298. Charlotte De Russe

Get a sponge cake which has been baked in a mould, and weighing about two pounds or little more. Place this in the centre of a deep china or glass dish. Mix together half a pint of wine with half a pint of water, and sweeten it well with white sugar. Pour this over the cake, which should have been baked the day before; let it stand till it has absorbed as much of the wine as it will take up, then make a custard according to the following directions: Put over the fire three half-pints of milk, well sweetened and flavored with lemon or vanilla, and as soon as it is ready to boil stir in very gradually the yelks of six eggs which should have been well beaten. As soon as the milk and egg begins to bubble a little at the edges, take it off the fire. When the custard is lukewarm pour it round the cake in the dish; whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth, sweeten them with powdered white sugar and flavor with essence of lemon or lemon juice. Pile the whites on the top of the cake and serve it immediately.

299. Peach Charlotte

Line the bottom and sides of a dish with slices of fresh sponge cake. Pare some ripe peaches, cut them in halves, sprinkle sugar over them, and fill up the dish. Then whisk a pint of sweetened cream; as the froth rises, take it off till all is done. Pile the cream on the top of the peaches and send it to the table.

300. Savoy Charlotte

Lay some slices of sponge cake in the bottom of a deep dish; moisten it with wine. Make a custard of one quart of milk and five eggs, with as much sugar as will sweeten it. Beat the eggs, stir them into the milk with the sugar, pour it in a pan, place the pan in a vessel of water, put it in the oven, and as soon as the custard is thick, set it away to cool. With a silver spoon lay the custard over the cake. Take half a pint of cream, flavor it with wine and white sugar, whip it to a froth, and as the froth rises, take it off carefully and lay it on the custard.

The wine may be dispensed with, and the charlotte be very nice, if made according to the above directions.

301. Cherry Charlotte

Stone and stew some morella cherries; to each pound of cherries add three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and one tea spoonful of flour, mixed smoothly with a little water. When the fruit is done, butter some baker's bread, lay it on a dish, spread some of the stewed fruit over it, then put another layer of bread and fruit; cover the top with the fruit.

This is very nice served with cream.