Chapter XXVII: Very Good Puff-Paste (1)

1205. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 1 lb. of butter, and not quite 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.--Carefully weigh the flour and butter, and have the exact proportion; squeeze the butter well, to extract the water from it, and afterwards wring it in a clean cloth, that no moisture may remain. Sift the flour; see that it is perfectly dry, and proceed in the following manner to make the paste, using a very _clean_ paste-board and rolling-pin:--Supposing the quantity to be 1 lb. of flour, work the whole into a smooth paste, with not quite 1/2 pint of water, using a knife to mix it with: the proportion of this latter ingredient must be regulated by the discretion of the cook; if too much be added, the paste, when baked, will be tough. Roll it out until it is of an equal thickness of about an inch; break 4 oz. of the butter into small pieces; place these on the paste, sift over it a little flour, fold it over, roll out again, and put another 4 oz. of butter. Repeat the rolling and buttering until the paste has been rolled out 4 times, or equal quantities of flour and butter have been used. Do not omit, every time the paste is rolled out, to dredge a little flour over that and the rolling-pin, to prevent both from sticking. Handle the paste as lightly as possible, and do not press heavily upon it with the rolling-pin. The next thing to be considered is the oven, as the baking of pastry requires particular attention. Do not put it into the oven until it is sufficiently hot to raise the paste; for the best-prepared paste, if not properly baked, will be good for nothing. Brushing the paste as often as rolled out, and the pieces of butter placed thereon, with the white of an egg, assists it to rise in _leaves_ or _flakes_. As this is the great beauty of puff-paste, it is as well to try this method.

_Average cost_, 1s. 4d. per lb.

BUTTER.--About the second century of the Christian era, butter
was placed by Galen amongst the useful medical agents; and about
a century before him, Dioscorides mentioned that he had noticed
that fresh butter, made of ewes' and goats' milk, was served at
meals instead of oil, and that it took the place of fat in
making pastry. Thus we have undoubted authority that, eighteen
hundred years ago, there existed a knowledge of the useful
qualities of butter. The Romans seem to have set about making it
much as we do; for Pliny tells us, "Butter is made from milk;
and the use of this element, so much sought after by barbarous
nations, distinguished the rich from the common people. It is
obtained principally from cows' milk; that from ewes is the
fattest; goats also supply some. It is produced by agitating the
milk in long vessels with narrow openings: a little water is
added."

MEDIUM PUFF-PASTE.

1206. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 8 oz. of butter, 4 oz. of lard, not quite 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.--This paste may be made by the directions in the preceding recipe, only using less butter and substituting lard for a portion of it. Mix the flour to a smooth paste with not quite 1/2 pint of water; then roll it out 3 times, the first time covering the paste with butter, the second with lard, and the third with butter. Keep the rolling-pin and paste slightly dredged with flour, to prevent them from sticking, and it will be ready for use.

_Average cost_, 1s. per lb.

BUTTER IN HASTE.--In his "History of Food," Soyer says that to
obtain butter instantly, it is only necessary, in summer, to put
new milk into a bottle, some hours after it has been taken from
the cow, and shake it briskly. The clots which are thus formed
should be thrown into a sieve, washed and pressed together, and
they constitute the finest and most delicate butter that can
possibly be made.

COMMON PASTE, for Family Pies.

1207. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/4 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, rather more than 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.--Rub the butter lightly into the flour, and mix it to a smooth paste with the water; roll it out 2 or 3 times, and it will be ready for use. This paste may be converted into an excellent short crust for sweet tart, by adding to the flour, after the butter is rubbed in, 2 tablespoonfuls of fine-sifted sugar.

_Average cost_, 8d. per lb.

TO KEEP BUTTER FRESH.--One of the best means to preserve butter
fresh is, first to completely press out all the buttermilk, then
to keep it under water, renewing the water frequently, and to
remove it from the influence of heat and air, by wrapping it in
a wet cloth.

FRENCH PUFF-PASTE, or FEUILLETAGE.

(Founded on M. Ude's Recipe.)

1208. INGREDIENTS.--Equal quantities of flour and butter--say 1 lb. of each; 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, the yolks of 2 eggs, rather more than 1/4 pint of water.

_Mode_.--Weigh the flour; ascertain that it is perfectly _dry_, and sift it; squeeze all the water from the butter, and wring it in a clean cloth till there is no moisture remaining. Put the flour on the paste-board, work lightly into it 2 oz. of the butter, and then make a hole in the centre; into this well put the yolks of 2 eggs, the salt, and about 1/4 pint of water (the quantity of this latter ingredient must be regulated by the cook, as it is impossible to give the exact proportion of it); knead up the paste quickly and lightly, and, when quite smooth, roll it out square to the thickness of about 1/2 inch. Presuming that the butter is perfectly free from moisture, and _as cool_ as possible, roll it into a ball, and place this ball of butter on the paste; fold the paste over the butter all round, and secure it by wrapping it well all over. Flatten the paste by rolling it lightly with the rolling-pin until it is quite thin, but not thin enough to allow the butter to break through, and keep the board and paste dredged lightly with flour during the process of making it. This rolling gives it the _first_ turn. Now fold the paste in three, and roll out again, and, should the weather be very warm, put it in a cold place on the ground to cool between the several turns; for, unless this is particularly attended to, the paste will be spoiled. Roll out the paste again _twice_, put it by to cool, then roll it out _twice_ more, which will make 6 _turnings_ in all. Now fold the paste in two, and it will be ready for use. If properly baked and well made, this crust will be delicious, and should rise in the oven about 5 or 6 inches. The paste should be made rather firm in the first instance, as the ball of butter is liable to break through. Great attention must also be paid to keeping the butter very cool, as, if this is in a liquid and soft state, the paste will not answer at all. Should the cook be dexterous enough to succeed in making this, the paste will have a much better appearance than that made by the process of dividing the butter into 4 parts, and placing it over the rolled-out paste; but, until experience has been acquired, we recommend puff-paste made by recipe No. 1205. The above paste is used for vols-au-vent, small articles of pastry, and, in fact, everything that requires very light crust.

