Chapter XXX: Appendix: ; (2)

Sift two pounds and a quarter of fine flour, and add to it a pound and three quarters of treacle, six ounces of candied orange-peel cut small, three quarters of a pound of moist sugar, one ounce of ground ginger, and one ounce of allspice: melt to an oil three quarters of a pound of butter; mix the whole well together, and lay it by for twelve hours; roll it out with as little flour as possible, about half an inch thick; cut it into pieces three inches long and two wide; mark them in the form of checkers with the back of a knife; put them on a baking-plate about a quarter of an inch apart; rub them over with a brush dipped into the yelk of an egg beat up with a tea-cupful of milk; bake it in a cool oven about a quarter of an hour: when done, wash them slightly over again, divide the pieces with a knife (as in baking they will run together).

_Gingerbread Nuts._--(No. 76.)

To two pounds of sifted flour, put two pounds of treacle, three quarters of a pound of moist sugar, half a pound of candied orange-peel cut small, one ounce and a half of ground ginger, one ounce of ground caraways, and three quarters of a pound of butter oiled: mix all well together, and set it by some time; then roll it out in pieces about the size of a small walnut; lay them in rows on a baking-plate; dress them flat with the hand, and bake them in a slow oven about ten minutes.

_Plain Buns._--(No. 77.)

To four pounds of sifted flour put one pound of good moist sugar; make a cavity in the centre, and stir in a gill of good yest, a pint of lukewarm milk, with enough of the flour to make it the thickness of cream; cover it over, and let it lie two hours; then melt to an oil (but not hot) one pound of butter, stir it into the other ingredients, with enough warm milk to make it a soft paste; throw a little flour over, and let them lie an hour; have ready a baking-platter rubbed over with butter; mould with the hand the dough into buns, about the size of a large egg; lay them in rows full three inches apart; set them in a warm place for half an hour, or till they have risen to double their size; bake them in a hot oven of a good colour, and wash them over with a brush dipped into milk when drawn from the oven.

_Cross Buns._--(No. 78.)

To the above mixture put one ounce and a half of ground allspice, cinnamon, and mace, mixed; and when half proved, press the form of a cross with a tin mould (made for the purpose) in the centre, and proceed as above.

_Seed Buns._--(No. 79.)

Take two pounds of plain bun dough (No. 77), and mix in one ounce of caraway seeds; butter the insides of small tart-pans; mould the dough into buns, and put one in each pan; set them to rise in a warm place; and when sufficiently proved, ice them with the white of an egg beat to a froth, and laid on with a paste-brush; some pounded sugar upon that, and dissolve it with water splashed from the brush: bake them in a warm oven about ten minutes.

_Plum Buns._--(No. 80.)

To two pounds of No. 77 mixture, put half a pound of currants, a quarter of a pound of candied orange-peel cut into small pieces, half a nutmeg grated, half an ounce of mixed spice, such as allspice, cinnamon, &c.: mould them into buns; jag them round the edge with a knife, and proceed as with plain buns, No. 77.

_Orgeat._--(No. 81.)

Pound very fine one pound of Jordan, and one ounce of bitter, almonds, in a marble mortar, with half a gill of orange-flower water to keep them from oiling; then mix with them one pint of rose and one pint of spring-water; rub it through a tamis cloth or lawn sieve, till the almonds are quite dry, which will reduce the quantity to about a quart: have ready three pints of clarified sugar or water, and boil it to a crack (which may be known by dipping your fingers into the sugar, and then into cold water; and if you find the sugar to crack in moving your finger, it has boiled enough); put in the almonds; boil it one minute, and when cold put it into small bottles close corked; a table-spoonful of which will be sufficient for a tumbler of water: shake the bottle before using.

_Obs._--If the orgeat is for present use, the almonds may be pounded as above, and mixed with one quart of water, one quart of milk, a pint of capillaire or clarified sugar, rubbed through a tamis or fine sieve, and put into decanters for use.

_Baked Pears._--(No. 82.)

Take twelve large baking pears; pare and cut them into halves, leaving the stem about half an inch long; take out the core with the point of a knife, and place them close together in a block-tin saucepan, the inside of which is quite bright, with the cover to fit quite close; put to them the rind of a lemon cut thin, with half its juice, a small stick of cinnamon, and twenty grains of allspice; cover them with spring-water, and allow one pound of loaf-sugar to a pint and a half of water: cover them up close, and bake them for six hours in a very slow oven: they will be quite tender, and of a bright colour.

_Obs._--Prepared cochineal is generally used for colouring the pears; but if the above is strictly attended to, it will be found to answer best.

_To dry Apples._--(No. 83.)

Take biffins, or orange or lemon-pippins; the former are the best; choose the clearest rinds, and without any blemishes; lay them on clean straw on a baking-wire; cover them well with more straw; set them into a slow oven; let them remain for four or five hours; draw them out and rub them in your hands, and press them very gently, otherwise you will burst the skins; return them into the oven for about an hour; press them again; when cold, if they look dry, rub them over with a little clarified sugar.

_Obs._--By being put into the oven four or five times, pressing them between each time, they may be brought as flat, and eat as well, as the dried biffins from Norfolk.

_Icing, for Twelfth or Bride Cake._--(No. 84.)

