either with arrowroot sauce or a custard. — Sebastien Michel, Chef de Cuisine, Hotel Brunswick.

440. Corn Starch Blanc Mange — Take one quart sweet milk, and put one pint upon the stove to heat; in the other pint mix four heaping tablespoons corn starch; when the milk is hot, pour in the cold milk with the corn starch thoroughly mixed in it, and stir all together until there are no lumps and it is thick; flavor with lemon; take from the stove, and add the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth.

A Custard for the Above. — One pint milk boiled with a little salt in it; beat the yelks of three eggs with half a cup of sugar, and add to the boiling milk; stir well, but do not let it boil till the eggs are put in.

441. English Plum Pudding — Beat six yelks and four whites of eggs very light, add to them a "tumbler of sweet milk, stir in grad- ually a quarter pound grated stale bread, a pound of flour, three- quarters of sugar, and a pound each of beef suet chopped fine, currants nicely washed and dried, and stoned raisins well floured; stir well and add two nutmegs, a tablespoon mace, one of cinnamon or cloves, a wine glass brandy, a teaspoonful salt, and, finally, another tumbler milk; boil in bowls or moulds five hours, and serve with a sauce made with drawn butter, wine, sugar and nutmeg. It will keep several months; when wanted, boil an hour before serving; a pound of citron or blanched sweet almonds will add to the richness of the pudding.

442. Rice Pudding without Eggs — Two quarts milk, two- thirds of a cup of rice, same of sugar, and a small piece of butter and a little salt; stir it occasionally until boiling hot, and cook in a slow oven until of the consistency of cream.

443. A Cheap but Delicious Rice Pudding— One cup rice, well washed, two quarts new milk, a pinch of salt, with sugar and flavoring to taste; grate nutmeg over it, and bake in a slow oven four or five hours. This will prove a most delicious pudding, to be eaten either hot or cold, and if baked slowly is better than with the use of eggs.

444. Rice Meringue Pudding — Put a teacup of rice in a pint of water. When the water is boiled away, add a pint of milk, a piece of butter the size of an tgg; tjje yelks of three eggs, and the grated

rind of one lemon; mix well; pour into a pudding dish; spread over the top the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth with a teacup of sugar; set in the oven and brown a little.

445. Plain Fruit Pudding — Take one and a-half cups of flour, one cup of bread crumbs, one cup of raisins, half a cup of currants, two nutmegs, one cup of suet chopped fine, two tablespoons of sugar, four eggs, a wine glass of brandy, a wine glass of syrup, and a little milk if necessary. Mix very thoroughly; tie it in a cloth as tight as possible, and boil fast for five or six hours. Serve with wine sauce.

446. Snow Pudding — One-half a package of Cox's gelatine; pour over it a cup of cold water, and add one and a-half cups sugar; when soft, add one cup boiling water and the juice of one lemon; then the whites of four well-beaten eggs; beat all together until it is light and frothy, or until the gelatine will not settle clear in the bottom of the dish after standing a few minutes; put it on a glass dish, and serve with a custard made of one pint milk, the yelks of the four eggs, and the grated rind of a lemon; boil.

447. Suet Pudding — Four cups flour, one cup molasses, one cup suet chopped fine, half-pound raisins, three-quarters of a cup milk, half teaspoon soda, and a little salt and cinnamon; boil two hours and a-half. To be eaten with sauce.

448. Sweet Pudding — Four cups flour, one of molasses, one of suet finely chopped, half-pound raisins, three-quarters of a cup of milk, half a teaspoon soda, and a little cinnamon; boil two hours and a half; serve with sauce.

*449. Yorkshire Pudding, with Roast Beef— See No. 97.

The flour should be the best wheaten flour and perfectly dry, at least three months old; some brands of flour are especially in favor for pastry, among them the kind known as the " New Process/' If in the least damp it will be heavy.

The butter, unless fresh is used, should be washed from the salt and well squeezed or wrung in a cloth to get out all the water or butter- milk; if left in, it will produce heavy paste.

