This section is from the book "Perfection in Baking", by Emil Braun. Also available from Amazon: Perfection in baking.
Jellies and cold desserts are often prescribed for the sick, but some cooks use gelatine to excess, and often poor gelatine at that, so that the glue taste kills the good quality of the jelly.
The following is a stock formula: Dissolve one package of gelatine (four ounces) in two quarts of cold water, add one quart of boiling water, two and one-half pounds of granulated sugar, a little mixed whole spice, the juice of five lemons, the peel of two lemons and about twelve broken-up egg shells; set all on a moderate fire and stir well. Beat up until stiff the whites of four eggs, add one pint of water to them and mix in the boiling mixture; let it boil three or four minutes and sprinkle a little water over the top several times to stop overflowing. This last process gives jelly a beautiful crystal-like clearness. Take it off the fire and strain at once through a flannel or felt bag. If not all clear the first time, pour back at once, straining again. Do not disturb the bag in the least and keep it in a warm place. From this stock you can make any kind of jelly; and if put away in a dry, dark place in bottles with tight covers, will keep fresh a long time.
To each quart of the above, dissolved by warming, add the juice of two lemons and one-half of a*lemon peel cut up very fine.
For twelve persons. Dissolve one quart of stock and add one-half of a glassful of any kind of wine. Fill in moulds and set on ice.
Add a few drops of burnt sugar color and one-half of a glassful of wine to each quart.
Add a few drops of cochineal coloring and one-half of a glassful of Bordeaux wine for each quart.
To one quart of stock jelly add one-third of a pint of champagne cider, fill in champagne glasses, and set on ice; beat the whites of two eggs very stiff, add two tablespoonfuls of dissolved gelatine, and pour quickly on the top of each glass and set on ice until ready to serve.
To one quart of stock add the juice of one orange and the rind of half an orange, cut very fine, or one tablespoonful of orange extract.
Put a pint of stock jelly into a quart mould and set it to harden; when half set lay on the top a layer of nice washed berries, cherries or other fruit; fill up with dissolved stock and set to harden again.
The same as snow pudding (see Part II.), only omit the wine and add one cupful of strong coffee and a few drops of sugar color to gelatine.
Especially Recommended For The Sick
One handful of sweet blanched almonds pounded very fine in a mortar; dissolve two ounces of gelatine in one quart of sweet milk; add six ounces of sugar; let it, with the almonds, come to near the boiling point on the stove, then add one and one-half pints of sweet cream; let simmer a few minutes, still stirring it. When nearly cold, strain into the prepared moulds and set on ice.
Line a glass dish or bowl with ladyfingers or slices of sponge cake and fill with the following creme; Dissolve one ounce of gelatine in a half pint of water, set warm; whip one quart of double cream very stiff, let it drain for a while, then beat in the yolks of two eggs, six ounces of powdered sugar, and add the gelatine and vanilla. Fill the molds and set away on ice. It can be ornamented with whipped cream.
Soak a thick board in fresh water. In the meantime beat the whites of seven eggs very stiff and add gradually one pound of powdered sugar; flavor with vanilla. Set with bag and tube (or large spoon) about the size of a goose egg, on paper, dust lightly with sugar, set on the wet board and bake in a very cool oven. When hard and a light brown take off one at a time; scrape out the soft inside with the back of a spoon and lay the shells bottom up on tins and put back in the oven to dry out. They can be kept for months. Before using, set two together with whipped cream.
Float: In farina boiler boil one pint of raspberry juice, one-fourth of a pound of sugar and two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch; add, as soon as thick, the whites of four eggs well beaten; let all cool.
Creme: Boil one pint of milk with three ounces of sugar; stir together the yolks of three eggs, one ounce of cornstarch, a little milk and four drops of almond extract, and pour it into the boiling milk; as soon as it commences to thicken, pour in a glass dish, and when cold lay the float on top by spoonfuls.
Dissolve one ounce of gelatine in a half pint of sweet cream. To one pint of fresh red currants or other fruit, add ten ounces of fine sugar, one spoonful of lemon juice. Let soak one hour, mashing them up well; strain, mix well with the gelatine, stirring in hot water bath, and fill in the dish. Serve with sweet cream, poured over, or whipped cream.
Dissolve two ounces of gelatine in a half pint of cream; press out enough raspberries to get one pint of juice; add sugar to it; after it is strained add the gelatine to it; set in ice water, stirring it until nearly cold. Beat up one pint of double cream, very stiff; let the other mixtnre run into it quickly, stirring it. Fill at once in fancy mould and set on ice. Turn out when ready to serve, by dipping for a second in hot water and ornament with whipped cream.
Strawberry Bavarian, Chocolate, or any other kind is made on the same principle, only substitute different flavors and colors.
 
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