Take one pound of double-refined sugar, pounded and sifted through a lawn sieve; put into a pan quite free from grease; break in the whites of six eggs, and as much powder blue as will lie on a sixpence; beat it well with a spattle for ten minutes; then squeeze in the juice of a lemon, and beat it till it becomes thick and transparent. Set the cake you intend to ice in an oven or warm place five minutes; then spread over the top and sides with the mixture as smooth as possible. If for a wedding-cake only, plain ice it; if for a twelfth cake, ornament it with gum paste, or fancy articles of any description.

_Obs._--A good twelfth cake, not baked too much, and kept in a cool dry place, will retain its moisture and eat well, if twelve months old.

_To boil Sugar to Caramel._--(No. 85.)

Break into a small copper or brass pan one pound of refined sugar; put in a gill of spring-water; set it on a fire; when it boils skim it quite clean, and let it boil quick, till it comes to the degree called crack; which may be known by dipping a tea-spoon or skewer into the sugar, and letting it drop to the bottom of a pan of cold water; and if it remains hard, it has attained that degree: squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and let it remain one minute longer on the fire; then set the pan into another of cold water: have ready moulds of any shape; rub them over with sweet oil; dip a spoon or fork into the sugar, and throw it over the mould in fine threads, till it is quite covered: make a small handle of caramel, or stick on two or three small gum paste rings, by way of ornament, and place it over small pastry of any description.

_A Croquante of Paste._--(No. 86.)

Roll out paste, as No. 8, about the eighth of an inch thick; rub over a plain mould with a little fresh butter; lay on the paste very even, and equally thin on both sides; pare it round the rim; then with a small penknife cut out small pieces, as fancy may direct, such as diamonds, stars, circles, sprigs, &c.; or use a small tin cutter of any shape: let it lie to dry some time, and bake it a few minutes in a slack oven, of a light colour: remove it from the mould, and place it over a tart, or any other dish of small pastry.

_Derby or Short Cakes._--(No. 87.)

Rub in with the hand one pound of butter into two pounds of sifted flour; put one pound of currants, one pound of good moist sugar, and one egg; mix all together with half a pint of milk: roll it out thin, and cut them into round cakes with a cutter; lay them on a clean baking-plate, and put them into a middling-heated oven for about five minutes.

_Egg and Ham Patties._--(No. 88.)

Cut a slice of bread two inches thick, from the most solid part of a stale quartern loaf: have ready a tin round cutter, two inches diameter; cut out four or five pieces, then take a cutter two sizes smaller, press it nearly through the larger pieces, then remove with a small knife the bread from the inner circle: have ready a large stew-pan full of boiling lard; fry them of a light-brown colour, drain them dry with a clean cloth, and set them by till wanted; then take half a pound of lean ham, mince it small; add to it a gill of good brown sauce; stir it over the fire a few minutes, and put a small quantity of Cayenne pepper and lemon-juice: fill the shapes with the mixture, and lay a poached egg (No. 546) upon each.

_Damson, or other Plum Cheese._--(No. 89.)

Take damsons that have been preserved without sugar; pass them through a sieve, to take out the skins and stones. To every pound of pulp of fruit put half a pound of loaf sugar, broke small; boil them together till it becomes quite stiff; pour it into four common-sized dinner plates, rubbed with a little sweet oil; put it into a warm place to dry, and when quite firm, take it from the plate, and cut it into any shape you choose.

N.B. Damson cheese is generally used in desserts.

_Barley Sugar._--(No. 90.)

Clarify, as No. 475, three pounds of refined sugar; boil it to the degree of _cracked_ (which may be ascertained by dipping a spoon into the sugar, and then instantly into cold water, and if it appears brittle, it is boiled enough); squeeze in a small tea-spoonful of the juice, and four drops of essence of lemon, and let it boil up once or twice, and set it by a few minutes: have ready a marble slab, or smooth stone, rubbed over with sweet oil; pour over the sugar; cut it into long stripes with a large pair of scissors; twist it a little, and when cold, keep it from the air in tin boxes or canisters.

_N.B._ A few drops of essence of ginger, instead of lemon, will make what is called ginger barley sugar.

_Barley Sugar Drops._--(No. 91.)

To be made as the last receipt. Have ready, by the time the sugar is boiled sufficiently, a large sheet of paper, with a smooth layer of sifted loaf sugar on it; put the boiled sugar into a ladle that has a fine lip; pour it out, in drops not larger than a shilling, on to the sifted sugar; when cold, fold them up separately in white paper.

N.B. Some use an oiled marble slab instead of the sifted sugar.

_Raspberry Jam._--(No. 92.)

Rub fresh-gathered raspberries, taken on a dry day, through a wicker sieve; to one pint of the pulp put one pound of loaf sugar, broke small; put it into a preserving-pan over a brisk fire; when it begins to boil, skim it well, and stir it twenty minutes; put into small pots; cut white paper to the size of the top of the pot; dip them in brandy, and put them over the jam when cold, with a double paper tied over the pot.

Strawberry jam is made the same way, and the scarlets are most proper for that purpose.

_Apricot, or any Plum Jam._--(No. 93.)

