1293. Pettpts-Choux, With Caramel

Prepare these as the above, except that they must be rolled and baked in the form of round balls, which, when done, should be about the size of an egg. About two ounces of roughly-chopped pistachios, a few cleaned currants, and an equal proportion of loaf sugar, chopped small, should be mixed together on a plate; then boil about four ounces of sugar, first dipping each petit-choux slightly in this, then gently roll in the prepared pistachios, etc, so as to mask its surface with these. When the whole have been thus passed in the sugar-carami'l, allow them to cool previously to dishing them up.

1294. Profitrolles

Prepare two dozen petits-choux as directed in the first part of the foregoing article; when they are baked and have become cold, cut a circular piece from the top of each, about the size of a shilling ; then fill them with some custard, prepared as follows : - Put the yolks of four eggs into a small stewpan, with two ounces of pounded sugar, a good table-spoonful of flour, two ounces of grated chocolate, and a very little salt; mix these well together with half a pint of cream, add a small pat of butter, then stir the whole over the stove-fire, and allow it to boil for about ten minutes ; this custard should now be passed through a tammy (with pressure) into a basin, and when it has become cold, three table-spoonfuls of whipped cream should be added ; then serve.

This custard may also be flavored either with lemon, orange, vanilla, orange-flower, or any kind of liqueur ; in which case the chocolate must be omitted.

1295. Mecca Loaves

The paste for these is prepared as in the foregoing cases, with the addition, however, of a few spoonfuls of whipped cream, which must only be incorporated just previously to the loaves being laid out on the baking-sheet in the following manner: -

Take a table-spoon, and fill it half full from the stewpan, containing the paste; then dip the point of a knife in some beaten egg, and use it to force the paste from the spoon, gently dropping it on the baking sheet in the form of a gherkin, pointed at the ends, and elevated at the centre; fill the baking-sheet with these, placing them about two inches distant from each other; egg them over, shake some fine chopped loaf sugar (about the size of small hail stones) over them, then shake some sifted sugar upon them, and put them in the oven (at very moderate heat), to bake of a bright-yellow color. When the Mecca loaves are done, allow them to become cold; then after they have been dished up in double circular rows, fill the well or centre with some whipped cream seasoned with a little sugar, and a small glass of liqueur, and serve.

* Pronounced by English cooks, "Petty-shoes."

1296. Queen's Cakes

First, prepare eight yolks of eggs of nouilles paste (No. 1256), roll this out as thin as paper, cut it into bands, and shred these extremely fine; after the nouilles have been allowed to dry upon a sieve for a short time, put them into a convenient-sized stewpan, with a pint of boiling cream, two pats of butter, six ounces of sugar, and a glass of brandy; set them to boil very gently over a slow stove-fire (covered with the lid), and when the cream has been absorbed by the nouilles, withdraw them, add the yolks of six eggs, and stir the whole well together; then place this preparation upon two baking-sheets (spread with butter), in layers about the eighth part of an inch thick, and bake these of a deep-yellow color. When done, spread one of them with apricot-jam, cover this over with the other, and then stamp the cakes out with a circular tin-cutter, in the form of half-moons; dish these up in double circular rows, so as to form a cone, and serve.

These cakes may also be garnished with any other kind of preserve, or even with pastry-custard (No. 1311) ; they may be cut out, either in oblong, circular, oval, leaf-like, or diamond shapes. In order to vary their appearance, their surface should be first lightly spread with a little meringue-paste (No. 1298), and then strewn with chopped or shred pistachios, granite-sugar, or small pink or white comfits.