The making of ices, like many other operations of the confectioner's art, is often rendered difficult by the neglect of the simple principles and precautions which, duly considered, ensure success. Thus, if the ice for freezing is not properly broken, and then immediately and thoroughly mixed with a proper proportion of salt, the process cannot be successfully carried on. Again, when freezing by the ordinary means, if the temperature of the atmosphere is much above 45°, the ice will melt too rapidly, requiring to be frequently renewed, thus entailing a great deal of trouble and expense. Although the making of ices can in experienced hands be successfully carried out by the old rude method, it will severely tax the powers of an ordinary cook, especially if she has many other things to engage her attention. A great economy both of time and material can be effected by the use of Kent's Horizontal Freezer. This machine is not expensive, and by its form obviates a great difficulty in making ices, namely, the tendency to freeze hard at the bottom of the pot, and thus prevent the thorough mixing of the ingredients. For its extreme simplicity and efficiency this machine is unrivalled, as by the mere turning of the handle, which could be done by a child, two quarts or more of ices can be made in less than five minutes. "The Family Ice-Maker and Cream-Freezer," without the aid of ice, of the same patentees, is very valuable for public institutions and large families. The best way of preparing ice for any kind of freezer is to put it into a sack or bag of coarse material, lay it on the ground, and break it up small with a wooden mallet. This done, to each two pounds of ice add one pound of common salt, and mix them thoroughly and quickly together. To make ices without a machine put the rough ice in a pail, which should have a hole stopped with a cork near the bottom, in order that water may be drawn off as the ice melts. Set the freezing-pot in the centre of the ice, and keep turning quickly about till the cream or other material is set. Open the pot every three or four minutes, and with a spatula work the ices from the sides to the middle, mixing and stirring all well together. When the icing is completed, which may be known by trying with the thermometer, if they register 22° you will be certain of a satisfactory result. Then cover your pot with fresh ice and salt, protect it as well as you can by covering over with old carpet or sacks, and let it remain until wanted.

The best kind of ice creams are made with cream, the juices of fresh fruits, sweetened, syrup or flavouring, and water ices of syrup, and water only. It may be taken as a general rule, that milk, cream, or custard, mixed with syrup or flavouring, can be converted into ices, and there is perhaps no branch of the confectioner's art in which so much variety or such novel effects can be produced. A little experience will teach the precise degree of sweetness for ices; it must however be borne in mind that it is difficult to freeze if too much sugar is used, and that spirits must not be mixed with either cream or water ices. To give richness, and a greater degree of firmness to ices, some confectioners use a small quantity of gelatine.

Care should be taken thoroughly to mix and to strain into the freezing-pot the material for icing, and also to cover it so closely that no salt can penetrate.