After taking away the stones from the apricots, and cutting out any blemishes they may have; put them over a slow fire, in a clean stew-pan, with half a pint of water; when scalded, rub them through a hair-sieve: to every pound of pulp put one pound of sifted loaf-sugar; put it into a preserving-pan over a brisk fire, and when it boils skim it well, and throw in the kernels of the apricots, and half an ounce of bitter almonds, blanched; boil it a quarter of an hour fast, and stirring it all the time; remove it from the fire, and fill it into pots, and cover them as at No. 92.

N.B. Green gages or plums may be done in the same way, omitting the kernels or almonds.

_Lemon Chips._--(No. 94.)

Take large smooth-rinded Malaga lemons; race or cut off their peel into chips with a small knife (this will require some practice to do it properly); throw them into salt and water till next day; have ready a pan of boiling water, throw them in and boil them tender. Drain them well: after having lain some time in water to cool, put them in an earthen pan, pour over enough boiling clarified sugar to cover them, and then let them lie two days; then strain the syrup, put more sugar, and reduce it by boiling till the syrup is quite thick; put in the chips, and simmer them a few minutes, and set them by for two days: repeat it once more; let them be two days longer, and they will be fit to candy, which must be done as follows: take four pints of clarified sugar, which will be sufficient for six pounds of chips, boil it to the degree of _blown_ (which may be known by dipping the skimmer into the sugar, and blowing strongly through the holes of it; if little bladders appear, it has attained that degree); and when the chips are thoroughly drained and wiped on a clean cloth, put them into the syrup, stirring them about with the skimmer till you see the sugar become white; then take them out with two forks; shake them lightly into a wire sieve, and set them into a stove, or in a warm place to dry.

N.B. Orange chips are done in the same way.

_Dried Cherries._--(No. 95.)

Take large Kentish cherries, not too ripe; pick off the stalks, and take out the stones with a quill, cut nearly as for a pen: to three pounds of which take three pounds or pints of clarified sugar--(see No. 475,) boil it to the degree of blown (for which see last receipt); put in the cherries, give them a boil, and set them by in an earthen pan till the next day; then strain the syrup, add more sugar, and boil it of a good consistence; put the cherries in, and boil them five minutes, and set them by another day: repeat the boiling two more days, and when wanted, drain them some time, and lay them on wire sieves to dry in a stove, or nearly cold oven.

_Green Gages preserved in Syrup._--(No. 96.)

Take the gages when nearly ripe; cut the stalks about half an inch from the fruit; put them into cold water, with a lump of alum about the size of a walnut; and set them on a slow fire till they come to a simmer: take them from the fire, and put them into cold water; drain, and pack them close into a preserving-pan; pour over them enough clarified sugar to cover them; simmer them two or three minutes; set them by in an earthen pan till next day, when drain the gages, and boil the syrup with more sugar, till quite thick; put in the gages, and simmer them three minutes more, and repeat it for two days; then boil clarified sugar to a blow, as at No. 94, place the gages into glasses, and pour the syrup over, and, when cold, tie over a bladder, and upon that a leather; and should you want any for drying, drain and dry them on a wire sieve in a stove or slow oven.

Apricots or egg plums may be done in the same way.

_To preserve Ginger._--(No. 97.)

Take green ginger, pare it neatly with a sharp knife; throw it into a pan of cold water as it is pared, to keep it white; when you have sufficient, boil it till tender, changing the water three times; each time put it into cold water to take out the heat or spirit of the ginger; when tender, throw it into cold water: for seven pounds of ginger, clarify eight pounds of refined sugar, see No. 475; when cold, drain the ginger, and put it in an earthen pan, with enough of the sugar, cold, to cover it, and let it stand two days; then pour the syrup from the ginger to the remainder of the sugar; boil it some time, and when cold, pour it on the ginger again, and set it by three days at least. Then take the syrup from the ginger; boil it, and put it hot over the ginger; proceed in this way till you find the sugar has entered the ginger, boiling the syrup, and skimming off the scum that rises each time, until the syrup becomes rich as well as the ginger.

_Obs._--If you put the syrup on hot at first, or if too rich, the ginger will shrink, and not take the sugar.

N.B. When green ginger is not to be procured, take large races of Jamaica ginger boiled several times in water till tender, pare neatly, and proceed as above.

_To preserve Cucumbers._--(No. 98.)

Take large and fresh-gathered cucumbers; split them down and take out all the seeds; lay them in salt and water that will bear an egg, three days; set them on a fire with cold water, and a small lump of alum, and boil them a few minutes, or till tender; drain them, and pour on them a thin syrup; let them lie two days; boil the syrup again, and put it over the cucumbers; repeat it twice more; then have ready some fresh clarified sugar, boiled to a blow (see No. 94); put in the cucumbers, and simmer it five minutes; set it by till next day; boil the syrup and cucumbers again, and set them in glasses for use.

_Preserved Fruit, without Sugar._--(No. 99.)

Take damsons when not too ripe; pick off the stalks, and put them into wide-mouthed glass bottles, taking care not to put in any but what are whole, and without blemish; shake them well down (otherwise the bottles will not be half full when done); stop the bottles with new soft corks, not too tight; set them into a very slow oven (nearly cold) four or five hours; the slower they are done the better; when they begin to shrink in the bottles, it is a sure sign that the fruit is thoroughly warm: take them out, and before they are cold, drive in the corks quite tight; set them in a bottle-rack or basket, with the mouth downwards, and they will keep good several years.