_Average cost_, 1s. 6d. per lb.

WHAT TO DO WITH RANCID BUTTER.--When butter has become very
rancid, it should be melted several times by a moderate heat,
with or without the addition of water, and as soon as it has
been well kneaded, after the cooling, in order to extract any
water it may have retained, it should be put into brown
freestone pots, sheltered from the contact of the air. The
French often add to it, after it has been melted, a piece of
toasted bread, which helps to destroy the tendency of the batter
to rancidity.

SOYER'S RECIPE FOR PUFF-PASTE.

1209. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow the yolk of 1 egg, the juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, cold water, 1 lb. of fresh butter.

_Mode_.--Put the flour on to the paste-board; make a hole in the centre, into which put the yolk of the egg, the lemon-juice, and salt; mix the whole with cold water (this should be iced in summer, if convenient) into a soft flexible paste, with the right hand, and handle it as little as possible; then squeeze all the buttermilk from the butter, wring it in a cloth, and roll out the paste; place the butter on this, and fold the edges of the paste over, so as to hide it; roll it out again to the thickness of 1/4 inch; fold over one third, over which again pass the rolling-pin; then fold over the other third, thus forming a square; place it with the ends, top, and bottom before you, shaking a little flour both under and over, and repeat the rolls and turns twice again, as before. Flour a baking-sheet, put the paste on this, and let it remain on ice or in some cool place for 1/2 hour; then roll twice more, turning it as before; place it again upon the ice for 1/4 hour, give it 2 more rolls, making 7 in all, and it is ready for use when required.

_Average cost_, 1s. 6d. per lb.

VERY GOOD SHORT CRUST FOR FRUIT TARTS.

1210. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 3/4 lb. of butter, 1 tablespoonful of sifted sugar, 1/3 pint of water.

_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour, after having ascertained that the latter is perfectly dry; add the sugar, and mix the whole into a stiff paste, with about 1/3 pint of water. Roll it out two or three times, folding the paste over each time, and it will be ready for use.

_Average cost_, 1s. 1d. per lb.

ANOTHER GOOD SHORT CRUST.

1211. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 8 oz. of butter, the yolks of 2 eggs, 2 oz. of sifted sugar, about 1/4 pint of milk.

_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour, add the sugar, and mix the whole as lightly as possible to a smooth paste, with the yolks of eggs well beaten, and the milk. The proportion of the latter ingredient must be judged of by the size of the eggs: if these are large, so much will not be required, and more if the eggs are smaller.

_Average cost_, 1s. per lb.

SUGAR AND BEETROOT.--There are two sorts of Beet,--white and
red; occasionally, in the south, a yellow variety is met with.
Beetroot contains twenty parts sugar. Everybody knows that the
beet has competed with the sugar-cane, and a great part of the
French sugar is manufactured from beet. Beetroot has a
refreshing, composing, and slightly purgative quality. The young
leaves, when cooked, are a substitute for spinach; they are also
useful for mixing with sorrel, to lessen its acidity. The large
ribs of the leaves are serviceable in various culinary
preparations; the root also may be prepared in several ways, but
its most general use is in salad. Some writers upon the subject
have expressed their opinion that beetroot is easily digested,
but those who have taken pains to carefully analyze its
qualities make quite a contrary statement. Youth, of course, can
digest it; but to persons of a certain age beet is very
indigestible, or rather, it does not digest at all. It is not
the sugary pulp which is indigestible, but its fibrous network
that resists the action of the gastric organs. Thus, when the
root is reduced to a puree, almost any person may eat it.

FRENCH SUGAR.--It had long been thought that tropical heat was
not necessary to form sugar, and, about 1740, it was discovered
that many plants of the temperate zone, and amongst others the
beet, contained it. Towards the beginning of the 19th century,
circumstances having, in France, made sugar scarce, and
consequently dear, the government caused inquiries to be
instituted as to the possibility of finding a substitute for it.
Accordingly, it was ascertained that sugar exists in the whole
vegetable kingdom; that it is to be found in the grape,
chestnut, potato; but that, far above all, the beet contains it
in a large proportion. Thus the beet became an object of the
most careful culture; and many experiments went to prove that in
this respect the old world was independent of the new. Many
manufactories came into existence in all parts of France, and
the making of sugar became naturalized in that country.

COMMON SHORT CRUST.

1212. INGREDIENTS.--To every pound of flour allow 2 oz. of sifted sugar, 3 oz. of butter, about 1/2 pint of boiling milk.

_Mode_.--Crumble the butter into the flour as finely as possible, add the sugar, and work the whole up to a smooth paste with the boiling milk. Roll it out thin, and bake in a moderate oven.

_Average cost_, 6d. per lb.

QUALITIES OF SUGAR.--Sugars obtained from various plants are in
fact, of the same nature, and have no intrinsic difference when
they have become equally purified by the same processes. Taste,
crystallization, colour, weight, are absolutely identical; and
the most accurate observer cannot distinguish the one from the
other.

BUTTER CRUST, for Boiled Puddings.

1213. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 6 oz. of butter, 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.--With a knife, work the flour to a smooth paste with 1/2 pint of water; roll the crust out rather thin; place the butter over it in small pieces; dredge lightly over it some flour, and fold the paste over; repeat the rolling once more, and the crust will be ready for use. It may be enriched by adding another 2 oz. of butter; but, for ordinary purposes, the above quantity will be found quite sufficient.