Lard should be perfectly sweet and white. It may be tested by running a knife or steel into; if, on withdrawing, it smells sweet, it is good.

Suet should be finely chopped, perfectly sweet and free from skin- like tissue; when chopped, dredge with flour, which prevents the par- ticles adhering to each other. Beef suet is the best, but that of veal, or the outside fat of a loin or neck of mutton, makes good shortening, or the skimmings from boiled mutton, but only that without vegetables. Clarified beef drippings also make good crusts for ordinary puddings, pies or cakes; it should, however, be used sparingly.

The art of making paste requires much practice and dexterity; it should be touched as lightly as possible, made with cool hands and in a cool place, and for same reason a marble slab is better than a board to knead or roll upon, using a well-floured rolling-pin of hard wood. In mixing, add the water (ice water is best in summer) ; very gradually work the whole together with the blade of a knife. The butter or other shortening should be cold and rather hard; to make it so put in cold water until about ready for it, when squeeze as before directed, break it in small bits, roll out the paste and cover with the bits of but- ter; fold over each end and roll out very thin again, repeating until all is used. To produce light pastes considerable expedition should be used both in making and baking; if it stands long before putting in the oven it will become flat and heavy.

In baking custard, pumpkin or squash pies, that the mixture may not be absorbed by the paste, it is better to partly bake the crust before adding it.

The pie tins, patty pans or dishes for baked puddings should be well greased, ready for use, sweet lard being as good or preferable to butter; crusts to be baked in sheets should be placed on buttered paper.

Oven — Very important is the state of the oven; if a paste be skill- fully compounded with the best materials, and not properly baked, all is lost. Some require a quick oven, as puff-paste; others a warm and moderate one, and some a slow one. By placing a hand in the oven its heat may be determined very nearly. In baking a puff-paste try a small piece of the paste first.

450. Puff Paste — One full pound sifted superfine flour, one of washed butter, pressed free from moisture in a clean cloth; place^the flour on the mixing board or marble slab; make a well in the center, into which squeeze the juice of half a lemon, and put in the yelk of an eggf beaten with a little ice- water; stir with one hand and drop in ice- water with the other until the paste is hard as the butter; roll out the paste in a smooth square an inch thick; smooth the sides with a rolling-pin and spread the butter over half the paste; lay the other half over it, and leave it for fifteen minutes in a cold place; then roll out in a long strip, keeping the edges smooth, and double it in three parts, thus: lap one- third over the middle, roll it down, then fold over the opposite third, and roll all out in a long strip again; repeat the folding, rolling across this time; let it lie fifteen minutes, and repeat six times, allowing fifteen minutes between each rolling to cool, or the butter will oil; the paste is now ready for use. The result will repay the trouble by being both light and flaky. The quantity of water depends on the capacity of the flour to absorb it. Handle as little as possible throughout the whole process. Rich pastes such as the above require a quick oven.

451. Patties or Shells for Tarts— Roll out a nice puff paste thin; cut out with a glass or cookie cutter, and with a wine glass or smaller cutter cut out the center of two out of three; lay the rings thus made on the third, and bake at once. May be used for veal or oyster patties, or filled with any jelly, jam or preserves as tarts.

452. Apple Custard Pie — Stew sour apples until soft and not much water is left in them, and rub through a colander; beat three eggs for each pie, and use one cup butter and one of flour for three pies; nutmeg seasoning.

453. Apple Tarts — Pare, quarter, core and boil in half a cup water until quite soft ten large, tart apples; beat until very smooth and add the yelks of six eggs or three whole ones, the juice and grated out- side rind of two lemons, half a cup butter, one and a-half of sugar (or more if not sufficiently sweet); beat all thoroughly, line patty pans with a puff paste and fill; bake five minutes in a hot oven.

Meringue — If desired very nice, cover them when removed from the oven with a meringue made of the whites of the three eggs remain- ing, mixed with three tablespoons sugar; return to the oven and deli- cately brown.

454. Cream Pie — Thoroughly beat together half a cup sugar, the white of one egg and a tablespoon flour; then add a cup of rich milk, or use part cream; bake with only an undercrust, and grate nut- meg over it.

