2390—VOL-AU-VENT CRUSTPrepare the puff-paste as directed under No.2366. Make the layer of paste of an even thickness of four-fifths inch; set[705]thereon an overturned plate or a saucepan-lid, the size of which should be that intended for the Vol-au-vent, and cut the paste obliquely, following round the edges of the lid or plate with a small knife. Turn the layer of paste over, and set it on a slightly moistened round baking sheet; groove it all round;gildit, and describe a circle on top of it with the point of a knife, one and one-quarter inches away from the edge, to form the cover of the Vol-au-vent. Streak this cover criss-cross-fashion; also streak the body of the Vol-au-vent with the point of a small knife, and bake it in a rather hot oven.Upon withdrawing the Vol-au-vent from the oven, remove its cover, and clear it of the soft crumb which will be found on its inside.2391—BOUCHEE OR SMALL-PATTY CRUSTSBouchées are really small Vol-au-vents. Roll out the paste, making it a good one-third inch thick. Cut this layer with a grooved round cutter three inches in diameter; set the roundels of stamped-out paste on a moistened tray;gild, and make a circular incision in each of them, one-half inch from their edges, either with the point of a small knife or with an even, round cutter dipped in hot water.Bake in a hot oven, and clear the insides of the bouchées of their crumb on taking them out of the oven. “Mignonnes Bouchées,” which are used as a garnish, are stamped out with a round cutter two inches in diameter, and are slightly thicker than ordinary bouchées.2392—SMALL HOT PATTIESRoll out the puff-paste to a thickness of one-sixth inch, and stamp it out with an even round cutter three inches in diameter. With the trimmings resulting from this operation, rolled somewhat more thinly, make an equal quantity of roundels, and lay them on a tray. Slightly moisten the edges of these roundels with a brush; garnish their centres with some forcemeat, rolled to the size of a hazel-nut; cover the forcemeat with the roundels stamped out from the first; press upon these with the back of a round cutter two inches in diameter;gildthem, and bake them in a hot oven for twelve or fourteen minutes.2393—CROÛTES ET CROUSTADESFor tartlet crusts, which are put to various uses, take either even or grooved, large or small moulds, subject to the requirements.Roll out a piece of short paste to a thickness of one-fifth inch; stamp it out with a grooved round cutter of a size in proportion to the moulds used; line the buttered moulds with these roundels[706]of paste; pierce the paste on the bottom of each with the point of a small knife; line with good-quality paper; fill up with lentils, split peas, or rice, and bake in a moderate oven. When the paste is baked, withdraw the dry vegetable used and the paper, and place the crusts in the drying-box, that they may be quite dry; orgildthem inside, and set them in the front of the oven for a few minutes.2394—TIMBALE CRUSTButter a Charlotte-mould, and decorate its sides with some sort of design made from noodle-paste trimmings to which a little powdered sugar has been added. Shape a piece of short paste (of a size in proportion to the mould) like a ball; roll it out to a disc; sprinkle it with flour, and fold it in two. Draw the ends gently towards the centre, so as to form a kind of skullcap, and take care to not crease the paste. Make this skullcap of an even thickness of one-third inch, and place it in the mould.Press it well upon the bottom and sides of the mould, that it may acquire the shape of the latter; line the mould inside with good buttered paper; fill up with lentils or split peas, letting them project in a dome above the edges of the paste, and cover with a round sheet of paper.Prepare a round layer of paste, one-fifth inch thick, a little larger diametrally than the timbale one. Slightly moisten the inside edges of the timbale; cover it with the prepared disc of paste, and seal it well down to the edges of the timbale, pressing it between the fingers in such wise as to form a crest reaching one-half inch beyond the brim of the mould all round.Pinch this crest with paste-pincers inside and out.With a round or oval grooved fancy-cutter stamp out some imitation leaves from a very thin layer of paste, and imitate the veins of the leaves with the back of a knife; or stamp out some triangles of paste; shape them like leaves, and set these (slightly overlapping one another) upon the dome of the timbale in superposed rows.Finish with three roundels of paste, stamped out with a grooved round cutter of a different size from the first, and make a hole in the centre of each roundel with a round, even fancy-cutter.Gildand bake in a moderate oven. When the outside of the timbale is well browned, detach and remove the cover formed by the leaves. Withdraw the split peas and the paper;gildthe timbale inside, and leave it to dry in the front of the oven or in the drying-box.[707]2395—FLAWN CRUSTWith short or any other kind of paste prepare a layer one-sixth inch thick, the diameter of which should be one-fourth as long again as that of the flawn-ring used. Raise this layer, and place it upon the previously-buttered flawn-ring, pressing it with the fingers, that it may assume the shape of the mould. Then roll the pin across the ring, in order that the overlapping paste may be cut away; press the thickness of paste that has been formed between the fingers in such a way as to make it project above the edges of the flawn-ring, and form a regular crest. Pinch this crest with the pastry pincers, and set the flawn-ring on a small round baking sheet.Prick it with the point of a small knife; line its bottom and sides with slightly-buttered, good paper; fill the ring with dry lentils or split peas, and bake in a moderately hot oven for about twenty-five minutes.Then remove the lentils and paper, as also the ring, and return the flawn to the oven for a few minutes to brown, if it is not already sufficiently coloured.If the paste be required very dry, place the flawn in the drying-box for a little while, orgildit inside, and set it in the front of the oven for a few minutes.2396—THE LINING AND COVERING OF RAISED AND DRESSED PIESThe moulds for Raised Pies are oval or round. If they are round, make a layer of patty paste, one-half inch thick, in proportion to the size of the mould.Sprinkle this paste with flour, fold it in two, and shape it like a skullcap, after the manner described under “Timbale Crust.” It is only necessary to press this skullcap of paste into the buttered mould in order to give it the shape of the latter. If the mould is oval, proceed in the same way, giving the skullcap an oval shape.When the raised pie is filled, first cover the garnish with a somewhat thin, round, or oval layer of paste, in accordance with the shape of the mould, and seal it well down upon the moistened edges. Then cut away the superfluous paste of the crest, so as to make the latter even and neat, and pinch it outside and in. Raised pies are covered in two ways—either with a layer of puff-paste, or with leaves of paste stamped out with a round cutter or a knife, the veins being imitated with the back of a knife.In the first case, prepare a layer of puff-paste one-third inch thick, equal in size to the inside of the patty. Drop this layer[708]of paste upon the cover of the pie, after having slightly moistened it;gildand streak it, and make a slit in the top for the escape of steam.In the second case, prepare the paste leaves as directed above, and lay them on the pie (slightly overlapping one another) in superposed rows, starting from the bottom. On the top of the pie set three or four indented roundels of paste, graduated