Custard

The great art of making a custard well lies in the stirring, and when this is properly managed, a custard made with milk and the quantity of eggs given in this recipe, will be as rich as one made with cream and additional eggs.

Boil a pint of milk, stir in two ounces of lump sugar, or sufficient to make the custard sweet enough for the purpose required. Have ready the yolks of three eggs, beaten up, pour the boiling milk on them. Put the stewpan, containing the custard, over a slow fire, stir with a wooden spoon as briskly as possible for twenty minutes, or until thickening has commenced, then put the stew-pan on the coolest part of the range, so that it is impossible the custard can simmer, let it stand for a quarter of an hour, stirring it occasionally. When the custard is ready, pour it into a basin, flavour it with vanilla, almond, lemon, or brandy. Should lemon be the desired flavour, the finely shredded peel of half a one should be boiled in the milk, and be allowed to remain in the custard until cold. Stir the custard occasionally until cool, which will prevent a skin forming on the top.

This recipe is the ground-work for all creams made with custard, for ices, ice-puddings, etc., etc.

Whipped Cream

To half a pint of good cream put a tablespoonful of finely sifted sugar, and sufficient of any essence to give it a delicate flavour. With a whisk, or wire spoon, raise a froth on the cream, remove this as soon as it rises, put it on a fine hair, or, still better, lawn sieve, repeat this process until the cream is used up. Should the cream get thick in the whisking, add a very little cold water. Put the sieve containing the whisked cream on a basin, and let it stand for some hours, which will allow it to become more solid, and fit for such purposes as filling meringues. But, if the cream is not required to be solid, it can be used as soon as whipped. The cream which drains from the whip can be used over again, or to make custard, etc., etc.

Apricot Cream

Take a tin of preserved apricots, drain away the juice, and add an equal quantity of water, make a syrup by boiling with this half a pound of lump sugar. When it begins to get thick, put in the apricots and simmer gently for ten minutes. Drain away the syrup, and put both it and the apricots aside, separately, to use as directed.

To make the cream, mix two tablespoonfuls of boiled flour in a quarter of a pint of cold milk, stir it into a quart of boiling milk, add the yolks of three eggs, beaten for a minute, sweeten with three ounces of sifted sugar, and stir over the fire for ten minutes, taking care it does not boil. Pour this custard into a basin, whisk it occasionally until nearly cold, then stir into it an ounce of gelatine, dissolved in a quarter of a pint of boiling milk, and also nearly cold, taking care, thoroughly, to mix them together.

Rinse a quart-mould with cold water, put in a teacupful of the cream, then a layer of the apricots, waiting a minute or two before putting in another cup of cream, then another layer of apricots, and so on until the mould is full. Let the cream stand twelve hours, or more, before turning it out, and when it is on its dish, pour round the syrup of apricots.

If more convenient, the cream can be made without the boiled flour, but will not be so rich.

Lady Jane's Orange Cream

Boil the thinly-shredded rind of four oranges with a pint of new milk, and a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar, for ten minutes. Stir with this half an ounce of Nelson's gelatine, soaked, and dissolved, strain, and let the cream get cold. Then begin to whisk the cream, and as soon as it seems likely to set, add by degrees the juice of the oranges with that of one lemon mixed with them. Continue whisking the cream until it is a white and light froth and is beginning to set. Rinse a quart mould with cold water, drain, and put the cream into it. In four or five hours the cream can be turned out. This is a delicious and inexpensive cream; equally good for invalids, and for ordinary use.

If liked, orange syrup can be poured round the cream when turned out. The recipe page (288) will answer for it.

Rum Cream

Boil half-a-pint of milk or cream with two ounces of lump sugar and a bay-leaf, pour this on to the yolks of three eggs well beaten, stir over a slow fire until the custard is thick. Take out the bay leaf and let the custard stand, stirring it occasionally until nearly cold. Soak a quarter of an ounce of gelatine in a gill of cold water, and dissolve it by boiling, and let it stand until quite cool. Both the gelatine and custard being cool, stir them together until thoroughly mixed, add a small wine-glassful of rum, and put the cream into a mould, let it stand twelve hours before turning out. A syrup of capillaire flavoured with rum poured round the cream is an improvement.

Ginger Cream

Beat the yolks of four eggs, put them in a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of preserved ginger, cut into very thin slices. Add two tablespoonfuls of the ginger-syrup, one pint of milk or cream, and sugar to taste. Stir these ingredients over a slow fire for twenty minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken, taking great care t does not boil.

Let this stand until nearly cold, then add half an ounce of Nelson's gelatine, dissolved in a quarter of a pint of milk, and also nearly cold. Whisk the cream gently until it is beginning to set, put it into a mould and let it stand for four hours, or longer if convenient. Some persons think it an improvement to pour a little ginger syrup, mixed with half its bulk of brandy, round the cream when turned out.