Green gooseberries, morello cherries, currants, green gages, or bullace, may be done the same way.

_Obs._--If the corks are good, and fit well, there will be no occasion for cementing them; but should bungs be used, it will be necessary.

_Bread._--(No. 100.)

Put a quartern of flour into a large basin, with two tea-spoonfuls of salt; make a hole in the middle; then put in a basin four table-spoonfuls, of good yest; stir in a pint of milk, lukewarm; put it in the hole of the flour; stir it just to make it of a thin batter; then strew a little flour over the top; then set it on one side of the fire, and cover it over: let it stand till the next morning; then make it into dough; add half a pint more of warm milk; knead it for ten minutes, and then set it in a warm place by the fire for one hour and a half; then knead it again, and it is ready either for loaves or bricks: bake them from one hour and a half to two hours, according to the size.

_French Bread and Rolls._--(No. 100*.)

Take a pint and a half of milk; make it quite warm; half a pint of small-beer yest; add sufficient flour to make it as thick as batter; put it into a pan; cover it over, and keep it warm: when it has risen as high as it will, add a quarter of a pint of warm water, and half an ounce of salt,--mix them well together;--rub into a little flour two ounces of butter; then make your dough, not quite so stiff as for your bread; let it stand for three quarters of an hour, and it will be ready to make into rolls, &c.: let them stand till they have risen, and bake them in a quick oven.

SALLY LUNN.--_Tea Cakes._--(No. 101.)

Take one pint of milk quite warm, a quarter of a pint of thick small-beer yest; put them into a pan with flour sufficient to make it as thick as batter,--cover it over, and let it stand till it has risen as high as it will, _i. e._ about two hours: add two ounces of lump sugar, dissolved in a quarter of a pint of warm milk,[391-*] a quarter of a pound of butter rubbed into your flour very fine; then make your dough the same as for French rolls, &c.; and let it stand half an hour; then make up your cakes, and put them on tins: when they have stood to rise, bake them in a quick oven.

Care should be taken never to put your yest to water or milk too hot, or too cold, as either extreme will destroy the fermentation. In summer it should be lukewarm, in winter a little warmer, and in very cold weather, warmer still.

When it has first risen, if you are not prepared, it will not hurt to stand an hour.

_Muffins._--(No. 102.)

Take one pint of milk quite warm, and a quarter of a pint of thick small-beer yest; strain them into a pan, and add sufficient flour to make it like a batter; cover it over, and let it stand in a warm place until it has risen; then add a quarter of a pint of warm milk, and one ounce of butter rubbed in some flour quite fine; mix them well together: then add sufficient flour to make it into dough, cover it over, and let it stand half an hour; then work it up again, and break it into small pieces: roll them up quite round, and cover them over for a quarter of an hour; then bake them.

_Crumpets._--(No. 103.)

The same: instead of making the mixture into dough, add only sufficient flour to make a thick batter, and when it has stood a quarter of an hour it will be ready to bake.

Muffins and crumpets bake best on a stove with an iron plate fixed on the top; but they will also bake in a frying-pan, taking care the fire is not too fierce, and turning them when lightly browned.

_Yorkshire Cakes._--(No. 104.)

Take a pint and a half of milk quite warm, and a quarter of a pint of thick small-beer yest; mix them well together in a pan with sufficient flour to make a thick batter; let it stand in a warm place covered over until it has risen as high as it will; rub six ounces of butter into some flour till it is quite fine; then break three eggs into your pan with the flour and butter; mix them well together; then add sufficient flour to make it into a dough, and let it stand a quarter of an hour; then work it up-again, and break it into pieces about the size of an egg, or larger, as you may fancy; roll them round and smooth with your hand, and put them on tins, and let them stand covered over with a light piece of flannel.

FOOTNOTES:

[376-*] The goodness of a cake or biscuit depends much on its being well baked; great attention should be paid to the different degrees of heat of the oven: be sure to have it of a good sound heat at first, when, after its being well cleaned out, may be baked such articles as require a hot oven, after which such as are directed to be baked in a well-heated or moderate oven; and, lastly, those in a slow soaking or cool one. With a little care the above degrees may soon be known.

In making butter cakes, such as Nos. 55, 57, or 61, too much attention cannot be paid to have the butter well creamed; for should it be made too warm, it would, cause the mixture to be the same, and when put to bake, the fruit, sweetmeats, &c. would, in that event, fall to the bottom.

Yest cakes should be well proved before put into the oven, as they will prove but little afterward.

In making biscuits and cakes where butter is not used, the different utensils should be kept free from all kinds of grease, or it is next to impossible to have good ones.

In buttering the insides of cake-moulds, the butter should be nicely clarified, and when nearly cold, laid on quite smooth, with a small brush kept for that purpose.

Sugar and flour should be quite dry, and a drum sieve is recommended for the sugar. The old way of beating the yelks and whites of eggs separate (except in very few cases), is not only useless, but a waste of time. They should be well incorporated with the other ingredients, and, in some instances, they cannot be beaten too much.