in size, and stuck one upon the other, each roundel having a hole in its centre for the escape of steam.Gildand set the pie in the oven.The baking of raised pies made with raw forcemeat is effected in a moderately-heated oven. Bear in mind that the larger the pie is, the more moderate should be the oven.VARIOUS CUSTARDSHot Custards2397—CRÈME ANGLAISEThis custard allows of various methods of preparation which are subject to the purpose for which it is intended. It is the chief sauce for entremets, and whether it be poached in a deep dish or in a mould, it constitutes one of the oldest and best-known entremets. This last kind of custard will be examined hereafter. At present I shall only deal with the variety used either as a sauce or an accompaniment, cold or hot. It is extremely difficult to prescribe fixed quantities for this custard, for the former depend a great deal upon the consumers’ tastes, and, whereas some like a thick custard, others go to the extreme of wishing it just liquid enough to be drunk like any other beverage.The quantities given below are suited to a custard of medium consistence, but if a thicker custard were desired, the number of egg-yolks would have to be proportionately increased, andvice-versâ.The quantity of sugar also varies, subject to the consumers’ tastes, and, as the amount used (except in the case of unreasonable excess) does not affect the consistence of the custard, it may be graduated from three to ten or twelve oz. per quart, as taste may dictate. Six oz. of sugar per quart of milk constitutes a happy medium.English custard admits of all the aromatic essences used for entremets, but the one which suits it best is vanilla. When this last-named flavour or that of filberts, almondpralin, or coffee is used, it is well to put the required quantity to infuse for[709]twenty minutes in the boiling milk, after the latter has been measured off. Chocolate is first melted and then gradually added to the custard before it is cooked. Other aromatic essences or liqueurs are added to the custard after it has been strained.English custard admits of two methods ofpreparation:—Recipe A.—Put twelve raw egg-yolks and three-quarters lb. of powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix the sugar a little with the yolks, and stir the latter briskly with a spatula until they have entirely absorbed the sugar, and the resulting paste is white and has reached theribbonstage. Then pour one quart of boiling milk into the paste, little by little, mixing the whole the while with a whisk. Then put the preparation on the fire, stirring it with a spatula, and cook it until it approaches the boil and properly coats the withdrawn spoon. Take care not to let it boil, for this would turn the preparation. In any case, when the sauce is intended for hot sweets, by adding a tablespoonful of arrowroot, it may be prevented from turning.When the custard is cooked, as already explained, strain it, either through a strainer, into abain-marie, if it is to be served hot, or through a sieve into a large, enamelled basin, where it should be frequently stirred to be kept smooth while cooling.Custard prepared in this way forms the base of all ice-creams, of which I shall speak later on. It may serve as an adjunct to all cold or hot sweets which allow of a sauce. When, while it is still lukewarm, it is combined with its weight of best butter, it constitutes the delicious butter cream, which is the richest and most delicate of the pastry-cook’s confections.Finally, if eight melted gelatine leaves per quart of cooled milk be added to it, and it be mixed with twice its volume of whipped cream, it represents the preparation for “Cream Bavarois” and “Russian Charlottes.”Recipe B.—Melt six oz. of sugar in one quart of milk; boil, and pour the mixture, little by little, over twelve egg-yolks, whisking the latter briskly the while. When this custard is to be moulded, or is intended for a Cabinet Pudding, or some other similar preparation, which must be ultimately poached, strain it as soon as it is mixed, without cooking it.If, on the other hand, it be intended for an accompaniment, or for the preparation of butter creams or ices, cook it as directed in Recipe A.2398—DISHED ENGLISH CUSTARD(To Accompany Cold or Hot Stewed Fruit)For this purpose English custard is made from only ten egg-yolks per quart of milk. Serve it in shallow silver or porcelain[710]dishes; sprinkle its surface copiously with icing sugar, and criss-cross it with a red-hot iron.2399—FRANGIPAN CREAMAs in the case of English custard, Frangipan custard varies in the quantities of its ingredients in accordance with its purpose and the taste of its consumers. The recipe given below is an average one, which the reader will be able to modify, in regard to consistence, by increasing or decreasing the amount of flour.Mix one-half lb. of powdered sugar, two oz. of flour, two whole eggs, and the yolks of five in a basin. Pour one pint of boiling milk over this paste, stirring it briskly the while; add a grain of salt and the selected aromatic essence, and set the saucepan on the fire, that the Frangipan may cook. Do not cease stirring this cream while it is cooking, for it easily burns.Let it boil a few minutes; pour it into a bowl, and combine three oz. of fresh butter and two tablespoonfuls of dry, crushed macaroons with it. When the whole is well mixed, smooth the surface of the custard with a well-buttered spoon, so that no crust may form while the cooling progresses.2400—FRANGIPAN FOR FRIED CREAMProceed as above, but so apportion the quantities as to obtain a very firm cream. The quantities should be asfollows:—Six oz. of flour, six oz. of sugar, ten egg-yolks, four whole eggs, one quart of milk, and one oz. of butter.When this cream is cooked, spread it in a layer one inch thick on a buttered tray or on a marble slab; carefully butter its surface, and let it cool before using it.Cold Custards2401—PASTRY CREAMMix one lb. of powdered sugar with four oz. of flour and twelve egg-yolks, and dilute with one quart of boiling milk. Cook this cream, stirring it continually the while; and, as soon as it boils, add to it a few drops of orange-flower water and four gelatine leaves, softened in cold water. Boil the cream a few minutes; take it off the fire, and, while stirring it briskly, carefully combine with it twelve egg-whites, beaten to a stiff froth.N.B.—Some operators call this St. Honoré cream (for, as a matter of fact, it serves chiefly in the garnishing of sweets bearing that name), and give the name of Pastry cream to the[711]same preparation minus the egg-whites and the gelatine. I prefer to abide by the principle given above, and to consider the cream without whisked egg-whites merely as a Frangipan, with which it has many points in common.Pastry cream may be flavoured according to fancy. The addition of the gelatine is not necessary when the cream is to be served immediately, or when it only has a moment or two to wait. But it is indispensable to prevent the decomposition of the preparation, especially in hot weather, if it have to wait at all.2402—WHIPPED OR CHANTILLY CREAMNothing could be simpler or more exquisite than this preparation, which is obtained by whipping the best cream (kept fresh for twenty-four hours in ice) over ice. The cream speedily increases in volume and becomes frothy. The operation should then be stopped, lest the cream turn to butter, and there should be immediately added to the former four oz. of powdered sugar (part of which should be the vanilla kind) per quart, and then the preparation should be placed in the cool until required.N.B.