_Average cost_, 6d. per lb.

DRIPPING CRUST, for Kitchen Puddings, Pies, &c.

1214. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 6 oz. of clarified beef dripping, 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.--After having clarified the dripping, by either of the recipes No. 621 or 622, weigh it, and to every lb. of flour allow the above proportion of dripping. With a knife, work the flour into a smooth paste with the water, rolling it out 3 times, each time placing on the crust 2 oz. of the dripping, broken into small pieces. If this paste is lightly made, if good dripping is used, and _not too much_ of it, it will be found good; and by the addition of two tablespoonfuls of fine moist sugar, it may be converted into a common short crust for fruit pies.

_Average cost_, 4d. per pound.

WATER:--WHAT THE ANCIENTS THOUGHT OF IT.--All the nations of
antiquity possessed great veneration for water: thus, the
Egyptians offered prayers and homage to water, and the Nile was
an especial object of their adoration; the Persians would not
wash their hands; the Scythians honoured the Danube; the Greeks
and Romans erected altars to the fountains and rivers; and some
of the architectural embellishments executed for fountains in
Greece were remarkable for their beauty and delicacy. The purity
of the water was a great object of the care of the ancients; and
we learn that the Athenians appointed four officers to keep
watch and ward over the water in their city. These men had to
keep the fountains in order and clean the reservoirs, so that
the water might be preserved pure and limpid. Like officers were
appointed in other Greek cities.

SUET CRUST, for Pies or Puddings.

1215. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 5 or 6 oz. of beef suet, 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.--Free the suet from skin and shreds; chop it extremely fine, and rub it well into the flour; work the whole to a smooth paste with the above proportion of water; roll it out, and it is ready for use. This crust is quite rich enough for ordinary purposes, but when a better one is desired, use from 1/2 to 3/4 lb. of suet to every lb. of flour. Some cooks, for rich crusts, pound the suet in a mortar, with a small quantity of butter. It should then be laid on the paste in small pieces, the same as for puff-crust, and will be found exceedingly nice for hot tarts. 5 oz. of suet to every lb. of flour will make a very good crust; and even 1/4 lb. will answer very well for children, or where the crust is wanted very plain.

_Average cost_, 5d. per lb.

PATE BRISEE, or FRENCH CRUST, for Raised Pies.

1216. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, 2 eggs, 1/3 pint of water, 6 oz. of butter.

_Mode_.--Spread the flour, which should be sifted and thoroughly dry, on the paste-board; make a hole in the centre, into which put the butter; work it lightly into the flour, and when quite fine, add the salt; work the whole into a smooth paste with the eggs (yolks and whites) and water, and make it very firm. Knead the paste well, and let it be rather stiff, that the sides of the pie may be easily raised, and that they do not afterwards tumble or shrink.

_Average cost_, 1s. per lb.

_Note_.--This paste may be very much enriched by making it with equal quantities of flour and butter; but then it is not so easily raised as when made plainer.

WATER SUPPLY IN ROME.--Nothing in Italy is more extraordinary
than the remains of the ancient aqueducts. At first, the Romans
were contented with the water from the Tiber. Ancus Martius was
the first to commence the building of aqueducts destined to
convey the water of the fountain of Piconia from Tibur to Rome,
a distance of some 33,000 paces. Appius Claudius continued the
good work, and to him is due the completion of the celebrated
Appian Way. In time, the gigantic waterways greatly multiplied,
and, by the reign of Nero, there were constructed nine principal
aqueducts, the pipes of which were of bricks, baked tiles,
stone, lead, or wood. According to the calculation of Vigenerus,
half a million hogsheads of water were conveyed into Rome every
day, by upwards of 10,000 small pipes not one-third of an inch
in diameter. The water was received in large closed basins,
above which rose splendid monuments: these basins supplied other
subterranean conduits, connected with various quarters of the
city, and these conveyed water to small reservoirs furnished
with taps for the exclusive use of certain streets. The water
which was not drinkable ran out, by means of large pipes, into
extensive inclosures, where it served to water cattle. At these
places the people wished their linen; and here, too, was a
supply of the necessary element in case of fire.

COMMON CRUST FOR RAISED PIES.

1217. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 1/2 pint of water, 1-1/2 oz. of butter, 1-1/2 oz. of lard, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt.

_Mode_.--Put into a saucepan the water; when it boils, add the butter and lard; and when these are melted, make a hole in the middle of the flour; pour in the water gradually; beat it well with a wooden spoon, and be particular in not making the paste too soft. When it is well mixed, knead it with the hands until quite stiff, dredging a little flour over the paste and board, to prevent them from sticking. When it is well kneaded, place it before the fire, with a cloth covered over it, for a few minutes; it will then be more easily worked into shape. This paste does not taste so nicely as the preceding one, but is worked with greater facility, and answers just as well for raised pies, for the crust is seldom eaten.

_Average cost_, 5d, per lb.

LARD OR FLEAD CRUST.

1218. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 1/2 lb. of lard or flead, 1/2 pint of water, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt.

_Mode_.--Clear the flead free from skin, and slice it into thin flakes; rub it into the flour, add the salt, and work the whole into a smooth paste, with the above proportion of water; fold the paste over two or three times, beat it well with the rolling-pin, roll it out, and it will be ready for use. The crust made from this will be found extremely light, and may be made into cakes or tarts; it may also be very much enriched by adding more flead to the same proportion of flour.

_Average cost_, 8d. per lb.

