Prepare the muffs according to the following description: Sift through a sieve one-quarter of a pound of sugar, place it in a vessel with four whole eggs, a quarter of a pound of flour and a little powdered vanilla; spread this on a buttered and floured baking sheet, to the thickness of about one-sixteenth of an inch, and bake in a brisk oven; divide this cake into bands each six and a quarter inches long by two and a half wide, roll them on a piece of rounded wood two inches in diameter, cover them with a light layer of meringue (No. 140), and over this scatter in profusion some pistachios and almonds, chopped in eighth of an inch pieces, mixing them with dried currants.

Venus Cream

Put into a vessel one vanilla bean, as much Ceylon cinnamon broken small, a little mace and the peel of an orange; boil a quart of very fresh cream, pour it over the spices, cover and leave infuse for three hours. Break ten egg-yolks in a basin, work well with half a pound of sugar and the boiled cream, coloring it to a soft pink. Cook this preparation, let stand till cold, then strain through a fine sieve; freeze and add to this ice one quart of whipped cream. Dress each muff on a separate sheet of paper; fill the bottom with a quarter of an inch thick layer of pistachio cream (No. 3454), over this the Venus cream, and on top another one of pistachio to close the orifice. Keep in the freezing box for half an hour. When serving fasten in the center of both ends a stick of angelica.

Fig. 696.

Fig. 697.