Dried Fruit

Any of those fruits which are preserved with syrup may be dried: they are also better when fresh dried. Warm the fruit in the syrup; take it out and drain; spread it on sieves or wires; put them in the stove to dry, turning them frequently until perfectly dried. When the fruit is drained from the syrup, it may be dusted with loaf-sugar when you put it in the stove, and for two or three times when you turn it. Too much heat will blacken the fruit, therefore let the heat of the stove be about 100° or 110° of Fahrenheit's thermometer.

Section XIV. - Compotes

These are prepared in the same way as wet fruits, and served in compotiers, which are deep glass dishes belonging to the dessert service.

In summer, ripe fruits are simply blanched and boiled up in a thin syrup, a little lemon-juice is added, and served; these are only for present use. In winter, take those fruits which are preserved in syrup, drain, dip them in luke-warm water, and serve in a thin syrup, with the juice of a lemon.

Green Apricot Compote

Prepare your fruit as for green apricots, wet; throw them into syrup that is boiling; take them off the fire, and let them remain for four or five hours; drain off' the syrup, and boil to the thread; pour it over the fruit; when cold, serve.

Ripe Apricot Compote

Cut the apricots in half, and peel them; blanch them in water that is just sweetened; drain them from this; add sugar to the water, and boil to the thread; pour it over the apricots; let them remain in it for two or three hours; then drain and boil the syrup again to the large thread; pour it over the apricots; add the juice of a lemon, with some of the kernels blanched; when cold, serve.

Peaches, nectarines, and green-gages are done as these.

Compote Of Apples, With Jelly

Pare some fine pippins very neatly; core them with an apple corer; put them into syrup, and boil gently; put only just sufficient syrup to cover them, that it may be reduced to a jelly; if it has not body enough, cut a few in pieces and put with it; when the apples look clear and are tender, take them out; add to the apples, while boiling, the juice and yellow rind of a lemon, with a few cloves. Strain the syrup, and reduce it to a jelly; pour part into the compotier, and when cold dress the apples tastefully on it. The hole where the core was taken out may be filled with any sort of marmalade or jelly. Cut the remaining part of the jelly in pieces or croutons, and place round or over them; ornament them with red currant or other jelly, in any way that your fancy may dictate.

Apple Compote

Take some fine apples; peel and cut them in halves, quarters, or thick slices, and take out the cores; blanch them in a very thin syrup until tender; take them out, and add more sugar to that which they were boiled in, with the yellow peel and juice of a lemon and a few cloves; reduce it to the small pearl; put in the apples, and give them a few boils in it; let them remain until cold; take off the scum, if any; strain the syrup, and serve.

Pears and quinces are done as these, or coloured as for pears wet, which see.