NUTRITIOUS QUALITIES OF FLOUR.--The gluten of grain and the
albumen of vegetable juices are identical in composition with
the albumen of blood. Vegetable caseine has also the composition
of animal caseine. The finest wheat flour contains more starch
than the coarser; the bran of wheat is proportionably richer in
gluten. Rye and rye-bread contain a substance resembling
starch-gum (or dextrine, as it is called) in its properties,
which is very easily converted into sugar. The starch of barley
approaches in many properties to cellulose, and is, therefore,
less digestible. Oats are particularly rich in plastic
substances; Scotch oats are richer than those grown in England
or in Germany. This kind of grain contains in its ashes, after
deduction of the silica of the husks, very nearly the same
ingredients as are found in the ashes of the juice of flesh.
Fine American flour is one of the varieties which is richest in
gluten, and is consequently one of the most nutritious.

ALMOND CHEESECAKES.

1219. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of sweet almonds, 4 bitter ones, 3 eggs, 2 oz. of butter, the rind of 1/4 lemon, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 3 oz. of sugar.

_Mode_.--Blanch and pound the almonds smoothly in a mortar, with a little rose- or spring-water; stir in the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the butter, which should be warmed; add the grated lemon-peel and -juice, sweeten, and stir well until the whole is thoroughly mixed. Line some pattypans with puff-paste, put in the mixture, and bake for 20 minutes, or rather less in a quick oven.

_Time_.--20 minutes, or rather less.

_Average cost_, 10d.

_Sufficient_ for about 12 cheesecakes.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

ALMONDS.--Almonds are the fruit of the _Amygdalus commenis_, and
are cultivated throughout the whole of the south of Europe,
Syria, Persia, and Northern Africa; but England is mostly
supplied with those which are grown in Spain and the south of
France. They are distinguished into Sweet and Bitter, the
produce of different varieties. Of the sweet, there are two
varieties, distinguished in commerce by the names of Jordan and
Valentia almonds. The former are imported from Malaga, and are
longer, narrower, more pointed, and more highly esteemed than
the latter, which are imported from Valentia. Bitter almonds are
principally obtained from Morocco, and are exported from
Mogador.

ALMOND PASTE, for Second-Course Dishes.

1220. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of sweet almonds, 6 bitter ones, 1 lb. of very finely sifted sugar, the whites of 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Blanch the almonds, and dry them thoroughly; put them into a mortar, and pound them well, wetting them gradually with the whites of 2 eggs. When well pounded, put them into a small preserving-pan, add the sugar, and place the pan on a small but clear fire (a hot-plate is better); keep stirring until the paste is dry, then take it out of the pan, put it between two dishes, and, when cold, make it into any shape that fancy may dictate.

_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 2s. for the above quantity.

_Sufficient_ for 3 small dishes of pastry.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

BITTER ALMONDS.--The Bitter Almond is a variety of the common
almond, and is injurious to animal life, on account of the great
quantity of hydrocyanic acid it contains, and is consequently
seldom used in domestic economy, unless it be to give flavour to
confectionery; and even then it should he used with great
caution. A single drop of the essential oil of bitter almonds is
sufficient to destroy a bird, and four drops have caused the
death of a middle-sized dog.

BAKED ALMOND PUDDING.

(_Very rich_.)

1221. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of almonds, 4 bitter ditto, 1 glass of sherry, 4 eggs, the rind and juice of 1/2 lemon, 3 oz. of butter, 1 pint of cream, 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar.

_Mode_.--Blanch and pound the almonds to a smooth paste with the water; mix these with the butter, which should be melted; beat up the eggs, grate the lemon-rind, and strain the juice; add these, with the cream, sugar, and wine, to the other ingredients, and stir them well together. When well mixed, put it into a pie-dish lined with puff-paste, and bake for 1/2 hour.

_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 2s. 3d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Note_.--To make this pudding more economically, substitute milk for the cream; but then add rather more than 1 oz. of finely grated bread.

USES OF THE SWEET ALMOND.--The kernels of the sweet almond are
used either in a green or ripe state, and as an article in the
dessert. Into cookery, confectionery, perfumery, and medicine,
they largely enter, and in domestic economy, should always be
used in preference to bitter almonds. The reason for advising
this, is because the kernels do not contain any hydrocyanic or
prussic acid, although it is found in the leaves, flowers, and
bark of the tree. When young and green, they are preserved in
sugar, like green apricots. They furnish the almond-oil; and the
farinaceous matter which is left after the oil is expressed,
forms the _pâte d'amandes_ of perfumers. In the arts, the oil is
employed for the same purposes as the olive-oil, and forms the
basis of kalydor, macassar oil, Gowland's lotion, and many other
articles of that kind vended by perfumers. In medicine, it is
considered a nutritive, laxative, and an emollient.

SMALL ALMOND PUDDINGS.

1222. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of sweet almonds, 6 bitter ones, 1/4 lb. of butter, 4 eggs, 2 tablespoonfuls of sifted sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream, 1 tablespoonful of brandy.

_Mode_.--Blanch and pound the almonds to a smooth paste with a spoonful of water; warm the butter, mix the almonds with this, and add the other ingredients, leaving out the whites of 2 eggs, and be particular that these are well beaten. Mix well, butter some cups, half fill them, and bake the puddings from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour. Turn them out on a dish, and serve with sweet sauce.

_Time_.--20 minutes to 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

THE HUSKS OF ALMONDS.--In the environs of Alicante, the husks of
almonds are ground to a powder, and enter into the composition
of common soap, the large quantity of alkaline principle they
contain rendering them suitable for this purpose. It is said
that in some parts of the south of France, where they are
extensively grown, horses and mules are fed on the green and dry
husks; but, to prevent any evil consequences arising from this
practice, they are mixed with chopped straw or oats.