[378-*] Take fine brown Holland, and make a bag in the form of a cone, about five inches over at the top. Cut a small hole at the bottom, and tie in a small pipe of a tapering form, about two inches long; and the bore must be large or small, according to the size of the biscuits or cakes to be made. When the various mixtures are put in, lay the pipe close to the paper, and press it out in rows.

Some use a bullock's bladder for the purpose.

[379-*] A wide-mouthed earthen pan, made quite hot in the oven, or on a fire, will be a good substitute.

[391-*] If you do not mind the expense, the cake will be much lighter if, instead of the milk, you put four eggs.

OBSERVATIONS ON PUDDINGS AND PIES.

The quality of the various articles employed in the composition of puddings and pies varies so much, that two puddings, made exactly according to the same receipt, will be so different[392-*] one would hardly suppose they were made by the same person, and certainly not with precisely the same quantities of the (apparently) same ingredients. Flour fresh ground, pure new milk, fresh laid eggs, fresh butter, fresh suet, &c. will make a very different composition, than when kept till each article is half spoiled.

Plum puddings, when boiled, if hung up in a cool place in the cloth they are boiled in, will keep good some months; when wanted, take them out of the cloth, and put them into a clean cloth, and as soon as warmed through, they are ready.

MEM.--In composing these receipts, the quantities of eggs, butter, &c. are considerably less than are ordered in other cookery books; but quite sufficient for the purpose of making the puddings light and wholesome;--we have diminished the expense, without impoverishing the preparations; and the rational epicure will be as well pleased with them as the rational economist.

Milk, in its genuine state, varies considerably in the quantity of cream it will throw up, depending on the material with which the cow is fed. The cow that gives the most milk does not always produce the most cream, which varies fifteen or twenty per cent.

Eggs vary considerably in size; in the following receipts we mean the full-sized hen's egg; if you have only pullet's eggs, use two for one. Break eggs one by one into a basin, and not all into the bowl together; because then, if you meet with a bad one, that will spoil all the rest: strain them through a sieve to take out the treddles.

N.B. To preserve eggs for twelve months, see N.B. to No. 547. Snow, and small beer, have been recommended by some economists as admirable substitutes for eggs; they will no more answer this purpose than as substitutes for sugar or brandy.

Flour, according to that champion against adulteration, Mr. Accum, varies in quality as much as any thing.

Butter also varies much in quality. Salt butter may be washed from the salt, and then it will make very good pastry.

Lard varies extremely from the time it is kept, &c. When you purchase it, have the bladder cut, and ascertain that it be sweet and good.

Suet. Beef is the best, then mutton and veal; when this is used in very hot weather, while you chop it, dredge it lightly with a little flour.

Beef-marrow is excellent for most of the purposes for which suet is employed.

Drippings, especially from beef, when very clean and nice, are frequently used for kitchen crusts and pies, and for such purposes are a satisfactory substitute for butter, lard, &c. To clean and preserve drippings, see No. 83.

Currants, previous to putting them into the pudding, should be plumped: this is done by pouring some boiling water upon them: wash them well, and then lay them on a sieve or cloth before the fire, pick them clean from the stones;--this not only makes them look better, but cleanses them from all dirt.

Raisins, figs, dried cherries, candied orange and lemon-peel, citron, and preserves of all kinds, fresh fruits, gooseberries, currants, plums, damsons, &c. are added to batter and suet puddings, or enclosed in the crust ordered for apple dumplings, and make all the various puddings called by those names.

Batter puddings must be quite smooth and free from lumps; to ensure this, first mix the flour with a little milk, add the remainder by degrees, and then the other ingredients.

If it is a plain pudding, put it through a hair-sieve; this will take out all lumps effectually.

Batter puddings should be tied up tight: if boiled in a mould, butter it first; if baked, also butter the pan.

Be sure the water boils before you put in the pudding; set your stew-pan on a trivet over the fire, and keep it steadily boiling all the time;--if set upon the fire, the pudding often burns.

Be scrupulously careful that your pudding-cloth is perfectly sweet and clean; wash it without any soap, unless very greasy; then rinse it thoroughly in clean water after. Immediately before you use it, dip it in boiling water; squeeze it dry, and dredge it with flour.

If your fire is very fierce, mind and stir the puddings every now and then to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan; if in a mould, this care is not so much required, but keep plenty of water in the saucepan.

When puddings are boiled in a cloth, it should be just dipped in a basin of cold water, before you untie the pudding-cloth, as that will prevent it from sticking; but when boiled in a mould, if it is well buttered, they will turn out without. Custard or bread puddings require to stand five minutes before they are turned out. They should always be boiled in a mould or cups.

Keep your paste-board, rolling-pin, cutters, and tins very clean: the least dust on the tins and cutters, or the least hard paste on the rolling-pin, will spoil the whole of your labour.

Things used for pastry or cakes should not be used for any other purpose; be very careful that your flour is dried at the fire before you use it, for puff paste or cakes; if damp it will make them heavy.

In using butter for puff paste, you should take the greatest care to previously work it well on the paste-board or slab, to get out all the water and buttermilk, which very often remains in; when you have worked it well with a clean knife, dab it over with a soft cloth, and it is then ready to lay on your paste; do not make your paste over stiff before you put in your butter.