455. Date Pie — One pound of dates makes three pies; soak them over night, then stew them until soft enough to strain; add one quart milk, three eggs, a little nutmeg and salt; bake without an upper crust.

456. Lemon Pie — Grate the yellow rind and take the juice of one lemon, one cup sugar; take a heaping tablespoon of corn-starch and mix it with cold water; add a cup of boiling water, and cook a little; turn together; beat the yelk of one eggy and add to the mixture; beat the whites of two eggs to a froth with a little sugar, and put over the top after the pie is baked, and set in the oven to slightly brown.

457. Lemon Pie — Into one quart boiling molasses put one-half cup water, the grated rind and juice of six lemons, one large spoonful c^rn starch, and two beaten eggs. This will fill three pies.

458. Mince Meat — Use two bowls chopped apples, one of chop- ped meat, one-fourth pound chopped suet, the grated rind and juice of one lemon, two tea cups molasses, one large teaspoon each of cinnamon and cloves, one nutmeg grated fine, one pound stoned or seedless raisins, half pound currants, one-fourth pound citron cut fine, one quart cider, and sugar and salt to taste.

459. Mock Mince Pie — Twelve crackers rolled fine, one cup hot water, half cup of vinegar, one cup each of sugar, currants and raisins; any spices to taste. This makes four pies.

460. Pumpkin Pie — For three pies: one quart milk, three cups of boiled and strained pumpkin, one and a-half cups sugar, one-half cup molasses, four eggs, a little salt, and one teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon. Boston marrow or Hubbard squash may be substituted for pumpkin, and are much preferred by many, as possessing a less strong flavor.

This Bread is made with the Best Minnesota Patent Flour ground from wheat selected for this purpose, with Milk from my own dairy farm, which is absolutely pure and full cream. The dough is mixed by machinery, made under my own directions from my own designs, and my patrons can see that it must be a much cleaner and uniform bread than that which is mixed up by hands.

Purity of Material, Superiority of Workmanship and Cleanliness in Handling are my mottoes-

FINE BISCUIT t FAMILY CRACKERS

Are as much superior to other brands as my Bread.

SIOW FLAKE, SOBA & CEEAM WAF1ES

In tin cans, are not excelled.

See that your Grocer gives you BREMNER'S goods.

CAKE ^CONFECTIONERY.

Of the numberless cakes produced through the multiferous com- binations of flour, sugar, fruits, raising powders or other ingredients, those only will be presented which lie within the skill of the accom- plished housekeeper. Ornamentation and decoration of fine cakes will be but lightly touched upon; it is a part, however, which presents an opportunity for the display of much taste and skill on the part of the operator.

Preliminary Matters to Observe in Cake Making — Clean hands and nails thoroughly with a brush. Clean all utensils and the kitchen table very thoroughly, and have everything necessary in readiness. If the weather is warm place the eggs in a cold place, as they will beat stiffer and lighter, examine each thoroughly to ascertain if they are sound and fresh. Prepare the tins* before the cake is made, greasing with lard, and line the bottom with several thicknesses of paper, the top one well greased; it will do no harm to also line the sides.

All flour and sugar used is to be sifted and weighed. Very hard butter should be warmed a little, but not melted. If quite salt or packed butter, freshen in cold wrater, breaking it into bits. None but "good butter" should ever be used, and if beaten to a cream it saves warming. In using milk observe that with sour milk soda alone is necessary, but with sweet milk soda and cream of tartar or baking powder is used; the first makes a spongy, light cake, and the last one like pound cake.

For all white and delicate cakes use powdered sugar; for rich cakes, plum cake, crushed loaf, powdered and sifted; for dark cakes, the best brown sugar, and for jelly cakes, light fruit cakes, "A" coffee or granulated.

New flour in either bread or cake making, or for pastry, may be im- proved, i. e.y some of its moisture evaporated — by placing in the sun or before the fire the quantity to be used. When using " New Process*' flour recollect it requires less by an eighth than any other brand.