—The addition of a little dissolved or powdered tragacanth gum to the cream allows of a more frothy cream being obtained, but the result is neither as fresh nor as perfect in taste when it is not combined with a sweet or ice preparation.Various Preparations for Entremets2403—PREPARATIONS FOR PANCAKES AND PANNEQUETSPreparation A.—Put into a basin one lb. of sifted flour, six oz. of powdered sugar, and a pinch of table-salt. Dilute with ten eggs and one quart of milk, added by degrees. Flavour with one heaped tablespoonful of orange, lemon or vanilla sugar, which should form part of the total weight of sugar prescribed; or with one-eighth pint of some liqueur such as brandy, kirsch, rum, &c., which should form part of the total moistening.Preparation B.—Dilute one lb. of flour, three and one-half oz. of powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, with nine eggs and a half-pint of cream. Add one-eighth pint of brandy, two and a half-oz. of melted butter and one and a half-pints of milk. Pass the whole through a fine strainer, and finish it with one-eighth pint oforgeatsyrup (or almond milk) and three oz. of finely-crushed macaroons.Preparation C.—Dilute one lb. of flour, three and a half oz. of powdered sugar and a pinch of table salt in nine eggs. Stir the[712]mixture well; add to it a half-pint of raw cream and one pint of milk. Finish with a half-pint of whipped cream, and flavour as fancy may suggest.Preparation D.—Dilute one lb. of flour, three and a half oz. of powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, in five eggs and the yolks of three. Add one and three-quarter pints of milk and five egg-whites whisked to a stiff froth.Flavour according to fancy.2404—RICE PREPARATION FOR ENTREMETSWash one lb. of Carolina or Patna rice; cover it with plenty of cold water; boil, and drain it the moment it has boiled. Wash it once more in lukewarm water; drain it, and set it to cook with two pints of boiled milk, two-thirds lb. of sugar, a pinch of salt and three oz. of butter.Flavour with a stick of vanilla or a few strips of orange or lemon rind, strung together with cotton. When the liquor begins to boil, cover the saucepan; place it in the oven, and let it cook gently for twenty or twenty-five minutes, without once touching the rice the while.On withdrawing it from the oven, thicken it with the yolks of sixteen eggs, which should be mixed with it by means of a fork in such wise as not to break the rice grains, which ought to remain whole.N.B.—In some cases, the milk and the sugar may be replaced (for the cooking process) by an equal amount of syrup at 12° (Saccharometer).2405—SOUFFLÉ PREPARATIONSSoufflépreparations are of twokinds:—(1) Those prepared with cream, which if necessary may serve for allsoufflés; (2) those with a fruit-purée base, which allow of a more pronounced flavour for fruitsoufflésthan if these were prepared with cream.Cream-soufflé Preparation for Four People.—Boil one-sixth pint of milk with one oz. of sugar; add a tablespoonful of flour diluted in a little cold milk; cook for two minutes, and finish, away from the fire, with a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and two egg-yolks with three whites whisked to a stiff froth.Soufflé Preparation for a Big Party.—Thoroughly mix half-lb. of flour, half-lb. of sugar, four eggs and the yolks of three, in a saucepan. Dilute with one quart of boiling milk; add a stick of vanilla; boil, and cook for two minutes, stirring incessantly the while.[713]Finish, away from the fire, with four oz. of butter, five egg-yolks, and twelve whites, whisked to a very stiff froth.Soufflé Preparation with a Fruit Base.—Take one lb. of sugar cooked to thesmall-crackstage; add thereto one lb. of the pulp or purée of the fruit under treatment, and ten egg-whites, beaten to a stiff froth.Proceed thus: Having cooked the sugar to the extent stated above, add to it the fruit pulp. If the latter reduces the sugar a stage or two, cook it afresh in order to return it to thesmall-crackstage; and, when this is reached, pour it over the whites.Dishing and Cooking of Soufflés.—Whatever thesoufflésmay consist of, dish them in a timbale, or in a special false-bottomed dish, buttered and sugared inside. Cook in a somewhat moderate oven, that the heat may reach the centre of thesouffléby degrees.Two minutes before withdrawing thesouffléfrom the oven, sprinkle it with icing sugar, which, when it becomes caramel upon the surface of thesoufflé, constitutes the glazing.The decoration ofsoufflésis optional, and, in any case, should not be overdone.Hot Sauces for Entremets2406—ENGLISH SAUCESee the Custard recipe (No.2397).2407—CHOCOLATE SAUCEDissolve half-lb. of grated chocolate in two-thirds pint of water. Add a tablespoonful of vanilla sugar; cook gently for twenty-five minutes, and complete at the last moment with three tablespoonfuls of cream and a piece of best butter, the size of a walnut.2408—SABAYONMix one lb. of powdered sugar with twelve egg-yolks, in a basin, until the mixture has whitened slightly. Dilute with one quart of dry, white wine; pour the whole in a narrowbain-marie, which should be placed in a receptacle containing boiling water, and whisk it until it is four times its former size, and is firm and frothy.N.B.—Sabayon may also be made with milk instead of white wine, and it may be flavoured according to fancy.2409—FRUIT SAUCEApricots, red-currants, greengages and mirabelle plums are the best fruits for sweet sauces. Other fruits, such as peaches, William[714]pears, apples, &c., may also be used in the form of light purées or cullises.2410—APRICOT SAUCERub some very ripe or stewed apricots through a sieve, and thin the purée with the required quantity of syrup at 28° (Saccharom.). Boil, skimming carefully the while; take off the fire when the sauce veneers the withdrawn spoon, and flavour according to fancy.If this sauce is to be used with crusts, a little best butter may be added to it.2411—RED-CURRANT SAUCEMelt some red-currant jelly and flavour it with kirsch.This sauce may be slightly thickened with arrowroot.2412—SAUCE ORANGERub some orange marmalade through a sieve; add thereto one-third of its bulk of apricot sauce, and flavour with curaçao.2413—HAZEL-NUT SAUCEFlavour some English custard with an infusion of grilled hazel-nuts, and add two tablespoonfuls of moulded filbertpralinper quart of custard.2414—GREENGAGE OR MIRABELLE SAUCEProceed as for apricot sauce and flavour with kirsch.2415—CHERRY SAUCETake the syrup of some stewed cherries, add an equal quantity of red-currant jelly, and flavour with kirsch.2416—RASPBERRY SAUCETake the required quantity of melted raspberry jelly; thicken it slightly with arrowroot, and flavour with kirsch.2417—STRAWBERRY SAUCEProceed as for No.2416.2418—THICKENED SYRUPSThese accompaniments of sweets, which are commonly used in Germany, have this in their favour, that they are economical; but they should be used in moderation. To make them, take some syrup at 15°, thickened with arrowroot, coloured according to the purpose for which it is required, and flavoured with some liqueur or essence at the last moment.It is with this kind of sauce that flawns and all other sorts of tartlets are coated in northern countries.[715]HOT SWEETSFrittersThe numerous fritter recipes for sweets may all be grouped into five leading classes,viz.:—(1) Fruit fritters.(2) Custard fritters.(3) Viennese fritters.(4) Souffléd fritters.