APRICOT CREAM

_Ingredients._—12 to 16 ripe apricots, ½ lb. of sugar, 1½ pint of milk, the yolks of 8 eggs, 1 oz. of isinglass. _Mode._—Divide the apricots, take out the stones, and boil them in a syrup made with ¼ lb. of sugar and ¼ pint of water, until they form a thin marmalade, which rub through a sieve. Boil the milk with the other ¼ lb. of sugar, let it cool a little, then mix with it the yolks of eggs which have been previously well beaten; put this mixture into a jug, place this jug in boiling water, and stir it one way over the fire until it thickens; but on no account let it boil. Strain through a sieve, add the isinglass, previously boiled with a small quantity of water, and keep stirring it till nearly cold; then mix the cream with the apricots; stir well, put it into an oiled mould, and, if convenient, set it on ice; at any rate, in a very cool place. It should turn out on the dish without any difficulty. In winter-time, when fresh apricots are not obtainable, a little jam may be substituted for them. _Time._—From 20 to 30 minutes to boil the apricots. _Average cost_, 3_s._ 6_d._ _Sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _Seasonable_ in August, September, and October.

APRICOT JAM, or Marmalade.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of ripe apricots, weighed after being skinned and stoned, allow 1 lb. of sugar. _Mode._—Pare the apricots, which should be ripe, as thinly as possible, break them in half, and remove the stones. Weigh the fruit, and to every lb. allow the same proportion of loaf sugar. Pound the sugar very finely in a mortar, strew it over the apricots, which should be placed on dishes, and let them remain for 12 hours. Break the stones, blanch the kernels, and put them with the sugar and fruit into a preserving-pan. Let these simmer very gently until clear; take out the pieces of apricot singly as they become so, and, as fast as the scum rises, carefully remove it. Put the apricots into small jars, pour over them the syrup and kernels, cover the jam with pieces of paper dipped in the purest salad-oil, and stretch over the top of the jars tissue paper, cut about 2 inches larger and brushed over with the white of an egg: when dry, it will be perfectly hard and air-tight. _Time._—12 hours, sprinkled with sugar; about ¾ hour to boil the jam. _Average cost._—When cheap, apricots may be purchased for preserving at about 1_s._ 6_d._ per gallon. _Sufficient._—10 lbs. of fruit for 12 pots of jam. _Seasonable._—Make this in August or September.

APRICOT PUDDING, Baked.

_Ingredients._—12 large apricots, ¾ pint of bread-crumbs, 1 pint of milk, 3 oz. of pounded sugar, the yolks of 4 eggs, 1 glass of sherry. _Mode._—Make the milk boiling hot, and pour it on to the bread-crumbs; when half cold, add the sugar, the well-whisked yolks of the eggs, and the sherry. Divide the apricots in half, scald them until they are soft, and break them up with a spoon, adding a few of the kernels, which should be well pounded in a mortar; then mix the fruit and other ingredients together, put a border of paste round the dish, fill with the mixture, and bake the pudding from ½ to ¾ hour. _Time._—½ to ¾ hour. _Average cost_, in full season, 1_s._ 6_d._ _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ in August, September, and October.