Most good cake makers first stir the milk and flavoring into the creamed butter and sugar, then the yelks, next the whites and last the flour, after first mixing with two-thirds of it the baking powder, leaving the remainder to be used at discretion.

A cup always means a tea-cup, and not a coffee-cup.

Raisins should not be washed; to remove all dirt, stems, etc., rub them in a cloth and then carefully pick them over; if washed, it is diffi- cult to dry them, so they will not make the cake heavy. Raisins or other fruit should be added the last thing before the cake is baked. Grate only the outer or yellow rind of lemons or oranges; the white or inner peel contains none of the required flavor, but, on the contrary, is bitter A reliable baking powder may be used in all cases where soda and cream of tartar is mentioned, using the same quantity given for the

two together. The proportions to use of baking powder is generally three teaspoons to a quart of flour, or one of soda and two of cream of tartar.

Do not stir, but beat cake batter, beating upward and very thoroughly; beat with a wooden spoon; iron will turn the batter dark, and for same reason always use an earthen or stoneware vessel to beat it in.

The proper heating of the oven is of great importance, especially for large cakes; if not very hot the batter will not rise. If the oven be too quick, and there is danger of burning, put a sheet of clean white paper over the top.

To ascertain when a cake is properly done stick a knife or knitting- needle to the center, withdraw it quickly, and if it looks at all sticky it is not and must be returned.

It is better to keep cake in a closed tin cake-box or covered jar, and always in a dry place.

461. Coldwater Pound Cake — Half cup butter, two of sugar, three eggs, one cup cold water, three pounds flaur, one teaspoon cream tartar, one-half teaspoon soda.

462. Cocoanut Cookies — One cup sugar, half cup butter, one egg, two tablespoons milk, one and a-half teaspoons baking powder, and a little salt, one cup desiccated or grated cocdanut, enough flour to roll.

463. Delicious Cake — One cup sugar, half cup butter, two eggs — the yelks and whites separately beaten— half a cup milk, one cup and a-half flour, and one and a-half teaspoons baking powder.

464. French Chocolate Cake — The whites of seven eggs two cups sugar, two-thirds cup butter, one of milk and three of flour, three teaspoons baking powder; the chocolate part of the cake is made the same as the above, only use yelks of the eggs and one cup grated chocolate; bake it in layers, and spread a custard between them, which is made with two eggs, one pint milk, one:half cup sugar, one table- spoon corn-starch, and one teaspoon extract vanilla.

465. Jumbles — Two cups sugar, one of butter, three eggs, one- third cup of milk, one and a-half teaspoons baking powder, and flour enough to roll.

466. Lemon Cake— One and a-half cups sugar» half cup butter, three eggs, half teaspoon soda dissolved in half cup of milk, two heaping cups sifted flour, a little salt, and the grated peel and juice of one lemon; bake in two shallow pans, and cut i ito squares.

467. Lemon Snaps — One cup sugar, one-half cup butter, two eggs, one teaspoon essence lemon, a quarter teaspoon soda dissolved in a teaspoon of milk, flour enough to make very stiff, and roll very thin.

468. Marble Cake— For the White Part— Rait cup butter, one and a-half cups white sugar, half a cup sweet milk, two and a-half pounds flour, a quarter teaspoon soda, the whites of four eggs; flavor with lemon.

For the Dark Fart~Hali cup butter, the same of molasses, two of brown sugar, half cup sour milk, half teaspoon soda, yelks of four eggs, and one whole eggy two cups flour, spices to taste; after each part is thoroughly mixed, butter the pans well and put in first a couple of large spoons of the dark, and then the same of white part, alternately, until all is used.

469. Molasses Gingerbread — One large cup molasses, one tablespoon lard, one cup sour milk, a dessert spoon soda, one tablespoon ginger, and flour to make a very stiff paste.