ALMOND PUFFS.

1223. INGREDIENTS.--2 tablespoonfuls of flour, 2 oz. of butter, 2 oz. of pounded sugar, 2 oz. of sweet almonds, 4 bitter almonds.

_Mode_.--Blanch and pound the almonds in a mortar to a smooth paste; melt the butter, dredge in the flour, and add the sugar and pounded almonds. Beat the mixture well, and put it into cups or very tiny jelly-pots, which should be well buttered, and bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes, or longer should the puffs be large. Turn them out on a dish, the bottom of the puff upper-most, and serve.

_Time_.--20 minutes. _Average cost_, 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 2 or 3 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

AUNT NELLY'S PUDDING.

1224. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of treacle, 1/2 lb. of suet, the rind and juice of 1 lemon, a few strips of candied lemon-peel, 3 tablespoonfuls of cream, 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Chop the suet finely; mix with it the flour, treacle, lemon-peel minced, and candied lemon-peel; add the cream, lemon-juice, and 2 well-beaten eggs; beat the pudding well, put it into a buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, and boil from 3-1/2 to 4 hours.

_Time_.--3-1/2 to 4 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 2d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time, but more suitable for a winter pudding.

TREACLE, OR MOLASSES.--Treacle is the uncrystallizable part of
the saccharine juice drained from the Muscovado sugar, and is
either naturally so or rendered uncrystallizable through some
defect in the process of boiling. As it contains a large
quantity of sweet or saccharine principle and is cheap, it is of
great use as an article of domestic economy. Children are
especially fond of it; and it is accounted wholesome. It is also
useful for making beer, rum, and the very dark syrups.

BAKED APPLE DUMPLINGS (a Plain Family Dish).

1225. INGREDIENTS.--6 apples, 3/4 lb.. of suet-crust No. 1215, sugar to taste.

_Mode_.--Pare and take out the cores of the apples without dividing them, and make 1/2 lb. of suet-crust by recipe No. 1215; roll the apples in the crust, previously sweetening them with moist sugar, and taking care to join the paste nicely. When they are formed into round balls, put them on a tin, and bake them for about 1/2 hour, or longer should the apples be very large; arrange them pyramidically on a dish, and sift over them some pounded white sugar. These may be made richer by using one of the puff-pastes instead of suet.

_Time_.--From 1/2 to 3/4 hour, or longer. _Average cost_, 1-1/2d. each.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ from August to March, but flavourless after the end of January.

USES OF THE APPLE.--It is well known that this fruit forms a
very important article of food, in the form of pies and
puddings, and furnishes several delicacies, such as sauces,
marmalades, and jellies, and is much esteemed as a dessert
fruit. When flattened in the form of round cakes, and baked in
ovens, they are called beefings; and large quantities are
annually dried in the sun in America, as well as in Normandy,
and stored for use during winter, when they may be stewed or
made into pies. In a roasted state they are remarkably
wholesome, and, it is said, strengthening to a weak stomach. In
putrid and malignant fevers, when used with the juice of lemons
and currants, they are considered highly efficacious.

APPLE CHEESECAKES.

1226. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of apple pulp, 1/4 lb. of sifted sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter, 4 eggs, the rind and juice of 1 lemon.

_Mode_.--Pare, core, and boil sufficient apples to make 1/2 lb. when cooked; add to these the sugar, the butter, which should be melted; the eggs, leaving out 2 of the whites, and take grated rind and juice of 1 lemon; stir the mixture well; line some patty-pans with puff-paste, put in the mixture, and bake about 20 minutes.

_Time_.--About 20 minutes.

_Average cost_, for the above quantity, with the paste, 1s. 2d.

_Sufficient_ for about 18 or 20 cheesecakes.

_Seasonable_ from August to March.

THE APPLE.--The most useful of all the British fruits is the
apple, which is a native of Britain, and may be found in woods
and hedges, in the form of the common wild crab, of which all
our best apples are merely seminal varieties, produced by
culture or particular circumstances. In most temperate climates
it is very extensively cultivated, and in England, both as
regards variety and quantity, it is excellent and abundant.
Immense supplies are also imported from the United States and
from France. The apples grown in the vicinity of New York are
universally admitted to be the finest of any; but unless
selected and packed with great care, they are apt to spoil
before reaching England.

BOILED APPLE DUMPLINGS.

1227. INGREDIENTS.--6 apples, 3/4 lb. of suet-crust No. 1215, sugar to taste.

_Mode_.--Pare and take out the cores of the apples without dividing them; sweeten, and roll each apple in a piece of crust, made by recipe No. 1211; be particular that the paste is nicely joined; put the dumplings into floured cloths, tie them securely, and put them into boiling water. Keep them boiling from 1/2 to 3/4 hour; remove the cloths, and send them hot and quickly to table. Dumplings boiled in knitted cloths have a very pretty appearance when they come to table. The cloths should be made square, just large enough to hold one dumpling, and should be knitted in plain knitting, with _very coarse_ cotton.

_Time_.--3/4 to 1 hour, or longer should the dumplings be very large.

_Average cost_, 11/2d. each.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ from August to March, but flavourless after the end of January.

LAMBSWOOL, or LAMASOOL.--This old English beverage is composed
of apples mixed with ale, and seasoned with sugar and spice. It
takes its name from _Lamaes abhal_, which, in ancient British,
signifies the day of apple fruit, from being drunk on the apple
feast in autumn. In France, a beverage, called by the Parisians
_raisinée_, is made by boiling any given quantity of new wine,
skimming it as often as fresh scum rises, and, when it is boiled
to half its bulk, straining it. To this apples, pared and cut
into quarters, are added; the whole is then allowed to simmer
gently, stirring it all the time with a long wooden spoon, till
the apples are thoroughly mixed with the liquor, and the whole
forms a species of marmalade, which is extremely agreeable to
the taste, having a slight flavour of acidity, like lemon mixed
with honey.

