Roman Tartlets

Put the whites of half a dozen eggs into a whipping-bowl and beat them to a froth; add by degrees one-half pound of powdered sugar and after this is worked in add one dessertspoonful of corn starch. Great care must be observed in adding the latter, otherwise the pastry will be tough and useless; the beating must stop and the cornstarch only stirred in. Cover a tin or baking-sheet with oiled paper; on this place as many small rings as will be required, also lined with oiled paper, make them hot, pour two tablespoonfuls of the mixture into each ring, place them in a moderate oven, and as they are baking make an indentation in each with the back of a spoon. When done remove, pile upon them whipped cream, decorate with small pieces of various-colored jellies, and serve.

Rhubarb Tartlets

Choose a quantity of nice young rhubarb, wipe it on a cloth, cut it up into convenient lengths, put it into a stewpan with two or three small pieces of lemon peel, the juice of a lemon, a little water, and plenty of sugar, and stew it gently at the side of the fire. Make a quantity of good short-paste, line a number of buttered tartlet-pans with it, trim the edges neatly, fill them with uncooked rice, and bake them in a moderate oven. Mix the well-whisked white of an egg with one-half pint of cream, and sweeten it with loaf-sugar that has been rubbed on the yellow rind of a lemon, and then pounded and whisked to a firm froth, standing the basin, if possible, over the ice. When the tartlets are cooked turn the rice out, and remove them from their tins; fill each one with a quantity of the rhubarb, and pile the cream on top of them. Spread a fancy dish-paper or a folded napkin over a hot dish, arrange the tartlets on it, and serve.

Strawberry Tartlets

Put one pound of coarsely-crushed loaf-sugar into a saucepan with a small quantity of water, and boil until it is reduced to a syrup, then take it off the fire and mix it with one wineglassful of brandy or sherry. Pick the stems off some freshly gathered ripe strawberries and put them in the syrup. Butter some small patty-pans, and line them with a good short paste, fill them with uncooked rice and bake them. When the tartlets are cooked turn the rice out, fill them with the strawberries and syrup, and put them in the oven for ten minutes. Spread a folded napkin on a hot dish, arrange the tartlets on it, and serve them accompanied with cream in a pitcher, if desired.

Vanilla Tartlets

Peel and blanch five dozen almonds, place them in a mortar with five ounces of loaf sugar, pound them to a powder, and then mix in with them a small quantity of vanilla sugar. Whip the whites of half a dozen eggs to a stiff froth, stir the pounded almonds and sugar in with them. Butter some tartlet-moulds, line them with puff-paste, fill them with the egg mixture, and bake them in a moderate oven. The tartlets may be served either hot or cold.

Walnut Salad

Break the shells of some walnuts, remove the kernels carefully, blanch them to remove the skins, place them on a dish, squeeze over them the juice of one or two lemons, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and let them macerate for three hours, turning them about occasionally. At the end of that time they will be ready for serving and will make a very nice dish. If the juice of some unripe grapes can be obtained, it will be preferable to the lemon-juice.

Sugared Walnuts

Take off the skins of about three dozen walnuts, separate them into halves and mask them with an icing made of four ounces of sugar and an egg, Place them on a sheet of thick paper, stand them in the oven, and bake until of a light brown color. Take them out, remove them from the paper when cold, and they are then ready for use. The walnuts, after being skinned and divided into halves, should be dried at the oven door. Serve them piled on a glass dish. A delicious sweetmeat is made by dipping the kernels into thick chocolate and icing.