(5) Sundry other fritters which are more or less like the four former ones without entirely resembling them.2419—Class 1.FRESH FRUIT AND FLOWER FRITTERSSubject to the treatment undergone by them, fruits for fritters are of two kinds: firm fruits, such as apples and pears, and aqueous fruits, such as strawberries, &c.2420—FRITTERS OF FRUIT WITH FIRM PULPSEx.APRICOT FRITTERSSelect some apricots that are not over-ripe; cut them in two; sprinkle them with sugar, and set them to macerate for an hour in kirsch, brandy, or rum, subject to the consumers’ tastes. A few minutes before serving, dry the halved apricots, dip them in batter (No.234), and fry them in hot fat. Drain them on a napkin; set the fritters on a tray; cover them with icing sugar, and glaze them in a hot oven or at the salamander. Dish them on a napkin, and serve them at once.N.B.—Proceed in precisely the same way for Apple, Pear, Peach, or Banana fritters.2421—AQUEOUS-FRUIT FRITTERSEx.STRAWBERRY FRITTERSSelect some large, somewhat firm strawberries; sugar them copiously; sprinkle them with kirsch, and let them macerate on ice for thirty minutes.It is most essential that the strawberries be well sugared before macerating, because the heat of the fat sours them while the fritters are being fried, and they consequently become tart.A few minutes before serving, drain the strawberries, dip them in batter (No.234), and plunge them into very hot fat. Drain them, dish them on lace paper, and sprinkle them with icing sugar, by means of a dredger.[716]N.B.—The procedure is the same for Raspberry, Red-currant, Cherry, Orange, and Tangerine fritters. For the last-named, it is better to quarter them and peel them raw, than to slice them.2422—FLOWER FRITTERS.Ex.ACACIA-FLOWER FRITTERSSelect some blown acacia flowers; besprinkle them with sugar and liqueur brandy, and leave them to macerate for thirty minutes.Dip them in batter (No.234); plunge them into plenty of hot fat; drain them; sprinkle them with best sugar and dish them on a napkin.N.B.—Proceed as above for Elder-flower, Lily, and Vegetable-marrow-flower fritters; but in the case of the last two, the quartered corollæ, alone, are used.2423—CUSTARD FRITTERS OR FRIED CREAMCustard fritters may be prepared in the three following totally different ways.1st Method.—Cut up preparation No.2400with a round, square, or lozenge-shaped fancy cutter, as taste may dictate. Treat the resulting pieces of custard twiceà l’anglaise, using very fine and fresh bread-crumbs for the purpose. Press upon the bread-crumbs with the blade of a knife that they may adhere properly, and fry the pieces of cream in very hot fat. On taking the fritters out of the fat sprinkle them with icing sugar, and dish them on a napkin.N.B.—Instead of treating these frittersà l’anglaise, they may be dipped into batter and treated as directed in the case of Apricot fritters.2nd Method.—Prepare a custard as for a “crème renversée” (No.2639), using only whole eggs, that it may be firm; and poach it in a utensil of a shape which will facilitate the cutting-up of the preparation. When the latter is quite cool, cut it up as fancy may suggest; dip the pieces in batter (No.234) and plunge them in plenty of hot fat. Drain them on a piece of linen; sprinkle them with icing sugar; glaze them in a fierce oven, and dish them on a napkin.3rd Method.—Prepare some common-shapedmeringues, and keep them very dry.When they have cooled, open them slightly on top, and, through the hole in each, fill them either with a Bavarois preparation, with some kind of ice-cream, or with a fruitsalpiconthickened with stewed apricots or plums. Close the holes with the pieces that were cut out, and place themeringuesin the refrigerator for an hour.[717]When about to serve them, quickly treat themà l’anglaise; set them (opened side uppermost) in a frying-basket, and dip them for a few seconds in smoking fat. Withdraw them as soon as their crusts have acquired a golden colour; sprinkle them with icing sugar; dish them on a napkin, and serve them immediately.2424—VIENNESE FRITTERSQuantities for the paste of Viennese fritters: one lb. of flour; six oz. of butter; half oz. of yeast; five eggs; half oz. of salt; two-third oz. of sugar; and one-sixth pint of milk. This paste is prepared exactly like Brioche paste (No.2368).In any case, as it has to be worked with the rolling-pin, always keep it a little firm.2425—HOT VIENNESE FRITTERSRoll out a piece of the paste given above to a thickness of one-fifth inch.Spread upon it, at regular intervals, small quantities (about the size of a large walnut) either of stewed fruit or jam. Moisten slightly; cover with a second layer of paste, of the same size and thickness as the former; press upon it with the back of a round cutter, so as to ensure the joining of the two layers of paste, and then stamp the whole out with an even cutter two and a half inches in diameter.Set the fritters on a tray covered with a flour-dusted piece of linen; let the paste ferment for thirty minutes, and then fry them in plenty of hot fat. Drain them; sprinkle them with icing sugar and dish them on a napkin.N.B.—These fritters may be accompanied by frothy sauces, flavoured with vanilla, lemon, orange, coffee, or kirsch, &c., the type of which is the Sabayon with cream.2426—COLD VIENNESE FRITTERSRoll out a piece of the paste prescribed, which should be kept somewhat soft, and stamp it out with a round cutter two and a half inches in diameter. Set half of these roundels of paste on buttered sheets of paper, lying on trays; garnish them either with stewed fruit or jam; slightly moisten their edges; cover them with the remaining roundels of paste, and let the paste ferment for thirty minutes.A few minutes before serving, grasp the ends of the sheets of paper; plunge the fritters into plenty of hot fat, and withdraw the sheets of paper as soon as the fritters fall from them.[718]Drain them as soon as they begin to colour; and plunge them immediately into a light, hot syrup, flavoured as fancy may dictate. Withdraw them as soon as they are beginning to be saturated, and serve them cold.N.B.—In the case of either of these two methods of serving Viennese fritters, the latter, which are served under the name of “fritters à la Dauphine,” may be garnished with fruitsalpiconsor cream preparations.Souffléd Fritters2427—ORDINARY SOUFFLÉD FRITTERSPut one pint of water, three and a half oz. of butter, a pinch of salt and two pinches of sugar into a saucepan. Boil; take the utensil off the fire in order to add two-thirds lb. of sifted flour, and mix up the whole. Then dry this paste as directed for pâte à choux (No.2373); and finish it, away from the fire, with seven eggs, added one by one.Flavour according to taste.Take this paste in portions, the size of small walnuts; put these portions in moderately hot fat, and gradually increase the heat of the latter, so as to ensure the rising of the paste.When the fritters are quite dry outside, drain them; dish them on a napkin, and sprinkle them with icing sugar.2428—SOUFFLÉD FRITTERS “EN SURPRISE”Prepare the fritters exactly like the preceding ones. When taking them out of the fat, open them slightly and garnish them, by means of the piping-bag, either with stewed fruit, jam, a very fine, thickenedsalpiconof fruit, or some kind of cream, especially frangipan or pastry cream.Various Fritters
Prepare the puff-paste as directed under No.2366. Make the layer of paste of an even thickness of four-fifths inch; set[705]thereon an overturned plate or a saucepan-lid, the size of which should be that intended for the Vol-au-vent, and cut the paste obliquely, following round the edges of the lid or plate with a small knife. Turn the layer of paste over, and set it on a slightly moistened round baking sheet; groove it all round;gildit, and describe a circle on top of it with the point of a knife, one and one-quarter inches away from the edge, to form the cover of the Vol-au-vent. Streak this cover criss-cross-fashion; also streak the body of the Vol-au-vent with the point of a small knife, and bake it in a rather hot oven.