RICH BAKED APPLE PUDDING.

I.

1228. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of the pulp of apples, 1/2 lb. of loaf sugar, 6 oz. of butter, the rind of 1 lemon, 6 eggs, puff-paste.

_Mode_.--Peel, core, and cut the apples, as for sauce; put them into a stewpan, with only just sufficient water to prevent them from burning, and let them stew until reduced to a pulp. Weigh the pulp, and to every 1/2 lb. add sifted sugar, grated lemon-rind, and 6 well-beaten eggs. Beat these ingredients well together; then melt the butter, stir it to the other things, put a border of puff-paste round the dish, and bake for rather more than 1/2 hour. The butter should not be added until the pudding is ready for the oven.

_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour.

_Average cost_, 1s. 10d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from August to March.

II.

(_More Economical_.)

1229. INGREDIENTS.--12 large apples, 6 oz. of moist sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter, 4 eggs, 1 pint of bread crumbs.

_Mode_.--Pare, core, and cut the apples, as for sauce, and boil them until reduced to a pulp; then add the butter, melted, and the eggs, which should be well whisked. Beat up the pudding for 2 or 3 minutes; butter a pie-dish; put in a layer of bread crumbs, then the apple, and then another layer of bread crumbs; flake over these a few tiny pieces of butter, and bake for about 1/2 hour.

_Time_.--About 1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, 1s. 3d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from August to March.

_Note_.--A very good economical pudding may be made merely with apples, boiled and sweetened, with the addition of a few strips of lemon-peel. A layer of bread crumbs should be placed above and below the apples, and the pudding baked for 1/2 hour.

CONSTITUENTS OF THE APPLE.--All apples contain sugar, malic
acid, or the acid of apples; mucilage, or gum; woody fibre, and
water; together with some aroma, on which their peculiar flavour
depends. The hard acid kinds are unwholesome if eaten raw; but
by the process of cooking, a great deal of this acid is
decomposed and converted into sugar. The sweet and mellow kinds
form a valuable addition to the dessert. A great part of the
acid juice is converted into sugar as the fruit ripens, and even
after it is gathered, by natural process, termed maturation;
but, when apples decay, the sugar is changed into a bitter
principle, and the mucilage becomes mouldy and offensive. Old
cheese has a remarkable effect in meliorating the apple when
eaten; probably from the volatile alkali or ammonia of the
cheese neutralizing its acid.

RICH SWEET APPLE PUDDING.

1230. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of bread crumbs, 1/2 lb. of suet, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1/2 lb. of apples, 1/2 lb. of moist sugar, 6 eggs, 12 sweet almonds, 1/2 saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, 1 wineglassful of brandy.

_Mode_.--Chop the suet very fine; wash the currants, dry them, and pick away the stalks and pieces of grit; pare, core, and chop the apple, and grate the bread into fine crumbs, and mince the almonds. Mix all these ingredients together, adding the sugar and nutmeg; beat up the eggs, omitting the whites of three; stir these to the pudding, and when all is well mixed, add the brandy, and put the pudding into a buttered mould; tie down with a cloth, put it into boiling water, and let it boil for 3 hours.

_Time_.--3 hours.

_Average cost_, 2s.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from August to March.

TO PRESERVE APPLES.--The best mode of preserving apples is to
carry them at once to the fruit-room, where they should be put
upon shelves, covered with white paper, after gently wiping each
of the fruit. The room should be dry, and well aired, but should
not admit the sun. The finer and larger kinds of fruit should
not be allowed to touch each other, but should be kept separate.
For this purpose, a number of shallow trays should be provided,
supported by racks or stands above each other. In very cold
frosty weather, means should be adopted for warming the room.

BAKED APPLE PUDDING.

(_Very Good_.)

1231. INGREDIENTS.--5 moderate-sized apples, 2 tablespoonfuls of finely-chopped suet, 3 eggs, 3 tablespoonfuls of flour, 1 pint of milk, a little grated nutmeg.

_Mode_.--Mix the flour to a smooth batter with the milk; add the eggs, which should be well whisked, and put this batter into a well-buttered pie-dish. Wipe the apples clean, but do not pare them; cut them in halves, and take out the cores; lay them in the batter, rind uppermost; shake the suet on the top, over which, also grate a little nutmeg; bake in a moderate oven for an hour, and cover, when served, with sifted loaf sugar. This pudding is also very good with the apples pared, sliced, and mixed with the batter.

_Time_.--1 hour.

_Average cost_, 9d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

BOILED APPLE PUDDING.

1232. INGREDIENTS.--Crust No. 1215, apples, sugar to taste, 1 small teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel, 2 tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice.

_Mode_.--Make a butter-crust by recipe No. 1213, or a suet one by recipe No. 1215, using for a moderate-sized pudding from 3/4 to 1 lb. of flour, with the other ingredients in proportion. Butter a basin; line it with some of the paste; pare, core, and cut the apples into slices, and fill the basin with these; add the sugar, the lemon-peel and juice, and cover with crust; pinch the edges together, flour the cloth, place it over the pudding, tie it securely, and put it into plenty of fast-boiling water. Let it boil from 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours, according to the size; then turn it out of the basin and send to table quickly. Apple puddings may also be boiled in a cloth without a basin; but, when made in this way, must be served without the least delay, as the crust so soon becomes heavy. Apple pudding is a very convenient dish to have when the dinner-hour is rather uncertain, as it does not spoil by being boiled an extra hour; care, however, must be taken to keep it well covered with the water all the time, and not to allow it to stop boiling.