470. Neapolitaines — One pound of flour, half pound of pow- dered sugar, half pound of butter, six eggs, six yelks, quarter ounce of rose or orange blossom water; mix the flour, sugar, butter and eggs together with the perfume; if too stiff, add a little milk; leave the dough half an hour in a cool place; roll it out a quarter of an inch thick, and cut it with a small tin cutter of any shape; put the cakes on a pan slightly greased, and color the tops with beaten egg and milk, with some chopped almonds over them; cook in a very hot oven. — Fernand Fere , Chef de Cuisine, Astor House, New York.

471. Spice Cake — One cup sugar, a piece of butter the size of an egg, one eggy one cup sour milk, one teaspoon soda; spice to taste, and flour enough to make a thick batter.

472. Sponge Cake — The desirable feature of good sponge cake is its lightness, which is only attained by long-continued hard beating, to do this well requires two persons. While one beats the yelk for fifteen to twenty minutes, as light and creamy as possible, and then beats in three-quarters of a pound of sugar with rose water until thick and light, another person should beat the whites until well frothed, but do not whiten, then slowly beat into them the remaining quarter pound of sugar, and whisk until it no longer stiffens, or until the former preparation is complete. Now, lightly and steadily add the last mix- ture and the flour with the first, a little of each alternately, stirring- only enough to mix them well, avoiding hard beating which would toughen the whole. The buttered pans should be ready, and whether round, square or patty pans, fill them half to two-thirds full; sift sugar over them, and bake in a moderate oven. Material: Ten ounces of sifted pastry flour, a pound powdered sugar, twelve eggs, two table- spoons rose water, or other flavors may be used, as almonds, using an ounce blanched bitter almonds; lemon, use the grated rind and juice of two large lemons, mixed and strained after standing an hour; vanilla, use a tablespoon of vanilla sugar, beat in with the yelks at first — the two others mix with the sugar. The cake may be iced with rose icing or with almond, orange-flower, lemon or vanilla icing. This is a very useful cake in the formation of the different Charlottes jelly cakes, lady-fingers, or in small round cup cakes.

473. Sponge Cake — Two cups sugar, five eggs, two-thirds cup boiling water, two and a-half cups flour, two teaspoons baking powder; beat the yelks of the eggs thin; add the sugar; when well

beaten together add the boiling water, then the whites which have been beaten to a stiff froth, and lastly the flour and baking powder; flavor with lemon or vanilla.

474. Cream Frosting — A cup of sweet cream whipped and flavored with vanilla, cut a loaf of cake in two, spread the frosting be- tween and on the top; this tastes like Charlotte Russe.

475. Hard or Plain Icing for Cake— Break the whites of four eggs into a large platter, in a cool room, or in summer set it on ice; whisk them until they foam, but do not whiten; then sift in the sugar slowly, beating steadily from the bottom, so as to bring up every drop at each sweep of the whip, and continue until as white and fine as snow and can be cut with a knife.

If the whites do not froth, throw in a pinch of alum or soda; some- times they may require a little more sugar, but the average is four ounces to the white of a full-sized egg. This is a plain icing. All icings should be applied in two coats; let the first one dry before putting on the second, which can be sufficiently thinned with water to work smooth. If any ornaments are used, they must be put on while the second icing is still moist. The flavors mostly used are almond, chocolate, lemon, orange, rose or vanilla.

476. A Soft Icing — Is preferable to hard for some kinds of cake. Mix half a pound of finely pulverized and sifted sugar with a tablespoon boiling water, and the same of any fruit juices fancied; spread at once on the cake while yet warm, about an eighth of an inch thick; color if desired.

CONFECTIONERY.

We give only such plain home-made candies as are easily produced.

Most kitchens will possess utensils which may be used in candy- making, one of the most convenient of which is a block tin sauce-pan, with flaring sides, a long handle, and a lip to facilitate pouring; or a porce- lain, iron or brass kettle will do, but should be very clean. Make can- dies in a vessel deep enough to contain it when swelled by heat, and remove from the fire when danger of boiling over. Watch carefully that it does not burn.

477. Clarifying Syrup — Dissolve four pounds white sugar in a quart of water, place over a slow fire for half an hour and stir in the white of an egg; skim off all impurities that arise, or dissolve together a small quantity of gelatine and gum-arabic and pour in instead of the ^gg* To perfect the clarification still more strain it through a jelly bag.