Upon withdrawing the Vol-au-vent from the oven, remove its cover, and clear it of the soft crumb which will be found on its inside.
Bouchées are really small Vol-au-vents. Roll out the paste, making it a good one-third inch thick. Cut this layer with a grooved round cutter three inches in diameter; set the roundels of stamped-out paste on a moistened tray;gild, and make a circular incision in each of them, one-half inch from their edges, either with the point of a small knife or with an even, round cutter dipped in hot water.
Bake in a hot oven, and clear the insides of the bouchées of their crumb on taking them out of the oven. “Mignonnes Bouchées,” which are used as a garnish, are stamped out with a round cutter two inches in diameter, and are slightly thicker than ordinary bouchées.
Roll out the puff-paste to a thickness of one-sixth inch, and stamp it out with an even round cutter three inches in diameter. With the trimmings resulting from this operation, rolled somewhat more thinly, make an equal quantity of roundels, and lay them on a tray. Slightly moisten the edges of these roundels with a brush; garnish their centres with some forcemeat, rolled to the size of a hazel-nut; cover the forcemeat with the roundels stamped out from the first; press upon these with the back of a round cutter two inches in diameter;gildthem, and bake them in a hot oven for twelve or fourteen minutes.
For tartlet crusts, which are put to various uses, take either even or grooved, large or small moulds, subject to the requirements.
Roll out a piece of short paste to a thickness of one-fifth inch; stamp it out with a grooved round cutter of a size in proportion to the moulds used; line the buttered moulds with these roundels[706]of paste; pierce the paste on the bottom of each with the point of a small knife; line with good-quality paper; fill up with lentils, split peas, or rice, and bake in a moderate oven. When the paste is baked, withdraw the dry vegetable used and the paper, and place the crusts in the drying-box, that they may be quite dry; orgildthem inside, and set them in the front of the oven for a few minutes.
Butter a Charlotte-mould, and decorate its sides with some sort of design made from noodle-paste trimmings to which a little powdered sugar has been added. Shape a piece of short paste (of a size in proportion to the mould) like a ball; roll it out to a disc; sprinkle it with flour, and fold it in two. Draw the ends gently towards the centre, so as to form a kind of skullcap, and take care to not crease the paste. Make this skullcap of an even thickness of one-third inch, and place it in the mould.
Press it well upon the bottom and sides of the mould, that it may acquire the shape of the latter; line the mould inside with good buttered paper; fill up with lentils or split peas, letting them project in a dome above the edges of the paste, and cover with a round sheet of paper.
Prepare a round layer of paste, one-fifth inch thick, a little larger diametrally than the timbale one. Slightly moisten the inside edges of the timbale; cover it with the prepared disc of paste, and seal it well down to the edges of the timbale, pressing it between the fingers in such wise as to form a crest reaching one-half inch beyond the brim of the mould all round.
Pinch this crest with paste-pincers inside and out.
With a round or oval grooved fancy-cutter stamp out some imitation leaves from a very thin layer of paste, and imitate the veins of the leaves with the back of a knife; or stamp out some triangles of paste; shape them like leaves, and set these (slightly overlapping one another) upon the dome of the timbale in superposed rows.
Finish with three roundels of paste, stamped out with a grooved round cutter of a different size from the first, and make a hole in the centre of each roundel with a round, even fancy-cutter.Gildand bake in a moderate oven. When the outside of the timbale is well browned, detach and remove the cover formed by the leaves. Withdraw the split peas and the paper;gildthe timbale inside, and leave it to dry in the front of the oven or in the drying-box.
With short or any other kind of paste prepare a layer one-sixth inch thick, the diameter of which should be one-fourth as long again as that of the flawn-ring used. Raise this layer, and place it upon the previously-buttered flawn-ring, pressing it with the fingers, that it may assume the shape of the mould. Then roll the pin across the ring, in order that the overlapping paste may be cut away; press the thickness of paste that has been formed between the fingers in such a way as to make it project above the edges of the flawn-ring, and form a regular crest. Pinch this crest with the pastry pincers, and set the flawn-ring on a small round baking sheet.
Prick it with the point of a small knife; line its bottom and sides with slightly-buttered, good paper; fill the ring with dry lentils or split peas, and bake in a moderately hot oven for about twenty-five minutes.
Then remove the lentils and paper, as also the ring, and return the flawn to the oven for a few minutes to brown, if it is not already sufficiently coloured.
If the paste be required very dry, place the flawn in the drying-box for a little while, orgildit inside, and set it in the front of the oven for a few minutes.
The moulds for Raised Pies are oval or round. If they are round, make a layer of patty paste, one-half inch thick, in proportion to the size of the mould.
Sprinkle this paste with flour, fold it in two, and shape it like a skullcap, after the manner described under “Timbale Crust.” It is only necessary to press this skullcap of paste into the buttered mould in order to give it the shape of the latter. If the mould is oval, proceed in the same way, giving the skullcap an oval shape.