For those who do not understand making puff paste, it is by far the best way to work the butter in at two separate times, divide it in half, and break the half in little bits, and cover your paste all over: dredge it lightly with flour, then fold it over each side and ends, roll it out quite thin, and then put in the rest of the butter, fold it, and roll it again. Remember always to roll puff paste from you. The best made paste, if not properly baked, will not do the cook any credit.

Those who use iron ovens do not always succeed in baking puff paste, fruit pies, &c. Puff paste is often spoiled by baking it after fruit pies, in an iron oven. This may be easily avoided, by putting two or three bricks that are quite even into the oven before it is first set to get hot. This will not only prevent the syrup from boiling put of the pies, but also prevent a very disagreeable smell in the kitchen and house, and almost answers the same purpose as a brick oven.

_College Puddings._--(No. 105.)

Beat four eggs, yelks and whites together, in a quart basin, with two ounces of flour, half a nutmeg, a little ginger, and three ounces of sugar; pounded loaf sugar is best. Beat it into a smooth batter; then add six ounces of suet, chopped fine, six of currants, well washed and picked; mix it all well together; a glass of brandy or white wine will improve it. These puddings are generally fried in butter or lard; but they are much nicer baked in an oven in patty-pans; twenty minutes will bake them: if fried, fry them till they are of a nice light brown, and when fried, roll them in a little flour. You may add one ounce of orange or citron, minced very fine; when you bake them, add one more egg, or two spoonfuls of milk. Serve them up with white wine sauce.

_Rice Puddings baked, or boiled._--(No. 106.)

Wash in cold water and pick very clean six ounces of rice, put it in a quart stew-pan three parts filled with cold water, set it on the fire, and let it boil five minutes; pour away the water, and put in one quart of milk, a roll of lemon peel, and a bit of cinnamon; let it boil gently till the rice is quite tender; it will take at least one hour and a quarter; be careful to stir it every five minutes; take it off the fire, and stir in an ounce and a half of fresh butter, and beat up three eggs on a plate, a salt-spoonful of nutmeg, two ounces of sugar; put it into the pudding, and stir it till it is quite smooth; line a pie-dish big enough to hold it with puff paste, notch it round the edge, put in your pudding, and bake it three quarters of an hour: this will be a nice firm pudding.

If you like it to eat more like custard, add one more egg, and half a pint more milk; it will be better a little thinner when boiled; one hour will boil it. If you like it in little puddings, butter small tea-cups, and either bake or boil them, half an hour will do either: you may vary the pudding by putting in candied lemon or orange-peel, minced very fine, or dried cherries, or three ounces of currants, or raisins, or apples minced fine.

If the puddings are baked or boiled, serve them with white-wine sauce, or butter and sugar.

_Ground Rice Pudding._--(No. 107.)

Put four ounces of ground rice into a stew-pan, and by degrees stir in a pint and a half of milk; set it on the fire, with a roll of lemon and a bit of cinnamon; keep stirring it till it boils; beat it to a smooth batter; then set it on the trivet, where it will simmer gently for a quarter of an hour; then beat three eggs on a plate, stir them into the pudding with two ounces of sugar and two drachms of nutmeg, take out the lemon-peel and cinnamon, stir it all well together, line a pie-dish with thin puff paste (No. 1 of receipts for pastry), big enough to hold it, or butter the dish well, and bake it half an hour; if boiled, it will take one hour in a mould well buttered; three ounces of currants may be added.

_Rice Snow Balls._--(No. 108.)

Wash and pick half a pound of rice very clean, put it on in a saucepan with plenty of water; when it boils let it boil ten minutes, drain it on a sieve till it is quite dry, and then pare six apples, weighing two ounces and a half each. Divide the rice into six parcels, in separate cloths, put one apple in each, tie it loose, and boil it one hour; serve it with sugar and butter, or wine sauce.

_Rice Blancmange._--(No. 109.)

Put a tea-cupful of whole rice into the least water possible, till it almost bursts; then add half a pint of good milk or thin cream, and boil it till it is quite a mash, stirring it the whole time it is on the fire, that it may not burn; dip a shape in cold water, and do not dry it; put in the rice, and let it stand until quite cold, when it will come easily out of the shape. This dish is much approved of; it is eaten with cream or custard, and preserved fruits; raspberries are best. It should be made the day before it is wanted, that it may get firm.

This blancmange will eat much nicer, flavoured with spices, lemon-peel, &c., and sweetened with a little loaf sugar, add it with the milk, and take out the lemon-peel before you put in the mould.

_Save-all Pudding._--(No. 110.)

Put any scraps of bread into a clean saucepan; to about a pound, put a pint of milk; set it on the trivet till it boils; beat it up quite smooth; then break in three eggs, three ounces of sugar, with a little nutmeg, ginger, or allspice, and stir it all well together. Butter a dish big enough to hold it, put in the pudding, and have ready two ounces of suet chopped very fine, strew it over the top of the pudding, and bake it three quarters of an hour; four ounces of currants will make it much better.

_Batter Pudding, baked or boiled._--(No. 111.)