_Time_.--From 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours, according to the size of the pudding and the quality of the apples.

_Average cost_, 10d.

_Sufficient_, made with 1 lb. of flour, for 7 or 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ from August to March; but the apples become flavourless and scarce after February.

APPLE TART OR PIE.

1233. INGREDIENTS.--Puff-paste No. 1205 or 1206, apples; to every lb. of unpared apples allow 2 oz. of moist sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice.

_Mode_.--Make 1/2 lb. of puff-paste by either of the above-named recipes, place a border of it round the edge of a pie-dish, and fill it with apples pared, cored, and cut into slices; sweeten with moist sugar, add the lemon-peel and juice, and 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of water; cover with crust, cut it evenly round close to the edge of the pie-dish, and bake in a hot oven from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, or rather longer, should the pie be very large. When it is three-parts done, take it out of the oven, put the white of an egg on a plate, and, with the blade of a knife, whisk it to a froth; brush the pie over with this, then sprinkle upon it some sifted sugar, and then a few drops of water. Put the pie back into the oven, and finish baking, and be particularly careful that it does not catch or burn, which it is very liable to do after the crust is iced. If made with a plain crust, the icing may be omitted.

_Time_.--1/2 hour before the crust is iced; 10 to 15 minutes afterwards.

_Average cost_, 9d.

_Sufficient_.--Allow 2 lbs. of apples for a tart for 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from August to March; but the apples become flavourless after February.

_Note_.--Many things are suggested for the flavouring of apple pie; some say 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of beer, others the same quantity of sherry, which very much improve the taste; whilst the old-fashioned addition of a few cloves is, by many persons, preferred to anything else, as also a few slices of quince.

QUINCES.--The environs of Corinth originally produced the most
beautiful quinces, but the plant was subsequently introduced
into Gaul with the most perfect success. The ancients preserved
the fruit by placing it, with its branches and leaves, in a
vessel filled with honey or sweet wine, which was reduced to
half the quantity by ebullition. Quinces may be profitably
cultivated in this country as a variety with other fruit-trees,
and may be planted in espaliers or as standards. A very
fine-flavoured marmalade may be prepared from quinces, and a
small portion of quince in apple pie much improves its flavour.
The French use quinces for flavouring many sauces. This fruit
has the remarkable peculiarity of exhaling an agreeable odour,
taken singly; but when in any quantity, or when they are stowed
away in a drawer or close room, the pleasant aroma becomes an
intolerable stench, although the fruit may be perfectly sound;
it is therefore desirable that, as but a few quinces are
required for keeping, they should be kept in a high and dry
loft, and out of the way of the rooms used by the family.

CREAMED APPLE TART.

1234. INGREDIENTS.--Puff-crust No. 1205 or 1206, apples; to every lb. of pared and cored apples, allow 2 oz. of moist sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1/2 pint of boiled custard.

_Mode_.--Make an apple tart by the preceding recipe, with the exception of omitting the icing. When the tart is baked, cut out the middle of the lid or crust, leaving a border all round the dish. Fill up with a nicely-made boiled custard, grate a little nutmeg over the top, and the pie is ready for table. This tart is usually eaten cold; is rather an old-fashioned dish, but, at the same time, extremely nice.

_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour.

_Average cost_, 1s. 3d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from August to March.

APPLE SNOWBALLS.

1235. INGREDIENTS.--2 teacupfuls of rice, apples, moist sugar, cloves.

_Mode_.--Boil the rice in milk until three-parts done; then strain it off, and pare and core the apples without dividing them. Put a small quantity of sugar and a clove into each apple, put the rice round them, and tie each ball separately in a cloth. Boil until the apples are tender; then take them up, remove the cloths, and serve.

_Time_.--1/2 hour to boil the rice separately; 1/2 to 1 hour with the apple.

_Seasonable_ from August to March.

APPLE TOURTE OR CAKE.

(_German Recipe_.)

1236. INGREDIENTS.--10 or 12 apples, sugar to taste, the rind of 1 small lemon, 3 eggs, 1/4 pint of cream or milk, 1/4 lb. of butter, 3/4 lb. of good short crust No. 1211, 3 oz. of sweet almonds.

_Mode_.--Pare, core, and cut the apples into small pieces; put sufficient moist sugar to sweeten them into a basin; add the lemon-peel, which should be finely minced, and the cream; stir these ingredients well, whisk the eggs, and melt the butter; mix altogether, add the sliced apple, and let these be well stirred into the mixture. Line a large round plate with the paste, place a narrow rim of the same round the outer edge, and lay the apples thickly in the middle. Blanch the almonds, cut them into long shreds, and strew over the top of the apples, and bake from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, taking care that the almonds do not get burnt: when done, strew some sifted sugar over the top, and serve. This tourte may be eaten either hot or cold, and is sufficient to fill 2 large-sized plates.

_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour.

_Average cost_, 2s. 2d.

_Sufficient_ for 2 large-sized tourtes.

_Seasonable_ from August to March.

APPLES.--No fruit is so universally popular as the apple. It is
grown extensively for cider, but many sorts are cultivated for
the table. The apple, uncooked, is less digestible than the
pear; the degree of digestibility varying according to the
firmness of its texture and flavour. Very wholesome and
delicious jellies, marmalades, and sweetmeats are prepared from
it. Entremets of apples are made in great variety. Apples, when
peeled, cored, and well cooked, are a most grateful food for the
dyspeptic.