When the raised pie is filled, first cover the garnish with a somewhat thin, round, or oval layer of paste, in accordance with the shape of the mould, and seal it well down upon the moistened edges. Then cut away the superfluous paste of the crest, so as to make the latter even and neat, and pinch it outside and in. Raised pies are covered in two ways—either with a layer of puff-paste, or with leaves of paste stamped out with a round cutter or a knife, the veins being imitated with the back of a knife.
In the first case, prepare a layer of puff-paste one-third inch thick, equal in size to the inside of the patty. Drop this layer[708]of paste upon the cover of the pie, after having slightly moistened it;gildand streak it, and make a slit in the top for the escape of steam.
In the second case, prepare the paste leaves as directed above, and lay them on the pie (slightly overlapping one another) in superposed rows, starting from the bottom. On the top of the pie set three or four indented roundels of paste, graduated in size, and stuck one upon the other, each roundel having a hole in its centre for the escape of steam.
Gildand set the pie in the oven.
The baking of raised pies made with raw forcemeat is effected in a moderately-heated oven. Bear in mind that the larger the pie is, the more moderate should be the oven.
This custard allows of various methods of preparation which are subject to the purpose for which it is intended. It is the chief sauce for entremets, and whether it be poached in a deep dish or in a mould, it constitutes one of the oldest and best-known entremets. This last kind of custard will be examined hereafter. At present I shall only deal with the variety used either as a sauce or an accompaniment, cold or hot. It is extremely difficult to prescribe fixed quantities for this custard, for the former depend a great deal upon the consumers’ tastes, and, whereas some like a thick custard, others go to the extreme of wishing it just liquid enough to be drunk like any other beverage.
The quantities given below are suited to a custard of medium consistence, but if a thicker custard were desired, the number of egg-yolks would have to be proportionately increased, andvice-versâ.
The quantity of sugar also varies, subject to the consumers’ tastes, and, as the amount used (except in the case of unreasonable excess) does not affect the consistence of the custard, it may be graduated from three to ten or twelve oz. per quart, as taste may dictate. Six oz. of sugar per quart of milk constitutes a happy medium.
English custard admits of all the aromatic essences used for entremets, but the one which suits it best is vanilla. When this last-named flavour or that of filberts, almondpralin, or coffee is used, it is well to put the required quantity to infuse for[709]twenty minutes in the boiling milk, after the latter has been measured off. Chocolate is first melted and then gradually added to the custard before it is cooked. Other aromatic essences or liqueurs are added to the custard after it has been strained.
English custard admits of two methods ofpreparation:—
Recipe A.—Put twelve raw egg-yolks and three-quarters lb. of powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix the sugar a little with the yolks, and stir the latter briskly with a spatula until they have entirely absorbed the sugar, and the resulting paste is white and has reached theribbonstage. Then pour one quart of boiling milk into the paste, little by little, mixing the whole the while with a whisk. Then put the preparation on the fire, stirring it with a spatula, and cook it until it approaches the boil and properly coats the withdrawn spoon. Take care not to let it boil, for this would turn the preparation. In any case, when the sauce is intended for hot sweets, by adding a tablespoonful of arrowroot, it may be prevented from turning.
When the custard is cooked, as already explained, strain it, either through a strainer, into abain-marie, if it is to be served hot, or through a sieve into a large, enamelled basin, where it should be frequently stirred to be kept smooth while cooling.
Custard prepared in this way forms the base of all ice-creams, of which I shall speak later on. It may serve as an adjunct to all cold or hot sweets which allow of a sauce. When, while it is still lukewarm, it is combined with its weight of best butter, it constitutes the delicious butter cream, which is the richest and most delicate of the pastry-cook’s confections.
Finally, if eight melted gelatine leaves per quart of cooled milk be added to it, and it be mixed with twice its volume of whipped cream, it represents the preparation for “Cream Bavarois” and “Russian Charlottes.”
Recipe B.—Melt six oz. of sugar in one quart of milk; boil, and pour the mixture, little by little, over twelve egg-yolks, whisking the latter briskly the while. When this custard is to be moulded, or is intended for a Cabinet Pudding, or some other similar preparation, which must be ultimately poached, strain it as soon as it is mixed, without cooking it.
If, on the other hand, it be intended for an accompaniment, or for the preparation of butter creams or ices, cook it as directed in Recipe A.
For this purpose English custard is made from only ten egg-yolks per quart of milk. Serve it in shallow silver or porcelain[710]dishes; sprinkle its surface copiously with icing sugar, and criss-cross it with a red-hot iron.
As in the case of English custard, Frangipan custard varies in the quantities of its ingredients in accordance with its purpose and the taste of its consumers. The recipe given below is an average one, which the reader will be able to modify, in regard to consistence, by increasing or decreasing the amount of flour.
Mix one-half lb. of powdered sugar, two oz. of flour, two whole eggs, and the yolks of five in a basin. Pour one pint of boiling milk over this paste, stirring it briskly the while; add a grain of salt and the selected aromatic essence, and set the saucepan on the fire, that the Frangipan may cook. Do not cease stirring this cream while it is cooking, for it easily burns.
Let it boil a few minutes; pour it into a bowl, and combine three oz. of fresh butter and two tablespoonfuls of dry, crushed macaroons with it. When the whole is well mixed, smooth the surface of the custard with a well-buttered spoon, so that no crust may form while the cooling progresses.
Proceed as above, but so apportion the quantities as to obtain a very firm cream. The quantities should be asfollows:—Six oz. of flour, six oz. of sugar, ten egg-yolks, four whole eggs, one quart of milk, and one oz. of butter.
When this cream is cooked, spread it in a layer one inch thick on a buttered tray or on a marble slab; carefully butter its surface, and let it cool before using it.
Mix one lb. of powdered sugar with four oz. of flour and twelve egg-yolks, and dilute with one quart of boiling milk. Cook this cream, stirring it continually the while; and, as soon as it boils, add to it a few drops of orange-flower water and four gelatine leaves, softened in cold water. Boil the cream a few minutes; take it off the fire, and, while stirring it briskly, carefully combine with it twelve egg-whites, beaten to a stiff froth.
N.B.—Some operators call this St. Honoré cream (for, as a matter of fact, it serves chiefly in the garnishing of sweets bearing that name), and give the name of Pastry cream to the[711]same preparation minus the egg-whites and the gelatine. I prefer to abide by the principle given above, and to consider the cream without whisked egg-whites merely as a Frangipan, with which it has many points in common.
Pastry cream may be flavoured according to fancy. The addition of the gelatine is not necessary when the cream is to be served immediately, or when it only has a moment or two to wait. But it is indispensable to prevent the decomposition of the preparation, especially in hot weather, if it have to wait at all.
