Mrs. Beeton's Cold Sweets, Jellies, Creams, Fruit Dishes, Cold Puddings and Ices

CHAPTER I

COLD SWEETS

PREPARATION OF THE INGREDIENTS

To avoid unnecessary repetition in the actual recipes, the application of the principles of baking, boiling, steaming, etc., will be here briefly described. Individual recipes, however, to which general remarks do not apply, will be described in detail. Success in preparing dishes of this class depends more on suitable proportions, manipulation, and proper application of heat than on the materials themselves, which are usually of a simple character.

Each recipe in this book gives, as nearly as possible, the exact amount of the ingredients which comprise the dish. Such terms as well-buttered mould, creaming, stiffly-whipped or whisked will be fully explained, for the convenience of the uninitiated.

EGGS

The freshness of eggs may be tested in several ways. One ingenious apparatus is a speculum, furnished with an interior looking-glass, which renders the egg sufficiently transparent to show if it is fresh, infected, or really bad. If fresh, a clear disc is thrown; if stale, a cloudy disc with spots; and, if bad, a dark unsightly disc is visible. Another method of ascertaining their freshness is to hold them before a lighted candle or to strong artificial light. If the egg looks clear, it will be perfectly good; but if there is a black spot attached to the shell it is worthless. Dried eggs (reconstituted) must be utilised when fresh eggs are unavailable or when drastic economy is essential, but they cannot be expected to give quite the same results as eggs from the nest. To an experienced buyer the size, weight and appearance of eggs indicate their value, stale eggs being considerably lighter than those newly laid. Eggs that one feels at all doubtful about should always be broken in a separate vessel from others, or all may be tainted.

TO WHISK WHITES OF EGGS

In separating the whites from the yolks, great care must be taken not to let the least portion of the yolks get into the whites, otherwise it will be impossible to whisk the whites firm. Put the whites in a clean, dry and cool egg-bowl or shallow basin, and keep cool until wanted. Add a pinch of salt, and whisk with an ordinary wire whisk which must be clean and perfectly dry. Increase the pace until the whites form a substantial, mossy froth.

TO WHIP CREAM

Put the cream into a cold basin, and stand in a cool place whilst whipping it. Use an ordinary wire whisk for the purpose, whip gently until the cream begins to thicken, then a little more quickly. In warm weather cream quickly turns to butter if overwhipped: should this occur, continue the whipping to make the conversion complete, and use the butter for cookery purposes. When the whipped cream is not intended for immediate use, let it drain on a hair sieve in a cool place until required.

CREAMING BUTTER AND SUGAR, OR YOLK OF EGGS AND SUGAR

Butter and sugar are pressed by means of a wooden spoon against the sides of a basin until the friction has softened the butter, and the ingredients are then stirred vigorously, keeping the bowl of the spoon constantly pressed against the sides or bottom of the basin, not alternately raised and lowered as in beating. In cold weather the butter may first be slightly warmed, but it must not be allowed to melt.

Yolks of eggs and sugar are simply stirred together until thick and creamy.

PREPARATION OF DRIED FRUIT

With the introduction of machinery for fruit-cleaning purposes, currants can be procured comparatively clean, and need only a rub in a dry cloth, and picking over to remove any larger sprigs and stones that may have escaped the machine, to render them fit for use. In almost every case washing is not at all necessary; in fact, washing the currants deprives them of some of their goodness, and, therefore, is not only a waste of time, but waste of material. As currants do not keep for any length of time, they should never be bought in large quantities. Some cooks cling to the old method of pouring boiling water over them to plump them, afterwards draining and drying them thoroughly. Sultanas, although they are no doubt cleaned, require carefully picking over, and a good rub on a coarse sieve will remove almost the whole of the sprigs, which are a very objectionable ingredient in a pudding. Raisins should in all cases be stoned, and if a large quantity has to be prepared, a small machine suitable for the purpose can be procured from the household stores or ironmonger’s. It is very effective in its operations, and frees the raisins from stones in an incredibly short time, and, contrary to the general opinion, does not take out more of the flesh of the raisins than hand-picking.

MAKING PASTRY FOR TARTS, ETC.

In Chapter VI, entitled PASTRY, will be found the fullest possible instructions for making the various necessary pastes, crusts, etc.

BAKING

In baking sweets only a moderately hot oven should be used. Exceptions to this rule are sweets with pastry, which require a hot oven, at first, to set and brown the crust; once this is done the heat may be reduced. Sweets containing beaten white of egg, require a hot oven to make them rise. Preparations containing eggs must never be allowed to boil. Bake custards in a tin standing in a little water and in an oven only moderately warm. A sweet to be baked must always be made more moist than one to be steamed or boiled, for baking dries it up more than does either of the latter processes.

BOILING

To ensure perfect cooking, the following rules, which apply equally to simple, plain or rich sweets, must be observed.

1. The mould or basin must be perfectly dry and well coated with butter or fat.

2. The mixture must completely fill the mould or basin.

3. A scalded and floured cloth should be tied securely over the top of the basin, but rather loosely round any pudding not boiled in a basin.

4. The water must be boiling rapidly when the pudding is put in.

5. The water must completely cover the pudding, and be deep enough to float those boiled in cloths, otherwise a plate or saucer must be placed at the bottom of the pan.