Break three eggs in a basin with as much salt as will lie on a sixpence; beat them well together, and then add four ounces of flour; beat it into a smooth batter, and by degrees add half a pint of milk: have your saucepan ready boiling, and butter an earthen mould well, put the pudding in, and tie it tight over with a pudding-cloth, and boil it one hour and a quarter. Or, put it in a dish that you have well buttered, and bake it three quarters of an hour.

Currants washed and picked clean, or raisins stoned, are good in this pudding, and it is then called a black cap: or, add loaf sugar, and a little nutmeg and ginger without the fruit,--it is very good that way; serve it with wine sauce.

_Apple Pudding boiled._--(No. 112.)

Chop four ounces of beef suet very fine, or two ounces of butter, lard, or dripping; but the suet makes the best and lightest crust; put it on the paste-board, with eight ounces of flour, and a salt-spoonful of salt, mix it well together with your hands, and then put it all of a heap, and make a hole in the middle; break one egg in it, stir it well together with your finger, and by degrees infuse as much water as will make it of a stiff paste: roll it out two or three times, with the rolling-pin, and then roll it large enough to receive thirteen ounces of apples. It will look neater if boiled in a basin, well buttered, than when boiled in a pudding-cloth, well floured; boil it an hour and three quarters: but the surest way is to stew the apples first in a stew-pan, with a wine-glassful of water, and then one hour will boil it. Some people like it flavoured with cloves and lemon-peel, and sweeten it with two ounces of sugar.

Gooseberries, currants, raspberries, and cherries, damsons, and various plums and fruits, are made into puddings with the same crust directed for apple puddings.

_Apple Dumplings._--(No. 113.)

Make paste the same as for apple pudding, divide it into as many pieces as you want dumplings, peel the apples and core them, then roll out your paste large enough, and put in the apples; close it all round, and tie them in pudding-cloths very tight; one hour will boil them: and when you take them up, just dip them in cold water, and put them in a cup the size of the dumpling while you untie them, and they will turn out without breaking.

_Suet Pudding or Dumplings._--(No. 114.)

Chop six ounces of suet very fine: put it in a basin with six ounces of flour, two ounces of bread-crumbs, and a tea-spoonful of salt; stir it all well together: beat two eggs on a plate, add to them six table-spoonfuls of milk, put it by degrees into the basin, and stir it all well together; divide it into six dumplings, and tie them separate, previously dredging the cloth lightly with flour. Boil them one hour.

This is very good the next day fried in a little butter. The above will make a good pudding, boiled in an earthenware mould, with the addition of one more egg, a little more milk, and two ounces of suet. Boil it two hours.

N.B. The most economical way of making suet dumplings, is to boil them without a cloth in a pot with beef or mutton; no eggs are then wanted, and the dumplings are quite as light without: roll them in flour before you put them into the pot; add six ounces of currants, washed and picked, and you have currant pudding: or divided into six parts, currant dumplings; a little sugar will improve them.

_Cottage Potato Pudding or Cake._--(No. 115.)

Peel, boil, and mash, a couple of pounds of potatoes: beat them up into a smooth batter, with about three quarters of a pint of milk, two ounces of moist sugar, and two or three beaten eggs. Bake it about three quarters of an hour. Three ounces of currants or raisins may be added. Leave out the milk, and add three ounces of butter,--it will make a very nice cake.

FOOTNOTES:

[392-*] An old gentlewoman, who lived almost entirely on puddings, told us, it was a long time before she could get them made uniformly good, till she made the following rule:--"If the pudding was good, she let the cook have the remainder of it; if it was not, she gave it to her lapdog;" but as soon as this resolution was known, poor little Bow-wow seldom got the sweet treat after.

OBSERVATIONS ON PICKLES.

We are not fond of pickles: these sponges of vinegar are often very indigestible, especially in the crisp state in which they are most admired. The Indian fashion of pounding pickles is an excellent one: we recommend those who have any regard for their stomach, yet still wish to indulge their tongue, instead of eating pickles, which are really merely vehicles for taking a certain portion of vinegar and spice, &c. to use the flavoured vinegars; such as burnet (No. 399), horseradish (No. 399*), tarragon (No. 396), mint (No. 397), cress (Nos. 397*, 401, 403, 405*, 453, 457), &c.; by combinations of these, a relish may easily be composed, exactly in harmony with the palate of the eater.

The pickle made to preserve cucumbers, &c. is generally so strongly impregnated with garlic, mustard, and spice, &c. that the original flavour of the vegetables is quite overpowered; and if the eater shuts his eyes, his lingual nerves will be puzzled to inform him whether he is munching an onion or a cucumber, &c., and nothing can be more absurd, than to pickle plums, peaches, apricots, currants, grapes, &c.

The strongest vinegar must be used for pickling: it must not be boiled or the strength of the vinegar and spices will be evaporated. By parboiling the pickles in brine, they will be ready in much less time than they are when done in the usual manner, of soaking them in cold salt and water for six or eight days. When taken out of the hot brine, let them get cold and quite dry before you put them into the pickle.

To assist the preservation of pickles, a portion of salt is added; and for the same purpose, and to give flavour, long pepper, black pepper, allspice, ginger, cloves, mace, garlic, eschalots, mustard, horseradish, and capsicum.

The following is the best method of preparing the pickle, as cheap as any, and requires less care than any other way.