Nothing could be simpler or more exquisite than this preparation, which is obtained by whipping the best cream (kept fresh for twenty-four hours in ice) over ice. The cream speedily increases in volume and becomes frothy. The operation should then be stopped, lest the cream turn to butter, and there should be immediately added to the former four oz. of powdered sugar (part of which should be the vanilla kind) per quart, and then the preparation should be placed in the cool until required.
N.B.—The addition of a little dissolved or powdered tragacanth gum to the cream allows of a more frothy cream being obtained, but the result is neither as fresh nor as perfect in taste when it is not combined with a sweet or ice preparation.
Preparation A.—Put into a basin one lb. of sifted flour, six oz. of powdered sugar, and a pinch of table-salt. Dilute with ten eggs and one quart of milk, added by degrees. Flavour with one heaped tablespoonful of orange, lemon or vanilla sugar, which should form part of the total weight of sugar prescribed; or with one-eighth pint of some liqueur such as brandy, kirsch, rum, &c., which should form part of the total moistening.
Preparation B.—Dilute one lb. of flour, three and one-half oz. of powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, with nine eggs and a half-pint of cream. Add one-eighth pint of brandy, two and a half-oz. of melted butter and one and a half-pints of milk. Pass the whole through a fine strainer, and finish it with one-eighth pint oforgeatsyrup (or almond milk) and three oz. of finely-crushed macaroons.
Preparation C.—Dilute one lb. of flour, three and a half oz. of powdered sugar and a pinch of table salt in nine eggs. Stir the[712]mixture well; add to it a half-pint of raw cream and one pint of milk. Finish with a half-pint of whipped cream, and flavour as fancy may suggest.
Preparation D.—Dilute one lb. of flour, three and a half oz. of powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, in five eggs and the yolks of three. Add one and three-quarter pints of milk and five egg-whites whisked to a stiff froth.
Flavour according to fancy.
Wash one lb. of Carolina or Patna rice; cover it with plenty of cold water; boil, and drain it the moment it has boiled. Wash it once more in lukewarm water; drain it, and set it to cook with two pints of boiled milk, two-thirds lb. of sugar, a pinch of salt and three oz. of butter.
Flavour with a stick of vanilla or a few strips of orange or lemon rind, strung together with cotton. When the liquor begins to boil, cover the saucepan; place it in the oven, and let it cook gently for twenty or twenty-five minutes, without once touching the rice the while.
On withdrawing it from the oven, thicken it with the yolks of sixteen eggs, which should be mixed with it by means of a fork in such wise as not to break the rice grains, which ought to remain whole.
N.B.—In some cases, the milk and the sugar may be replaced (for the cooking process) by an equal amount of syrup at 12° (Saccharometer).
Soufflépreparations are of twokinds:—
(1) Those prepared with cream, which if necessary may serve for allsoufflés; (2) those with a fruit-purée base, which allow of a more pronounced flavour for fruitsoufflésthan if these were prepared with cream.
Cream-soufflé Preparation for Four People.—Boil one-sixth pint of milk with one oz. of sugar; add a tablespoonful of flour diluted in a little cold milk; cook for two minutes, and finish, away from the fire, with a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and two egg-yolks with three whites whisked to a stiff froth.
Soufflé Preparation for a Big Party.—Thoroughly mix half-lb. of flour, half-lb. of sugar, four eggs and the yolks of three, in a saucepan. Dilute with one quart of boiling milk; add a stick of vanilla; boil, and cook for two minutes, stirring incessantly the while.
[713]Finish, away from the fire, with four oz. of butter, five egg-yolks, and twelve whites, whisked to a very stiff froth.
Soufflé Preparation with a Fruit Base.—Take one lb. of sugar cooked to thesmall-crackstage; add thereto one lb. of the pulp or purée of the fruit under treatment, and ten egg-whites, beaten to a stiff froth.
Proceed thus: Having cooked the sugar to the extent stated above, add to it the fruit pulp. If the latter reduces the sugar a stage or two, cook it afresh in order to return it to thesmall-crackstage; and, when this is reached, pour it over the whites.
Dishing and Cooking of Soufflés.—Whatever thesoufflésmay consist of, dish them in a timbale, or in a special false-bottomed dish, buttered and sugared inside. Cook in a somewhat moderate oven, that the heat may reach the centre of thesouffléby degrees.
Two minutes before withdrawing thesouffléfrom the oven, sprinkle it with icing sugar, which, when it becomes caramel upon the surface of thesoufflé, constitutes the glazing.
The decoration ofsoufflésis optional, and, in any case, should not be overdone.
See the Custard recipe (No.2397).
Dissolve half-lb. of grated chocolate in two-thirds pint of water. Add a tablespoonful of vanilla sugar; cook gently for twenty-five minutes, and complete at the last moment with three tablespoonfuls of cream and a piece of best butter, the size of a walnut.
Mix one lb. of powdered sugar with twelve egg-yolks, in a basin, until the mixture has whitened slightly. Dilute with one quart of dry, white wine; pour the whole in a narrowbain-marie, which should be placed in a receptacle containing boiling water, and whisk it until it is four times its former size, and is firm and frothy.
N.B.—Sabayon may also be made with milk instead of white wine, and it may be flavoured according to fancy.
Apricots, red-currants, greengages and mirabelle plums are the best fruits for sweet sauces. Other fruits, such as peaches, William[714]pears, apples, &c., may also be used in the form of light purées or cullises.
Rub some very ripe or stewed apricots through a sieve, and thin the purée with the required quantity of syrup at 28° (Saccharom.). Boil, skimming carefully the while; take off the fire when the sauce veneers the withdrawn spoon, and flavour according to fancy.
If this sauce is to be used with crusts, a little best butter may be added to it.
Melt some red-currant jelly and flavour it with kirsch.
This sauce may be slightly thickened with arrowroot.
Rub some orange marmalade through a sieve; add thereto one-third of its bulk of apricot sauce, and flavour with curaçao.
Flavour some English custard with an infusion of grilled hazel-nuts, and add two tablespoonfuls of moulded filbertpralinper quart of custard.
Proceed as for apricot sauce and flavour with kirsch.
Take the syrup of some stewed cherries, add an equal quantity of red-currant jelly, and flavour with kirsch.
Take the required quantity of melted raspberry jelly; thicken it slightly with arrowroot, and flavour with kirsch.
Proceed as for No.2416.
These accompaniments of sweets, which are commonly used in Germany, have this in their favour, that they are economical; but they should be used in moderation. To make them, take some syrup at 15°, thickened with arrowroot, coloured according to the purpose for which it is required, and flavoured with some liqueur or essence at the last moment.