478. Other Candies — Are produced from the same syrup by bringing it to such a heat that the threads which drop from the spoon, when exposed to cold air, will be brittle and snap like glass. When this stage is reached add a teaspoon of vinegar or cream tartar to pre- vent graining. It may then be flavored, colored, poured into pans or pulled into sticks. To make into sticks pull or roll into shape, with the hands greased or floured.

479. Rock Candy — Boil the above much longer; allow it to cool, and the crystallization will form at the sides of the kettle or adhere to threads hung in it.

480. Butter Scotch — Three pounds "A " coffee sugar, aquar- ter pound butter, half teaspoon cream tartar, eight drops extract lemon; add sufficient water only to dissolve the sugar; boil without stirring till it will easily break when dropped in cold water, and when done add the lemon; pour into a well buttered dripping-pan a quarter inch thick, and when partly cold mark off into small squares.

481. Ice Cream Candy — Make the candy as above, flavoring with vanilla, rose or lemon, and when partly cold pull until very white. It may also be colored to a pink color with a little carmine.

482. Chocolate Caramels — One and a-half cups grated cho- colate, four of brown sugar, one and a-half cold water, an egg-sized piece of butter and two tablespoons sharp vinegar; boil on the top of a stove over a brisk fire until it becomes brittle when dropped in water; do not stir, but shake the vessel while boiling; flavor with two table- spoons vanilla just before taking from the fire; pour into a buttered and floured dripping-pan, and check off into even squares while soft.

483. Cocoa-Nut Drops — One pound desiccated cocoa-nut, half pound powdered sugar and the wrhite of an egg; work all together, roll into little balls in the hand and bake on buttered tins.

484. Hickory Nut Macaroons — To hickory nuts pounded fine add mixed ground allspice and nutmeg; make a frosting as for cakes; stir in the meats and spices, putting in enough only to make it convenient to handle; flour the hands, and make the mixture into balls about the size of a nutmeg; lay them on tins well buttered, giving room to spread; bake in a quick oven; use washed butter for greasing the tins; lard or salt butter gives an unpleasant taste.

485. Hoarhound Candy — Boil two ounces dried hoarhound in a pint and a-half water for about half an hour, strain and add three and a half pounds brown sugar; boil over a hot fire until sufficiently hard; pour out in flat, well greased tins and mark into sticks or small squares with a knife as soon as cool enough to retain its shape.

486. Molasses Candy — One cup molasses (common or New Orleans), one cup sugar, an egg-sized piece of butter sweet and not salt, and a tablespoon vinegar; boil, but do not stir until it hardens when dropped into cold water; when done stir in a teaspoon of soda and beat well; pour into buttered pans, and when cool pull until white; cut into sticks; flavor if desired, just before pouring out to cool.

487. Caramel or Burnt Sugar — For Coloring Soups, Sauces or Gravies — Put one cup sugar and two teaspoons water in a sauce- pan on the fire; stir constantly until it is quite a dark color, then add a • half cup water and a pinch of salt; let it boil a few minutes, and when cold, bottle.

^ICE CREAM.**

WM. THOMPSON,

Manufacturer of Pure . AND WHOLESALE DEALER IN

■^Milk and Creams

I make a specialty of Dining Cars, Hotels, Restaurants, Picnics, Church Festivals, Dealers, etc.

Beino- the largest manufacturer in the West and the secondln the United States, and affording better facilities than other manufacturers, by owning my own milk dairy, raising my own cream, owning four farms stocked with cows, which produce ioo cans of milk daily, and being the largest milk dealer in the city, I feel justified in guaran- teeing to my patrons better goods for the same money than any other dealer.

Goods delivered in city free of charge.

Again soliciting your valued patronage, I am, very respectfully, yours,

WM. THOMPSON,

154 Dearborn St., Chicago, 111.

P. S.— Country orders will receive prompt attention. Special rates to dealers.

CUSTARDS, CREAMS 9 ICES.