6. As the water boils away, boiling water must be added.

7. The pudding must stand a few minutes before being turned out, in order that some of the steam may escape, and thus cause the pudding to shrink and be less liable to break.

STEAMING

Sweets steamed over water are lighter than when immersed in it, but they cook more slowly. A quicker method, and one that gives practically the same results, is to stand the pudding in a saucepan containing boiling water to about half the depth of the mould or basin, the surrounding water being frequently replenished with more boiling water. A pudding to be steamed should not more than three-quarters fill the basin; and two folds of paper, made waterproof by being rubbed with butter or fat, should cover the top instead of a cloth which prevents the pudding rising.

PREPARATION OF MOULDS

Moulds, whether intended for creams or jellies, should be thoroughly clean, and when possible rinsed with cold water, before being used. In preparing them for decorated creams, they are usually coated with a thin layer of jelly. To do this quickly and satisfactorily it is necessary that the moulds should be quite dry, perfectly cold, and the jelly on the point of setting when put into the mould, which is turned over and over until thinly, but completely, coated. The decoration is a matter of taste; it may consist of pistachio shredded or finely chopped, almonds, glacé cherries, etc., and may afford no indication of the composition of the cream. But just as frequently the decoration consists of fancifully-cut pieces of the fruit which, reduced to a purée, forms the basis of the cream. This branch of cookery affords almost unlimited scope for display of artistic taste. Success in this direction depends largely on a suitable combination of contrasting or harmonising colours, and the decoration being neat and uniformly disposed. Each section of the mould must be decorated separately, and the decoration fixed firmly by means of a little cool jelly, which must be allowed to set before the position of the mould is changed. For this reason the process is a slow one unless the mould meanwhile rests upon and is surrounded by ice. Without this aid the task is almost an impossible one in hot weather.

GELATINE

Gelatine is obtainable in packets, sheets, strips (or shavings), and powder, and the best qualities are entirely free from any unpleasant taste. Of the three forms in which it is sold, the packet is to be preferred, as it dissolves more readily, and although leaf gelatine is mentioned in the following recipes, the packet gelatine may be substituted by the many who prefer it. However, when doing so, rather less than the quantity of leaf must be used, and only 10 to 20 minutes’ soaking is needed. It is always best to soak the gelatine first, and then stir it in a small saucepan by the side of the fire in a very small quantity of water until dissolved. A little more is required in summer than in winter, and when the cream or jelly is to be put into one large mould instead of several small moulds.

JELLIES

Jellies may be described as solutions of gelatine in water, with wine, fruit, and other additions, and their clear, brilliant transparency is one of their chief recommendations. However, jellies of this class do not comprise the whole list, for in addition there are the opaque nourishing milk and egg jellies, and also those made of apples and other fruit. Calf’s foot jelly, which is stiffened by the gelatine extracted from the feet by boiling, has the advantage of being perfectly pure, but it is not more nourishing than the jelly made from bought gelatine. When nourishing jelly is required, it is better made from good veal stock. For ordinary garnishing and masking purposes, jelly made from leaf gelatine is more frequently employed than that made from meat. A plain lemon jelly answers admirably for coating the moulds for creams; and variously coloured and flavoured, it forms the basis of many other jellies. By adding a little gold and silver leaf or a few drops of yellow, red, or green vegetable colouring matter, considerable variety may be introduced at small cost. Pleasing effects may be produced by filling the projecting divisions of a mould with gold, silver, or coloured jelly, and the body of the mould with jelly that differs either in colour or character. Of course, the colours must be blended artistically; bright-coloured creams, like strawberry, should be very simply decorated; and the creamy-white of the almond or the delicate green of the pistachio nut, embedded in the amber-hued jelly with which the mould is lined, contrast favourably with chocolate, as also does finely-flaked gold leaf.

TO CLEAR JELLY

The agent employed for this purpose is albumen, of which substance the white of egg is largely composed. The shells and lightly-beaten whites of eggs are added to the water, wine, etc., when cold, the whole being continuously whisked while coming to the boil. At a temperature of 160° F., the albumen coagulates, and as the hardened particles rise to the surface they entangle and carry with them all the insoluble substances with which they come in contact; this forms the scum and the filtering medium, through which the jelly must be afterwards passed and repassed until clear. The jelly should always be allowed to simmer for a short time after it reaches boiling-point, but it must on no account be whipped, stirred, or otherwise disturbed. A little lemon-juice or any other acid assists in the coagulation of the albumen.

STRAINING JELLY

For this purpose a jelly-stand and bag are desirable but not indispensable, for an inverted chair and a clean linen cloth may be made to do duty instead. Whichever is used, it must be previously scalded to prevent the jelly setting while running through; and on a cold day, when the jelly runs through slowly, it is advisable to place a basin of hot water in the midst of it to keep it warm. The jelly-bag or cloth must never be squeezed, as a very slight pressure will force through the particles of scum, and make the jelly cloudy.

CREAMS

The term cream is used to describe compounds of cream and fruit, fruit-purée, etc., or custards, variously flavoured, stiffened with gelatine, and more or less elaborately decorated. For this purpose double cream is required, that is, cream skimmed off milk that has stood for 24 hours instead of 12, or been well-drained from the milk after being separated. Cream is more quickly whipped to a stiff froth when cold, and the air introduced by whipping should be as cold as possible. The process should not be continued one moment after the proper degree of stiffness is obtained, great care being needed in warm weather, when the cream, if