It is with this kind of sauce that flawns and all other sorts of tartlets are coated in northern countries.
The numerous fritter recipes for sweets may all be grouped into five leading classes,viz.:—
(1) Fruit fritters.
(2) Custard fritters.
(3) Viennese fritters.
(4) Souffléd fritters.
(5) Sundry other fritters which are more or less like the four former ones without entirely resembling them.
Subject to the treatment undergone by them, fruits for fritters are of two kinds: firm fruits, such as apples and pears, and aqueous fruits, such as strawberries, &c.
Select some apricots that are not over-ripe; cut them in two; sprinkle them with sugar, and set them to macerate for an hour in kirsch, brandy, or rum, subject to the consumers’ tastes. A few minutes before serving, dry the halved apricots, dip them in batter (No.234), and fry them in hot fat. Drain them on a napkin; set the fritters on a tray; cover them with icing sugar, and glaze them in a hot oven or at the salamander. Dish them on a napkin, and serve them at once.
N.B.—Proceed in precisely the same way for Apple, Pear, Peach, or Banana fritters.
Select some large, somewhat firm strawberries; sugar them copiously; sprinkle them with kirsch, and let them macerate on ice for thirty minutes.
It is most essential that the strawberries be well sugared before macerating, because the heat of the fat sours them while the fritters are being fried, and they consequently become tart.
A few minutes before serving, drain the strawberries, dip them in batter (No.234), and plunge them into very hot fat. Drain them, dish them on lace paper, and sprinkle them with icing sugar, by means of a dredger.
[716]N.B.—The procedure is the same for Raspberry, Red-currant, Cherry, Orange, and Tangerine fritters. For the last-named, it is better to quarter them and peel them raw, than to slice them.
Select some blown acacia flowers; besprinkle them with sugar and liqueur brandy, and leave them to macerate for thirty minutes.
Dip them in batter (No.234); plunge them into plenty of hot fat; drain them; sprinkle them with best sugar and dish them on a napkin.
N.B.—Proceed as above for Elder-flower, Lily, and Vegetable-marrow-flower fritters; but in the case of the last two, the quartered corollæ, alone, are used.
Custard fritters may be prepared in the three following totally different ways.
1st Method.—Cut up preparation No.2400with a round, square, or lozenge-shaped fancy cutter, as taste may dictate. Treat the resulting pieces of custard twiceà l’anglaise, using very fine and fresh bread-crumbs for the purpose. Press upon the bread-crumbs with the blade of a knife that they may adhere properly, and fry the pieces of cream in very hot fat. On taking the fritters out of the fat sprinkle them with icing sugar, and dish them on a napkin.
N.B.—Instead of treating these frittersà l’anglaise, they may be dipped into batter and treated as directed in the case of Apricot fritters.
2nd Method.—Prepare a custard as for a “crème renversée” (No.2639), using only whole eggs, that it may be firm; and poach it in a utensil of a shape which will facilitate the cutting-up of the preparation. When the latter is quite cool, cut it up as fancy may suggest; dip the pieces in batter (No.234) and plunge them in plenty of hot fat. Drain them on a piece of linen; sprinkle them with icing sugar; glaze them in a fierce oven, and dish them on a napkin.
3rd Method.—Prepare some common-shapedmeringues, and keep them very dry.
When they have cooled, open them slightly on top, and, through the hole in each, fill them either with a Bavarois preparation, with some kind of ice-cream, or with a fruitsalpiconthickened with stewed apricots or plums. Close the holes with the pieces that were cut out, and place themeringuesin the refrigerator for an hour.
[717]When about to serve them, quickly treat themà l’anglaise; set them (opened side uppermost) in a frying-basket, and dip them for a few seconds in smoking fat. Withdraw them as soon as their crusts have acquired a golden colour; sprinkle them with icing sugar; dish them on a napkin, and serve them immediately.
Quantities for the paste of Viennese fritters: one lb. of flour; six oz. of butter; half oz. of yeast; five eggs; half oz. of salt; two-third oz. of sugar; and one-sixth pint of milk. This paste is prepared exactly like Brioche paste (No.2368).
In any case, as it has to be worked with the rolling-pin, always keep it a little firm.
Roll out a piece of the paste given above to a thickness of one-fifth inch.
Spread upon it, at regular intervals, small quantities (about the size of a large walnut) either of stewed fruit or jam. Moisten slightly; cover with a second layer of paste, of the same size and thickness as the former; press upon it with the back of a round cutter, so as to ensure the joining of the two layers of paste, and then stamp the whole out with an even cutter two and a half inches in diameter.
Set the fritters on a tray covered with a flour-dusted piece of linen; let the paste ferment for thirty minutes, and then fry them in plenty of hot fat. Drain them; sprinkle them with icing sugar and dish them on a napkin.
N.B.—These fritters may be accompanied by frothy sauces, flavoured with vanilla, lemon, orange, coffee, or kirsch, &c., the type of which is the Sabayon with cream.
Roll out a piece of the paste prescribed, which should be kept somewhat soft, and stamp it out with a round cutter two and a half inches in diameter. Set half of these roundels of paste on buttered sheets of paper, lying on trays; garnish them either with stewed fruit or jam; slightly moisten their edges; cover them with the remaining roundels of paste, and let the paste ferment for thirty minutes.
A few minutes before serving, grasp the ends of the sheets of paper; plunge the fritters into plenty of hot fat, and withdraw the sheets of paper as soon as the fritters fall from them.
[718]Drain them as soon as they begin to colour; and plunge them immediately into a light, hot syrup, flavoured as fancy may dictate. Withdraw them as soon as they are beginning to be saturated, and serve them cold.
N.B.—In the case of either of these two methods of serving Viennese fritters, the latter, which are served under the name of “fritters à la Dauphine,” may be garnished with fruitsalpiconsor cream preparations.
Put one pint of water, three and a half oz. of butter, a pinch of salt and two pinches of sugar into a saucepan. Boil; take the utensil off the fire in order to add two-thirds lb. of sifted flour, and mix up the whole. Then dry this paste as directed for pâte à choux (No.2373); and finish it, away from the fire, with seven eggs, added one by one.
Flavour according to taste.
Take this paste in portions, the size of small walnuts; put these portions in moderately hot fat, and gradually increase the heat of the latter, so as to ensure the rising of the paste.
When the fritters are quite dry outside, drain them; dish them on a napkin, and sprinkle them with icing sugar.
Prepare the fritters exactly like the preceding ones. When taking them out of the fat, open them slightly and garnish them, by means of the piping-bag, either with stewed fruit, jam, a very fine, thickenedsalpiconof fruit, or some kind of cream, especially frangipan or pastry cream.