ALMA PUDDING.

1237. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of fresh butter, 1/2 lb. of powdered sugar, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of currants, 4 eggs.

_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a thick cream, strew in, by degrees, the sugar, and mix both these well together; then dredge the flour in gradually, add the currants, and moisten with the eggs, which should be well beaten. When all the ingredients are well stirred and mixed, butter a mould that will hold the mixture exactly, tie it down with a cloth, put the pudding into boiling water, and boil for 5 hours; when turned out, strew some powdered sugar over it, and serve.

_Time_.--6 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

BAKED APRICOT PUDDING.

1238. INGREDIENTS.--12 large apricots, 3/4 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 1/2 to 3/4 hour.

_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour. Average cost, in full season, 1s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ in August, September, and October.

APRICOT TART.

1239. INGREDIENTS.--12 or 14 apricots, sugar to taste, puff-paste or short crust.

_Mode_.--Break the apricots in half, take out the stones, and put them into a pie-dish, in the centre of which place a very small cup or jar, bottom uppermost; sweeten with good moist sugar, but add no water. Line the edge of the dish with paste, put on the cover, and ornament the pie in any of the usual modes. Bake from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, according to size; and if puff-paste is used, glaze it about 10 minutes before the pie is done, and put it into the oven again to set the glaze. Short crust merely requires a little sifted sugar sprinkled over it before being sent to table.

_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, in full season, 1s.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ in August, September, and October; green ones rather earlier.

_Note_.--Green apricots make very good tarts, but they should be boiled with a little sugar and water before they are covered with the crust.

APRICOTS.--The apricot is indigenous to the plains of Armenia,
but is now cultivated in almost every climate, temperate or
tropical. There are several varieties. The skin of this fruit
has a perfumed flavour, highly esteemed. A good apricot, when
perfectly ripe, is an excellent fruit. It has been somewhat
condemned for its laxative qualities, but this has possibly
arisen from the fruit having been eaten unripe, or in too great
excess. Delicate persons should not eat the apricot uncooked,
without a liberal allowance of powdered sugar. The apricot makes
excellent jam and marmalade, and there are several foreign
preparations of it which are considered great luxuries.

BAKED OR BOILED ARROWROOT PUDDING.

1240. INGREDIENTS.--2 tablespoonfuls of arrowroot, 1-1/2 pint of milk, 1 oz. of butter, the rind of 1/2 lemon, 2 heaped tablespoonfuls of moist sugar, a little grated nutmeg.

_Mode_.--Mix the arrowroot with as much cold milk as will make it into a smooth batter, moderately thick; put the remainder of the milk into a stewpan with the lemon-peel, and let it infuse for about 1/2 hour; when it boils, strain it gently to the batter, stirring it all the time to keep it smooth; then add the butter; beat this well in until thoroughly mixed, and sweeten with moist sugar. Put the mixture into a pie-dish, round which has been placed a border of paste, grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake the pudding from 1 to 1-1/4 hour, in a moderate oven, or boil it the same length of time in a well-buttered basin. To enrich this pudding, stir to the other ingredients, just before it is put in the oven, 3 well-whisked eggs, and add a tablespoonful of brandy. For a nursery pudding, the addition of the latter ingredients will be found quite superfluous, as also the paste round the edge of the dish.

_Time_.--1 to 1-1/4 hour, baked or boiled. _Average cost_, 7d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

_ARROWROOT_.--In India, and in the colonies, by the process of
rasping, they extract from a vegetable (_Maranta arundinacea_) a
sediment nearly resembling tapioca. The grated pulp is sifted
into a quantity of water, from which it is afterwards strained
and dried, and the sediment thus produced is called arrowroot.
Its qualities closely resemble those of tapioca.

A BACHELOR'S PUDDING.

1241. INGREDIENTS.--4 oz. of grated bread, 4 oz. of currants, 4 oz. of apples, 2 oz. of sugar, 3 eggs, a few drops of essence of lemon, a little grated nutmeg.

_Mode_.--Pare, core, and mince the apples very finely, sufficient, when minced, to make 4 oz.; add to these the currants, which should be well washed, the grated bread, and sugar; whisk the eggs, beat these up with the remaining ingredients, and, when all is thoroughly mixed, put the pudding into a buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, and boil for 3 hours.

_Time_.--3 hours. _Average cost_, 9d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ from August to March.

BAKEWELL PUDDING.

(_Very Rich_.)

I.

1242. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of puff-paste, 5 eggs, 6 oz. of sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter, 1 oz. of almonds, jam.

_Mode_.--Cover a dish with thin paste, and put over this a layer of any kind of jam, 1/2 inch thick; put the yolks of 5 eggs into a basin with the white of 1, and beat these well; add the sifted sugar, the butter, which should be melted, and the almonds, which should be well pounded; beat all together until well mixed, then pour it into the dish over the jam, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven.

_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

II.

1243. INGREDIENTS.--3/4 pint of bread crumbs, 1 pint of milk, 4 eggs, 2 oz. of sugar, 3 oz. of butter, 1 oz. of pounded almonds, jam.

_Mode_.--Put the bread crumbs at the bottom of a pie-dish, then over them a layer of jam of any kind that may be preferred; mix the milk and eggs together; add the sugar, butter, and pounded almonds; beat fill well together; pour it into the dish, and bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour.

_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_. 1s. 3d. to 1s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

BARONESS PUDDING.

(_Author's Recipe_.)

1244. INGREDIENTS.--3/4 lb. of suet, 3/4 lb. of raisins weighed after being stoned, 3/4 lb. of flour, 1/2 pint of milk, 1/4 saltspoonful of salt.