Bruise in a mortar four ounces of the above spices; put them into a stone jar with a quart of the strongest vinegar, stop the jar closely with a bung, cover that with a bladder soaked with pickle, set it on a trivet by the side of the fire for three days, well shaking it up at least three times in the day; the pickle should be at least three inches above the pickles. The jar being well closed, and the infusion being made with a mild heat, there is no loss by evaporation.

To enable the articles pickled more easily and speedily to imbibe the flavour of the pickle they are immersed in, previously to pouring it on them, run a larding-pin through them in several places.

The spices, &c. commonly used, are those mentioned in the receipt for pickling walnuts; which is also an excellent savoury sauce for cold meats.

The flavour may be varied _ad infinitum_ by adding celery, cress-seed, or curry powder (No. 455), or by taking for the liquor any of the flavoured vinegars, &c. we have enumerated above, and see the receipts between Nos. 395 and 421.

Pickles should be kept in a dry place, in unglazed earthenware, or glass jars, which are preferable, as you can, without opening them, observe whether they want filling up: they must be very carefully stopped with well-fitted bungs, and tied over as closely as possible with a bladder wetted with the pickle; and if to be preserved a long time, after that is dry, it must be dipped in bottle-cement; see page 127.

When the pickles are all used, boil up the liquor with a little fresh spice.

To walnut liquor may be added a few anchovies and eschalots: let it stand till it is quite clear, and bottle it: thus you may furnish your table with an excellent savoury keeping sauce for hashes, made dishes, fish, &c. at very small cost; see No. 439.

Jars should not be more than three parts filled with the articles pickled, which should be covered with pickle at least two inches above their surface; the liquor wastes, and all of the articles pickled, that are not covered, are soon spoiled.

When they have been done about a week, open the jars, and fill them up with pickle.

Tie a wooden spoon, full of holes, round each jar to take them out with.

If you wish to have gherkins, &c. very green, this may be easily accomplished by keeping them in vinegar, sufficiently hot, till they become so.

If you wish cauliflowers, onions, &c. to be white, use distilled vinegar for them.

To entirely prevent the mischief arising from the action of the acid upon the metallic utensils usually employed to prepare pickles, the whole of the process is directed to be performed in unglazed stone jars.

N.B. The maxim of "open your mouth, and shut your eyes," cannot be better applied than to pickles; and the only direction we have to record for the improvement of their complexion, is the joke of Dr. Goldsmith, "If their colour does not please you, send 'em to Hammersmith, that's the way to Turnham Green."

Commencing the list with walnuts, I must take this opportunity of impressing the necessity of being strictly particular in watching the due season; for of all the variety of articles in this department to furnish the well-regulated store-room, nothing is so precarious, for frequently after the first week that walnuts come in season, they become hard and shelled, particularly if the season is a very hot one; therefore let the prudent housekeeper consider it indispensably necessary they should be purchased as soon as they first appear at market; should they cost a trifle more, that is nothing compared to the disappointment of finding, six months hence, when you go to your pickle-jar, expecting a fine relish for your chops, &c. to find the nuts incased in a shell, which defies both teeth and steel.

Nasturtiums are to be had by the middle of July.

Garlic, from Midsummer to Michaelmas.

Eschalots, ditto.

Onions, the various kinds for pickling, are to be had, by the middle of July, and for a month after.

Gherkins are to be had by the middle of July, and for a month after.

Cucumbers are to be had by the middle of July, and for a month after.

Melons and mangoes are to be had by the middle of July, and for a month after.

Capsicums, green, red, and yellow, the end of July, and following month.

Chilies, the end of July, and following month. See Nos. 404 and 405*, and No. 406.

Love apples, or tomatas, end of July, and throughout August. See No. 443.

Cauliflower, for pickling, July and August.

Artichokes, for pickling, July and August.

Jerusalem artichokes, for pickling, July and August, and for three months after.

Radish pods, for pickling, July.

French beans, for pickling, July.

Mushrooms, for pickling and catchup, September. See No. 439.

Red cabbage, August.

White cabbage, September and October.

Samphire, August.

Horseradish, November and December.

_Walnuts._--(No. 116.)

Make a brine of salt and water, in the proportion of a quarter of a pound of salt to a quart of water; put the walnuts into this to soak for a week; or if you wish to soften them so that they may be soon ready for eating, run a larding-pin through them in half a dozen places--this will allow the pickle to penetrate, and they will be much softer, and of better flavour, and ready much sooner than if not perforated: put them into a stew-pan with such brine, and give them a gentle simmer; put them on a sieve to drain; then lay them on a fish plate, and let them stand in the air till they turn black--this may take a couple of days; put them into glass, or unglazed stone jars; fill these about three parts with the walnuts, and fill them up with the following pickle.

To each quart of the strongest vinegar put two ounces of black pepper, one of ginger, same of eschalots, same of salt, half an ounce of allspice, and half a drachm of Cayenne. Put these into a stone jar; cover it with a bladder, wetted with pickle, tie over that some leather, and set the jar on a trivet by the side of the fire for three days, shaking it up three times a day, and then pour it while hot to the walnuts, and cover them down with bladder wetted with the pickle, leather, &c.

_Gherkins._--(No. 117.)