Note — The preparation of these delicacies successfully is a matter of considerable care and attention to detail, and the following condensed directions are necessary:

A custard-kettle is almost indispensable, but one may be improvised by setting a tin pail within a kettle or sauce-pan; it is made of block tin or tinned iron, one within the other, forming a water-bath. Gelatine used for creams should be soaked for an hour or so in a little cold water or milk set in a warm place; a bowl set in the top of a tea kettle will be most convenient. Use it by pouring into the hot custard just after removing from the fire. For creams or custards, eggs should be beaten in stone or earthenware to attain the creamy lightness desirable. For custards, the usual rule is four eggs, a cup sugar, and a saltspoon of salt to a quart of milk. Bake in a baking-dish until firm in the center, taking care that the heat is but moderate, or it will turn mostly to whey; it will thus be much more delicate. For boiled custards, the yelks alone should be used, but for economy, the whole egg; boil the milk in the custard-kettle, and when, by a light foam on top, it shows, to be about boiling, add the sugar; let it remain a few minutes, stirring until it thickens a little, but not long enough to curdle, then immedi- ately set the inner kettle (or pail, if not a custard-kettle) in cold water, or at once turn out into a cold dish; curdling will result from its stand- ing in the kettle. Boiled custards require the closest attention until finished. A box-wood or heavily tinned iron spoon, with a long handle, should be used for custards or creams.

The moulds for Charlotte Russe, blanc mange, and all other creams should be first wTet with cold water before setting on the ice to harden. Gelatine is not necessary for Charlotte Russe; the filling may be made stiff enough by using an egg whip or beater, or whip churn, for the purpose.

488. Ice Creams — Note — There are two entire different and distinct kinds produced by confectioners or professional caterers in this country, one known as Neapolitan (originally produced at Naples, in Italy), and the Philadelphia, originating in that city. The former con- tains a greater proportion of eggs, and is rich, smooth and solid as butter, is a lemon yellow color and custard flavor. The latter has the full, rich flavor of sweet cream, and of a creamy white tint.

489. The Materials for ice cream are principally cream, sugar, eggs, all varieties of flavors, fruit and their juices, ice and salt; also may be added different colorings.

490. The Cream — Regarding cream, it may be said here that it can have no substitute, either by dilution with part milk, or milk and either tapioca, arrowroot, corn-starch or the addition of gelatine; the production will not be ice cream, but a frozen milk custard. The first operation is the cooking of the cream and sugar, with or without eggs, according to the kind, Neapolitan or Philadelphia, desired.

491 . For Neapolitan Ice Cream — Strain and beat the yelks to a smooth cream, add the sugar and again beat; strain and whisk the whites to the stiffest possible froth, and stir briskly with the yelks and sugar; then mix with the cream, adding such flavors as are needed to be cooked. Cook the whole in a custard-kettle over a brisk fire, stirring continually until it will slightly coat the blade of a knife, but does not run; then be careful it does not curdle. Take it off the fire and strain through a wire sieve into a crockery ware bowl; cover it with a gauze and let it cool; pour it into the freezer (which should be of at least six quarts capacity), and set it in the ice pail or tub, well pack it with ice, and let it stand, covered only with gauze, until thoroughly cold, when it is ready for freezing.

492. For Philadelphia Ice Cream — It is sometimes made from uncooked cream, if fresh, and if desired of a very light or snowy texture, this is better, but must be beat, during its entire freezing, vigorously. It will swell or increase in bulk from a quarter to a third, but loses in quality, and consequently the cooking is preferable, giving it greater body and richness. Cook it in a custard-kettle, as previously directed, until the water in the outer pan boils, take it off the fire, add the sugar and any flavors that may be cooked with it, stir until the sugar is entirely dissolved, let stand a few minutes, strain and cool same as the Neapolitan. Fruit juices are not to be cooked with cream in any case, but mixed with the sugar; stir until a clear syrup is produced, and stirred into the ice cold cream before commencing to freeze it; or better, beaten into it just after it is frozen. In attempting to freeze cream when even lukewarm, it is apt to curdle or become granulated; it is also more rapidly and easily frozen if first chilled, and with less ice.

493. The Freezer — For family use, select one of the new patent freezers, as being more rapid and less laborious for small quantities than the old style turned entirely by the hand. All conditions being perfect, those with crank and revolving dashers effect freezing in eight to fifteen minutes.

494. Freezing — Take the freezer containing the ice cream, as above, from the ice-pail, remove the ice and water; replace the freezer and pack with ice nearly to the brim, sprinkling a quart of coarse salt uniformly through it as it is put in; cover and fasten the can and turn the crank until difficult to turn longer; open the can, remove the dasher, scrape the hardened cream from the sides with a spatula, and beat the contents with a wooden paddle till smooth, but no longer; close the can, draw off the salt brine into a bucket; add fresh salt and ice, covering also the top; wrap a blanket or piece of carpet around and over the ice-pail; wet it well with icy brine and let stand for an hour and a-half to two hours; open the freezer, scrape down and beat the cream again, and again pack with fresh ice and salt to harden and ripen. Be very careful not to let a drop of brine or a grain of salt get into the cream. In very warm weather it may be necessary to renew the ice and salt a second or third time; it should always be done whenever the brine floats the ice. All the directions being followed no better ice cream can be produced.

495. Water Ices — Note — Are all compounded of the juice of fruit, sugar and water. For the reason that they are generally pro- duced in texture like a hardened mixture of flavored snow and water, often lumpy and having a gritty taste, they enjoy less popularity than ice creams. They melt quickly, even in the freezing can, if left open but a few minutes, and soon become soft and spongy. Water ices are made of many degrees of richness, from the pure juice of fruit, with its weight of sugar, down to a simple frozen lemonade.

By observing the following directions they may be made as smooth and firm as the best ice cream.

4:96. General Instructions for Producing in every Variety— -The sugar and water must be cooked in a custard-kettle to a clear syrup, the scum removed and then strained through a fine muslin cloth and set to cool; pour it into the freezer, add the prepared fruit juices and other materials, if any, and pack with ice in lumps the size of an egg, sprinkling in a quart of coarse salt as it is added; cover and fasten the can, and turn slowly and steadily until it goes rather hard. It requires more time for freezing than for ice creams, generally fifteen to twenty minutes.

Open the can, scrape down the sides, and stir till smooth; then put in the white of one eggy beaten with a teaspoon of finely powdered sugar, to a stiff froth, and worked smooth; a larger quantity of egg is apt to produce a milky appearance.

Then proceed as for ice cream at this stage, letting it stand longer, two to three hours. Always keep the blanket wet with the icy brine.

If the granular kind of ices are desired, mix the sugar, water and juices, and freeze without cooking; also omit the egg finish.

When fruit jellies are used, gently heat the water sufficiently to melt them, then cool and freeze as above directed. ^

497. Moulding — Ice creams and water ices are moulded in same manner. The moulds should be filled solidly in every part, to expel all air; heap the cream a little above the brim, press the cover down hard, bind a buttered cloth over the joint, and bury it in ice and salt. If the mould be a figure in two parts, fill each half a little more than full; the excess will squeeze out on closing, f When ready to serve, wash the moulds in cold water, take off the cloth, wipe, the mould dry, lift off the cover, and turn it over on a plate; if the room is warm it will slip off the cream in a few minutes. Never immerse or use warm water.

498. Granites or " Frappes " — Turn them out as soon as half frozen, like wet snow.

Six quarts of the following are produced by this process:

499. Orange Ice — Three quarts water, four pounds sugar, one quart orange juice and juice of two lemons; requires a dozen and a half juicy oranges. Lemon, strawberry or raspberry made in same manner, using the fruit juices or extracts.

J 500. Pineapple Ice — Water and sugar as above; one and a-half pints pineapple, a gill orange, and half a gill lemon juices; requires two large pines, six oranges and three lemons. The pineapple juice is pre- pared thus: Select bird's-eye pines, take out the core or heart, which is bitter; mash and strain the pulp, using immediately, as it quickly darkens,

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